FOOTNOTES:

[5] The following quotations from the works of some of the leading authorities may be of interest to the reader:—

“Methodical gymnastic exercises of the hands and fingers afford the very best means of overcoming the technical difficulties.”—Schmidt’s “Annals of Medicine.”

“Technical difficulties will most safely and quickly be conquered by proper gymnastic exercises of the hand and fingers.”—Dr Dietz, Member of the Royal Council of Medicine.

“To obtain technical skill and muscular steadiness, a gymnastic education is the best means.”—P. M. Link. The gymnast exercises his limbs through preparatory exercises; how, therefore, is it possible for the player of the piano and violin to dispense with this gymnastic preparation of the joints of the hand and fingers?”—Prof. Rector v. Schmidt, President of the Royal Gymnasium. “La souplesse et l’étendue des poignets dépendent du développement gymnastique des forces. La gymnastique développe l’aisance et la grâce.”—Dr M. Bally. “For so great an art as piano or violin playing, the muscles of the fingers are weak; they ought to be prepared by proper gymnastic exercises.”—Ferguson.

CHAPTER V.
THE FINGER-JOINTS ARE THE LEAST EXERCISED, AND THE WEAKEST.

To become a skilful musician is no small matter. There is no art which demands more labour, patience, and especially more time, than, for instance, piano or violin playing; and at least half of that time is for years required for the particular purpose of strengthening the muscles of the fingers, and rendering them flexible. And why so many years? Because the muscles, the ligaments, and the tendons of the finger-joints and wrists have not previously been gymnastically exercised and trained.

To prove in a practical manner that it is particularly important to prepare the muscles and ligaments of the fingers and hand, I will cite a fact which may appear startling, but which, nevertheless, is true, viz., that the muscles and tendons of the fingers, in spite of their great importance, are, proportionately speaking, the least of all practised in daily life.

Take all sorts of people from amongst the labouring classes, such as the smith, the joiner, the gardener, the bricklayer, the stone-mason, the husbandman, the day-labourer, &c., &c. They are at work the whole day, and acquire arms like steel and muscle like giants; but they very rarely use the fingers, which, therefore, remain unexercised. And it is the same with the educated classes, without difference of age or sex.

This is the reason why the learning of piano and violin playing is attended with such great difficulties, and why the muscles and ligaments of the hand ought to be trained by proper gymnastic exercises. For their weakness arises, for physiological reasons, from the very fact of their inactivity.

This fact I will satisfactorily prove in the sequel, for it forms the basis and key of my discoveries.

CHAPTER VI.
THE PRINCIPAL DIFFICULTY DOES NOT CONSIST IN THE READING OF MUSIC, BUT IN THE WEAKNESS OF THE FINGERS.

In the opinion of many, the chief difficulty to be overcome in studying music consists in learning to read it. But this is by no means the case. The reading of music is learned in the same manner as a child learns to read letters. The first difficulties having been mastered, the task is easy; as with a printed book, so with music.

Consequently the paramount difficulty is not in the notes, but in the weakness and awkwardness of the fingers and wrists. From this, again, it may be plainly seen how necessary it is to train the fingers before commencing the work of the head. In short, what is wanted is a regular gymnastic training for the muscles of the fingers, the joints, and the wrists; and it will be found that the following exercises, being as desirable as they are applicable for every age, will strengthen and render them flexible in a most surprising manner, will materially shorten the time of study, and save much labour; nevertheless, on that account the ordinary finger-practice, scales, and studies should of course NOT be omitted.

Suppose a boy from 10 to 14 years old, who is strong and healthy by means of gymnastics and other exercises, set to learn the piano or violin. His body is strong with gymnastic exercises, but his wrists and fingers are weak and awkward. How is he, with the method now in use, to succeed in playing an instrument well, without very long and wearying work? No wonder that the painful exertion almost makes him despair, and that finally he gives up the thing altogether. But if, on the contrary, his fingers and joints have been gymnastically trained and exercised beforehand, he will get on easily and quickly, and continue his studies with pleasure.

Many presidents and teachers of the most celebrated gymnastic institutions have, therefore, come to the determination to introduce into their establishments these exercises in addition to the other branches of gymnastic training. Their practical utility for all those who work with their fingers, for anatomists, surgeons, sculptors, watchmakers, and many others, is as evident as their salutary effect;—from a medical point of view, in curvature and paralysis of the hand and forearm, in weakness of the muscles and nerves, writers’ cramp, and similar complaints,—is undeniable.

CHAPTER VII.
MUSIC IS THE ART WHICH MAKES THE HIGHEST DEMANDS ON THE MUSCLES OF THE FINGERS. MOVING THE FINGERS UP AND DOWN INSUFFICIENT.

These exercises for persons engaged in musical pursuits can, least of all, be dispensed with, because music is the art which makes the highest demands on the muscles of the fingers and wrists.

Eminent physiologists say, “Gymnastic exercises for the fingers and joints ought to have been commenced 150 years ago; they form the real foundation of practical art.”

