CONTENTS.
| PAGE | ||
| PREFACE. | ||
| INTRODUCTORY REMARKS ON THE ORIGIN OF THISSYSTEM OF GYMNASTICS FOR THE FINGERS ANDWRIST | 1 | |
| CHAP. | ||
| [I]. | ANATOMY OF THE HAND. ON LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, ETC. | 16 |
| [II]. | THE MUSCLES OF THE HAND AND OF THE FINGERS | 22 |
| [III]. | EFFECTS OF THIS GYMNASTIC TREATMENT ONTHE MUSCLES, LIGAMENTS, AND JOINTS OFTHE FINGERS AND THE HAND | 29 |
| [IV]. | NEGLECT HITHERTO OF THE HAND AND FINGERS | 35 |
| [V]. | THE FINGER-JOINTS ARE THE LEAST EXERCISED,AND THE WEAKEST | 39 |
| [VI]. | THE PRINCIPAL DIFFICULTY DOES NOT CONSISTIN THE READING OF MUSIC, BUT INTHE WEAKNESS OF THE FINGERS | 41 |
| [VII]. | MUSIC IS THE ART WHICH MAKES THE HIGHESTDEMANDS ON THE MUSCLES OF THEFINGERS. MOVING THE FINGERS UP ANDDOWN INSUFFICIENT | 44 |
| [VIII]. | ARTISTS AND TEACHERS OF MUSIC | 46 |
| [IX]. | FREE GYMNASTIC EXERCISES FOR THE FINGERSAND THUMB | 49 |
| [X]. | FREE GYMNASTIC EXERCISES FOR THE THUMB | 55 |
| [XI]. | FREE GYMNASTIC EXERCISES FOR THE WRIST | 58 |
| [XII]. | MECHANICAL FINGER-EXERCISES | 63 |
| [XIII]. | MECHANICAL FINGER-EXERCISES (CONTINUED) | 70 |
| [XIV]. | MECHANICAL FINGER-EXERCISES (CONTINUED) | 80 |
| [XV]. | BOARD FOR STRETCHING THE MUSCLES, ESPECIALLYTHOSE OF THE THUMB AND THELITTLE FINGER | 84 |
| [XVI]. | ON STRINGED INSTRUMENTS IN PARTICULAR.THE WRIST OF THE RIGHT HAND | 86 |
| [XVII]. | CONTINUATION | 89 |
| [XVIII]. | CONTINUATION. STACCATO | 92 |
| [XIX]. | CONCLUDING REMARKS | 95 |
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
ON THE ORIGIN OF THIS SYSTEM OF GYMNASTICS FOR THE FINGERS AND WRIST.
If any one should desire to know how and in what manner I, as a private individual, came to hit upon these discoveries, I answer simply:
Six years ago I took my family, principally consisting of daughters, to Germany, to have them educated there, and especially to obtain for them good instruction in music. I soon found that the method of teaching the pianoforte then in general use was very fatiguing and trying to the nerves; at the same time, as Germany stands at the head of the musical world, that method, as a matter of course, must be considered the best which we at present know. In order to investigate that system more minutely, I visited several musical schools and conservatories for music in Germany, inquiring what was the very best method known for strengthening the fingers and wrist, for bringing them into order and preparing them to play the pianoforte? The answer I everywhere received was as follows: “The chief difficulties and impediments to be overcome in teaching the piano, the violin, and almost all other musical instruments, are muscular, and lie in the joints of the fingers and wrists; and the very best method of rendering them strong and flexible is frequently and perseveringly to move the fingers up and down on the instrument, preserving the hand in the same position. This movement, together with the usual finger-exercises, if continued for five or six years, and diligently carried out, is usually sufficient to render the joints and muscles of the fingers agile and flexible, and to bring the fingers generally into order.”
I inquired further, “Are those exercises not very fatiguing?” to which I was answered, “They certainly are very trying to the muscles and nerves;” and whether “the health of the students, male and female, did not suffer thereby?” to which the reply was, that it did, and that, indeed, it was sometimes necessary for them to discontinue playing for some months; but then they added, “It must be remembered that learning to play the piano was in itself at all times attended with very considerable difficulties.”
I observed that this result was really lamentable; and inquired whether there did not exist any other method for obtaining the same end and becoming proficient on the piano? To this I received a negative answer, and was again told, “After all possible experiments, it is the opinion of all artists and teachers at the present time, in all cities in Europe, that the method alluded to is the most effective of any we know for imparting quickness and flexibility to the joints of the fingers and wrist.”
