cise should be not slower than M.M. crotchet = 100. At first it
will be found impossible to get as far as the semiquavers without
some confusion. At the first sign of irregularity the pupil should
stop, pause a moment, and then recommence with the semibreves. It
should be seen that the bow is not gripped too tightly through
over-anxiety or excitement. It will need patience on the part of
teacher and pupil alike, but both will be gratified when suddenly the
bow is seen to jump naturally and the _Sautille_ is won.

There is one phrase in connexion with bowing that irritates me
greatly, and that is a "loose wrist." As a technicality it is of
course all right, but the insisting on the literal application of the
term has been a stumbling block to many violinists. Ladies have come
to me saying, "Do you think my wrist loose enough for me to play the
violin?" Accompanying the query with a violent flapping of the hand
that would almost make one think they were desirous of emulating the
lobster's ability to cast away a claw at will. Upon making such
persons hold a pencil or penholder (I dared not let them handle a
bow!) it was found that the wrist became stiff and unyielding. The
wrist that was loose when all the muscles were flaccid became rigid
when a few were exerted sufficiently to hold a light object.

Thus it will be seen that the apparent looseness of a violinist's
wrist is not really such, but is the dominating of one set of muscles
by another. Many teachers say that one should have the thumb tight
and the wrist loose. A manifest absurdity when one considers that a
most important thumb muscle extends right across the wrist. It should
therefore be well understood that what is implied by the technical
expression "loose," is, in reality, "control." If it were really
looseness, it would present no difficulty to any one not afflicted
with an ossification. It is to gain this extreme independence of each
set of muscles that long years are taken up in monotonous exercises.
The arm of a violinist has to be trained in a manner directly
opposite to that of an athlete. In the latter we find an
exemplification of the saying, "Unity is Strength." All the muscles
act in perfect accord to the same end. With the violinist, on the
other hand, there is a constant opposition of forces; the larger
muscles are kept down and many smaller muscles are developed that
have lost all use in the arm of an athlete.

Concerning the fingers of the rig