It is, indeed, incredible that so great an art as piano and violin playing should have arrived at so high a stage of perfection without a previous training of the muscles. As a matter of course, this is only to be ascribed to the unremitting exertions and the indefatigable zeal of the teachers, and to the unwearying industry of the pupils. And how much easier might this have been attained!

The muscles, ligaments, and tendons consist of soft elastic matter, and, as has been stated, run partly longitudinally, partly transversely. This is a point to be borne in mind. It is, therefore, one-sided and erroneous to believe that the best means of strengthening the muscles consists in simply raising and dropping the fingers. All one-sided practice is hurtful; and an exercise of the fingers limited to an upward and downward movement, occasions much severe work. If, on the other hand, the muscles be moved according to physiological principles, in all directions, both laterally and up and down, and trained gymnastically, they will become within a very short time strong and flexible.

CHAPTER VIII.
ARTISTS AND TEACHERS OF MUSIC.

If any one should say that he has diligently studied the piano and violin after the method used at present, and in course of time has learned and taught it with the greatest success, without having found it necessary to trouble himself about any other system, my reply is, that music is one of the most beautiful, and with respect to muscular work, the most difficult of arts, and that all the arts and sciences, music not excepted, have made enormous strides in advance during the present century. But exactly because music has become a universal boon for all classes of the civilized world, one ought to be so much the less disposed to shut out new ideas respecting it, from whatever side they may come. The representatives of this art, professional musicians and teachers of music, are generally the most active and often the most educated men, who devote their lives to the art, and promote it in a way which is hardly acknowledged sufficiently by the musical world. The most highly honoured, however, are those who have made the greatest progress in theory and in practice, or who have readily and generously acknowledged such progress, from whatever direction it might come.

It is, therefore, the duty of all to assist teachers of music and proficients, as much as possible, in promoting this beautiful accomplishment; for this reason, encouraged by persons of the highest distinction, and moved by the love of the art and of mankind, I venture to make known my “Gymnastics of the Fingers and Wrist,” and to offer to all who work with their fingers in general, and to musicians in particular, a means which, based on physiological principles, leads most surely to the attainment of artistic execution, and which is in itself so simple, that any child may use it; a means, too, which will effect a great saving of time and facilitate the work of both teachers and students.

I have only to add that, as a matter of course, these exercises, in order to have the desired effect, should be performed gymnastically and regularly, according to the directions given, and not otherwise; whilst, on the other hand, they ought not to be carried to excess, nor are they intended to supersede the usual finger-exercises, scales, and studies.

CHAPTER IX.
FREE GYMNASTIC EXERCISES FOR THE FINGERS AND THUMB.

First movement.

Fig. 5.

Fig. 6.

Stretch the fingers as much as possible one from the other, let them fall on the large muscle of the thumb (thumb-ball), and press them firmly on it; remain for a moment in this position, and bring the thumb against the forefinger, 40 times up and down.

You will find that this exercise, as well as several others, if vigorously continued for three minutes only, is very fatiguing; a clear proof that the muscles of the fingers, although they may be quite fit for ordinary daily occupations, are, nevertheless, very weak and incapable when anything more is demanded from them, and without proper gymnastical training, they must remain so.

Second movement.

Fig. 7.

Fig. 8.

Stretch the fingers as before, but let the finger-ends fall against the middle of the cavity of the hand, instead of against the great muscle of the thumb, and press them firmly. To be repeated 40 times.

Third movement.

The following exercise (9 and 10) is intended particularly for the small joints of the fingers. It is effective, but difficult.

Fig. 9.

Fig. 10.

Do not stretch the fingers away from one another, but hold them firmly and close together, as this produces the effect particularly desired. Bend the two first finger-joints of the four fingers closely together; move them vigorously up and down, and press them on firmly, without, however, moving the large joints. Repeat this movement until you are tired, which will not be long, thus affording another practical proof how weak the untrained finger-joints are. This is also an excellent exercise for the thumb, provided it is made slowly and vigorously. It may also be made with outstretched fingers.

I again repeat that no one who has not already tried the above or similar exercises of the fingers, will be able vigorously to continue them for even so short a time as three minutes without experiencing painful fatigue. And why? Because, as I have demonstrated before, the joints of the fingers and wrists are, in the ordinary occupations of life, the least of all exercised, and consequently the weakest, in comparison with what they have afterwards to perform.

After this experience people will, in future, hardly venture to teach and to continue the exercise of an art like music (which, from a muscular point of view, is the most difficult of all), with muscles the weakest and least trained, without having previously prepared them by proper gymnastic exercises.

Fourth movement.

Fig. 11.

Fig. 12.

The last free exercise for the finger-joints, which I will recommend here (11 and 12), consists in moving all the fingers and the thumb simultaneously together, that is to say, in stretching them far away from one another, like claws, and making all sorts of eccentric movements in whatever direction you please, and as long as you like or are able, but always vigorously.

CHAPTER X.
FREE GYMNASTIC EXERCISES FOR THE THUMB.

Although it is not easy to prescribe complete gymnastic exercises for the thumb, the following, if made vigorously, will, nevertheless, be found very effective.