Now on observing that my daughters suffered in the same manner, I said to myself, “There must surely be something wrong here.” And here I would mention the fact that when I was 12 or 13 years of age I learnt the violin, and afterwards for upwards of 35 years discontinued it. But later in life, desiring to accompany my children, I was induced to take up the violin again. I then found that, although I was in all other respects exceedingly strong and healthy and capable of all athletic exercises, my fingers and hand in a few minutes became painfully fatigued. The same result followed whenever I took the violin in hand,—in fact, I found that my fingers were the only weak parts of my body. This happened a few years ago, about the same time when the above-mentioned inquiries took place, exciting in me great surprise and an earnest desire to search into the cause. I thought to myself, “There must underlie some unknown hidden cause to account for this phenomenon. I will thoroughly probe the matter.” For this purpose I now put myself in the way of those individually who earn their bread by the sweat of their brow, viz., the smith, the joiner, the bricklayer, the labourer, the peasant, the gardener, the wood-cutter, the miner, &c. &c. I found that all these persons work with their arms, and thereby acquire muscle like steel and arms like giants; but that none of them work with their fingers.
After this I visited boys’ and girls’ schools, and also observed them in their families; and there I found again that nearly all of them in their work made no use of the fingers. The same observation I made with the educated classes, of every age and sex.
This discovered to me the fact that the muscles of the fingers are extremely little exercised in the ordinary occupations of life; and must, therefore, on physiological ground, be weak; a fact of much importance.
I then repaired to the most renowned gymnastic establishments of the Continent, and begged to be shown all the varied gymnastic exercises practised on the body, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, and when all these various movements had been exhibited before me, I inquired “But where are your gymnastic exercises for the fingers?” “We have none.” “Why?” “We never thought of it.” “But they require them surely as much or more than all!” “It has never occurred to us; we did not know the fingers required gymnastics, and they have been entirely overlooked.” This disclosed to me another great fact; namely, that the fingers are the only active members of the human body to which a properly constituted system of gymnastic exercises has NOT been applied.
I thereupon visited houses and institutions where men do work with their fingers, viz., where carvers in wood and ivory, in steel, copper, and stone, painters and draughtsmen, watchmakers and fine mechanists, spinners and weavers, printers and compositors, &c., drive their trade, and after that, people who are in the habit of writing much, and even the whole day, such as authors, copyists, clerks, stenographers, lithographers, as well as sempstresses and workwomen;—in short, all those who have much finger-work, or earn their living by their fingers. And here I observed all kinds of finger diseases, such as stiffness of the joints and limbs, writers’ cramp, hands and forearms debilitated in the highest degree, paralyzed limbs, nervous weakness, &c. Then I said to myself, “A light begins to dawn upon me. I find, first, that the fingers are the least exercised, in the ordinary occupations of life, of all the active members of the body; secondly, that they are on that account relatively and physiologically the weakest; and, thirdly, that they are also the only active members which are not gymnastically trained and treated. I must consider the matter now ANATOMICALLY, PHYSIOLOGICALLY, and GYMNASTICALLY.”
And I forthwith began to make all sorts of artistic and mechanical experiments, for the purpose of gymnastically exercising, stretching, and developing the muscles, the ligaments, and joints of the fingers and hands in all directions, so as to strengthen and prepare them for playing the piano and the violin, as well as other instruments, and for all kinds of finger-work and handicraft.
In doing so I studied the physiology of the muscles and ligaments, and directed especial attention to the transverse metacarpal ligament. In comparing this anatomy with the difficulties experienced, I sought to discover a means more particularly of stretching the ligaments or bands which run transversely across the hands and knuckles. This I succeeded in effecting, and then I discovered, to my astonishment, that the moment I had applied my gymnastic movements to these stout and very obstinate elastic bands, the muscles became instantaneously looser, and moved with greatly increased freedom and agility. In a word, the muscles were set free.
At the same time I tried on myself various simple, natural, free movements with the joints of the fingers, in order to examine them practically and physiologically, and thus to found a system on solid principles. And I may here be permitted to state as the result, in my own case, that though at that time 54 years of age, after I had diligently practised the course of gymnastic exercises herein described, a comparatively short time, every day, my fingers and wrists became so strong and flexible that I was able to play, and can now play upon the violin many hours daily in succession without fatigue.
I caused the same to be tried by many other persons also, of different ages. Then I found, to my surprise, in each case that, in the absence of proper gymnastic exercises, these most important parts of the human frame, owing to their being so unpractised in the ordinary occupations of life, and being consequently so weak, are not equal to the least work or exertion beyond the usual movements of daily life, and that whenever anything beyond the ordinary routine is required of them, they are found to be utterly incapable of fulfilling the task.
