Jackson's Gymnastics for the Fingers and Wrist / being a system of gymnastics, based on anatomical principles, for developing and strengthening the muscles of the hand for musical, mechanical and medical purposes: with thirty-seven diagrams

by Edwin Ward Jackson

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.