The arco notes are played at the heel of the bow, and with the up stroke.
PART III.
The rendering.
The rendering of a piece implies its artistic reproduction, every necessary artistic resource being therein blended. The violinist is capable of a perfect rendering only if,—in addition to a firm, easy technique of the left hand, adroitness in bowing and susceptibility to the modifications of tone, and a technique equal to all demands made upon it,—he has under his control a higher spiritual musical development, fine taste, and a warm individual feeling. Only through the combination of all these qualities can one reinvest the dead signs of the composer with spirit and life, and cause his work to pass before the hearer’s soul as an ideal, living picture.
Intellectual culture.
Under this head must be included a knowledge of the theory of music, which renders possible the clear understanding of the sequence of ideas which the composer has expressed through time, degrees of movement, dynamic signs, melodic periods, and the harmonies upon which they are constructed, the rhythmic combinations; and through all these peculiarities the character of a piece as well as the individuality of the composer. And where special directions for the rendering are not employed, to perceive from the text of the work itself the correct rendering.
Taste.
To render a piece of music with taste, signifies the reproduction of the same so that the hearer perceives through the player a complete understanding of it, and throughout its performance receives a correct impression of its character. If an artist has given expression to all the composer’s written dynamic gradations of tone colour with understanding and feeling, it will be artistically refined; if infused with his own individuality, and if no awkwardness appear technically with respect to the manipulation of his instrument, his performance will be regarded as tasteful.
It should be especially his concern to avoid the numerous faults common to many players; for example, “whining,” a mawkish drawling from one tone to another, exaggeration of the close shake on the part of the left hand, inartistic accentuation, unmeaning throwing of the bow upon the strings, &c.