Then I said to myself, “I now see as clear as sunlight whence arise the extraordinary difficulties of learning to play the piano and violin. They arise from the very fact that an art the most difficult, from a muscular point of view, which we know of, has to be performed with the least practised and, proportionately, the weakest of muscles. The impediments and difficulties in almost all cases can be referred to the muscles; and it is this weakness which must be overcome.”
Upon this I repaired to anatomical, chirurgical, and medical institutions, in order to study still further the anatomy of the hand, the fingers, and the arm. I found that the muscles, the ligaments, and the tendons of the fingers and hands consist of elastic masses, intersecting the hand, and running TRANSVERSELY as well as LONGITUDINALLY; and I especially discovered, after a number of experiments, that the TRANSVERSE LIGAMENTS, unless they be exercised, remain quiet and stiff, and impede to a certain extent the movements and activity of the muscles, when the latter are more than ordinarily exerted; that in order practically to exercise and stretch them, and particularly the TRANSVERSE ligaments and tendons, and to render them strong and supple, it is necessary not only to move the fingers up and down, but laterally also; that, in short, both muscles and ligaments ought to be practised gymnastically; and that the fatigue and the danger to health, the nervous weakness and the disgust often observed in musical students, arise from the following causes:
Firstly, that the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the hand and fingers are, proportionately, the least practised, and, consequently, as stated before, the weakest;
Secondly, that they have never been gymnastically trained or treated;
Thirdly, that the methods now in use for strengthening those weak muscles and rendering them flexible are insufficient and erroneous;
Fourthly, that the transverse ligaments have never been stretched; thus on these several grounds hampering the learning of music with unnatural difficulties, and with exertions of the muscular and nervous system injurious to health;
Fifthly, that so soon as the muscles are properly and gymnastically exercised, and the ligaments and tendons stretched, the fingers set at liberty move glibly and freely over the instrument; and,
Sixthly, that all this is readily accounted for on the simplest, though till now unexplained, anatomical and physiological grounds.
And as regards the different persons and classes already mentioned, who earn their living with their fingers, it would have been easy to prevent the various diseases of the same to which they are exposed, if the joints of their fingers and hands had previously been daily practised, strengthened, and prepared by transversal and longitudinal gymnastic exercises. And more than this, those sad infirmities might, in most cases, either have been entirely cured or at any rate alleviated by the above muscular treatment. Besides, a continuance of the same diseases would be easily obviated, if such treatment were resorted to.
Then I asked myself, “Is any one to blame that the facts just mentioned have not been previously known and acted upon?” No one. It certainly is not the fault of the artist and teacher, because their task, so great in itself, did not necessarily lead them to direct their attention to this speciality of gymnastics. Nor could anatomists and physicians, nor other learned men, in treating problems more nearly, and perhaps more important in themselves, be expected to have thought of it. As we are frequently indebted to chance for the most important discoveries, so it has been with this one. For my part, I lay claim to very little. The idea had taken hold of me that a hiatus and a want in the method of learning and practising music, also in finger-work of various kinds, existed, and I set to work to fill up the former and to satisfy the latter. For several years I have indefatigably pursued this work in Germany, and after multifarious trials, experiments, and exercises, I have happily achieved the following simple system of gymnastics, whose aim and object, as regards music, after full and complete proof, are; by strengthening the muscles and stretching the ligaments through careful training, to impart to them flexibility and agility, to shorten considerably the time of study, and facilitate the work of both teachers and students; whilst as regards all classes generally who work with their fingers, it is calculated to a great extent to render their work more easy, and in case of disease of the fingers and hands, to prevent it, to cure it, or at the least to diminish its injurious consequences.
Having been requested by the highest anatomical and artistic authorities in Germany to give publicity to this method and to explain it personally, I undertook, in 1864, at my own expense, from love of the art, a journey through many towns of the Continent, where, as already stated, I delivered, in the German language, a number of private and public lectures on the subject. And here I desire specially to crave the forgiveness of my kind German friends, if, in delivering those lectures, I did not at all times express myself in accents of the purest German, since I only commenced the study of that difficult language,—for the first time in my life,—six years ago, after I had attained the age of 52 years. The exposition of this method having met with cordial approval, I now offer the result of my labours to artists, musical students, and to all friends of music, as well as to all those who work much with their fingers, or who suffer from finger disease; also to anatomists, physiologists, surgeons, and gymnasts; indulging the hope that, if applied correctly and carefully, they will go far towards removing the evils to which I have alluded, and be of much practical usefulness and advantage.
CHAPTER I.
ANATOMY OF THE HAND. ON LIGAMENTS, TENDONS,
&c. &c..
The skeleton of the hand, consisting of 27 bones and moved by 40 muscles, most ingeniously combines firmness with pliant flexibility, is equally fit for rough work and the most subtle occupation, and corresponds in its well-balanced mechanism with that mental superiority through which man, amongst all creatures the poorest in means of defence, becomes the ruler of living and inanimate nature. The hand, fixed to the end of a long articulated column of bones, and, through its skin-covering, particularly in the cavity, endowed with high sensibility, raises itself to the importance of an organ of feeling, which, moveable in all directions, apprizes us of the extent of matter, and of its physical qualities.
The most ancient forms of measurement have, therefore, been taken from the length of the several subdivisions of the hand. The capability of the hand of assuming the hollow shape of a spoon, and of being stretched like a shovel, determines its use for gathering and for turning up matter. The curvature of the fingers forms a strong and broad hook, which renders excellent service in climbing; and the thumb, whose position enables it to be placed opposite all the other fingers, acts in conjunction with the latter like a pair of pincers, capable of seizing and feeling smaller objects. The thumb being easily moveable and strong at the same time, is a privilege of the human hand. It powerfully opposes itself against the other fingers into the fist, for the seizing and holding of heavy objects. In doing this the thumb indeed performs almost as much as the remaining fingers taken together; it represents one half of a pair of pincers, wherefore Albin has called it Manus parva.
The unequal length of the fingers is well adapted for the taking hold of spherical forms, and the fingers being bent towards the hollow of the hand and held together, encloses an empty space, which is shut by the thumb serving as a lid. The wrist of the hand, having a circular shape, and being composed of several bones, is much less exposed to the danger of being broken, than if one single curved bone were to take its place. Its cavity, which by strong transversal ligaments is transformed into a ring, protects the bending tendons of the fingers from pressure and friction. The firm connection between the middle hand and the wrist renders possible the actions of stemming and hurling with the hands, and the longitudinal curve of the separate bones of the middle hand, as well as their lying one at the side of the other, and convexly towards the back of the hand, facilitates the forming of the cavity of the hand. The great moveability of the fingers, and the many possible combinations of their relative positions, have made them the instruments of language by signs. The deep slits separating them allow of folding the hands, in order to press with double force, and the bending of the two last finger-joints, which can only take place at an angle, imparts to the clenched fist a force which once usurped the place of right. How necessary the joint action of both hands is for certain performances is proved by the old proverb: Manus manum lavat. In short, all the thousandfold occupations of the hand which necessity commands and the mind develops, and which are an exclusive prerogative of man, become practicable through the wonderful structure of this instrument.[1]
As regards the system of the gymnastic training of the fingers in particular, which I am now placing before the public, it is founded on an important fact, namely, the action of the LIGAMENTS AND TENDONS.
It has been acknowledged at all times, that if a muscle is to be made both stronger and quicker in its movements, it should be exercised; that the ligaments and tendons play, in these exercises, an indispensable part, has hitherto (to use the words of a celebrated German physiologist), hardly been sufficiently acknowledged or explained. It is further known, that the principal method now in use of strengthening and rendering flexible the joints and muscles of the fingers in playing the piano, consists in alternately raising and dropping the fingers, and that this method requires very great exertion, and consumes very much time. Now, I have found, by means of many different experiments and exercises, which I have made with the hand and the fingers, that the tight ligaments and skin-folds, intersecting the hand transversely, unless they be exercised, and if they be allowed to remain firm, for this very reason, impede the movements of the muscles whenever they are more than ordinarily exerted; while, on the contrary, the stretching of the transversal ligaments produces a remarkable influence on the moveability of the fingers and the hand, facilitates the work of the muscles, and imparts to them freedom, steadiness, and precision.
By placing the cylinders to be used for this purpose between the fingers for only a very short time, and thereby exercising the ligaments of the hand, both transversely and longitudinally, the movement of the fingers is at once rendered much easier and quicker. This result can only be explained by the fact that the ligaments and folds of the hand, having been stretched by the cylinders, have become loosened, and, therefore, as I said before, impede less the muscles in their fatiguing work. If, on the other hand, all the muscles, ligaments, and tendons are put into motion in both directions, longitudinally and transversely, they soon become strong and flexible.