A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Positions

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A Dictionary of Music and Musicians
edited by George Grove

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From volume 3 of the work.

2229839A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — PositionsGeorge GrovePaul David

POSITIONS, or Shifts. In order to reach the different parts of the fingerboard of the violin, the left hand must be moved about, or placed in various 'positions.' The hand is said to be in the first position, when the thumb and 1st finger are at the extreme end of the neck of the violin, close to the nut. In this, the first position, on an instrument which is tuned in the usual way (as at No. 1), the 1st finger produces the four notes shown at No. 2, or their chromatic alterations. The compass^[1] thus attainable by the four fingers in the first position extends from A to B (as at No. 3). The open strings are independent of the position of the left hand.

If by an upward movement of the hand the 1st finger is put on the place which, in the first position, was occupied by the 2nd finger, and the whole hand is similarly advanced, the four notes shown at No. 4 will be produced, and the hand is said to be in the second position; and while in this position an additional note is reached on the 1st string (see No. 5), on the other hand, the low A—produced in the first position by the 1st finger on the 4th string—is lost. The notes which were taken in the first position on the other three strings by the 1st finger, are now produced by the 4th finger on the next lower string; the 2nd finger takes the place of the 3rd, and the 3rd the place of the 4th.

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \cadenzaOn { <g d' a' e''>1^"(No. 1)" \bar "||" <a e' b' f''>^"(No. 2)" \bar "||" a^"(No. 3)" b'' \bar "||" <b f' c'' g''>^"(No. 4)" \bar "||" c'''^"(No. 5)" \bar "||" c'^"(No. 6)" d''' \bar "||" g^"(No. 7)" \ottava #1 e'''' \bar "||" } }$

The third position extends from C to D (see No. 6), and stands in exacily the same relation to the second position, as the second stood to the first. And so does every following position to the one below it.

Eleven different positions exhaust all capabilities of the violin, and represent a compass from G to E in altissimo (see No. 7). Notes beyond this compass are almost always reached from lower positions, or harmonics are substituted for them. But even the positions above the seventh are but rarely employed.

The term 'half-position' (German Sattel-Lage) is used for a modified first position, in which the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th finger takes the places generally taken by the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd finger. It facilitates the execution of pieces in certain keys. A passage like this—

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \relative d' { dis16-1[ fis-3 e-2 dis-1] e-2[ gis-4 fis-3 e-2] s4 } }$

is best played in the half-position, with the fingering as marked.

It will appear from the above that the same note can be produced in different positions, on different strings, and by different fingers.

For example: the note

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f g''2 }$

, naturally taken in the first position by the 2nd finger on the 1st string, can also be produced

1.	On	1st	string	by	1st	finger in	2nd	position.
2.	On	2nd	string	by	4th	{{{1}}}„	3rd	{{{1}}}„
		2nd„	string„		3rd	{{{1}}}„	4th	{{{1}}}„
		2nd„	string„		2nd	{{{1}}}„	5th	{{{1}}}„
		2nd„	string„		1st	{{{1}}}„	6th	{{{1}}}„
3.	On	3rd	string	by	4th	{{{1}}}„	7th	{{{1}}}„
		2nd„	string„		3rd	{{{1}}}„	8th	{{{1}}}„
4.	On	4th	string	by	4th	{{{1}}}„	11th^[2]	{{{1}}}„

Theoretically every single note lying within the compass of a position can be produced in that position; but practically the choice of position for the rendering of a given phrase or passage is made

On grounds of absolute mechanical necessity, or
of convenience, or
to satisfy the requirements of good phrasing, or of a special musical character.

1. Absolute necessity. Many double-stops formed by notes within the compass of the first or any other position, cannot be executed in that position—

(a) if, in that position, both notes lie on the same string. Such double-stops as

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 6/2 <f'' a''>2 s^"or" <g' e'> }$

must be played in the second position (2nd and 4th finger) or in the third position (1st and 3rd finger), in either of which positions each note lies on a separate string, while in the first position they are both on one and the same string, and cannot therefore be sounded simultaneously. (b) Double-stops formed by notes which lie in one position on non-contiguous strings (1st and 3rd, or 2nd and 4th) cannot be played in that position, but must be played in a position where the notes lie on strings that can be sounded together. This double-stop

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f <g' f''>2 }$

is therefore impossible in the first position, where F lies on the ist and G on the 3rd string. But it is easily given in the third position, where F Lies on the 2nd and G on the 3rd string.

Again, in a passage like this—

Mozart, Violin Concerto.

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \partial 2 \relative b' << { b4 b | c8^$ b a b$ c4 c | d8^$ c b c$ d4 d | e8$ fis g c,$ b4 a | g1 \bar "||" } \\ { g,2 g1 g g g } >> }$

in order to sound the open G-string at the same time, the whole of the upper part must be played on the 3rd string, thereby necessitating an ascent to the seventh position.

2. Convenience. Many passages, especially those in which notes of widely different range succeed each other rapidly, would be impracticable but for the use of higher positions, even for those notes which might, theoretically speaking, be taken in lower positions.

In a passage like this—

${ \time 2/4 \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f f'16[ c'' a'' f'''] e'''[ g'' c'' e'] }$

the three lower notes of each group might be played in the first position, if by themselves; but in connexion with the two high notes, the jump from the first to the fifth position, which is absolutely necessary in order to reach them, would make a smooth execution of the phrase, even at a moderately rapid pace, quite impossible. If started at once in the fifth position there is no difficulty at all.

3. The tasteful and characteristic rendering of phrases and passages requires a careful of positions, based on the distinct and contrasting qualities of sound of the four different strings. Where sameness of sound is required, the change from one string to another will, if possible, be avoided; where contrast is wanted, different strings will be used even in cases where one string could give all the notes.

A phrase like this—

Beethoven,
Kreutzer Sonata

${ \time 2/4 \key f \major \partial 8 \relative c'' { c16.( f32) | f16( e) \afterGrace e4$ { f32[ e d e] } f16 d$ | d16( c) c4 s16 } }$

etc.

though lying entirely within the compass of the first position, must, in order to sound as cantabile as possible, be played entirely on the 2nd string, in the first and third or second position alternately. In the first position a constant change from the 1st to the 2nd string would be necessary, and the phrase would thereby sound jerky and uneven, the very opposite of what it ought to be. Or this passage in Spohr's Scena Cantate Concerto—

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \time 4/4 \relative a { aes2 aes'4.( aes,8) | aes4^( g8. aes16-.) a4_( bes) | des'2 des,^\turn_( f8 ees) } }$

etc.

if not played entirely on the sonorous 4th string, would absolutely lose its peculiar character. In other instances the meaning of a passage is only made intelligible by its being played in the proper position. The following is from Bach's Preludium in E (bars 13 and 14):—

${ \time 6/8 \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \key e \major \relative e'' { r8 << { s16^\markup { \tiny "1st string" } e[\open s e\open s e\open s e\open s e]\open | s e[\open s e\open s e\open s e\open s e\open s e\open] } \\ { e16[_\markup { \tiny "2nd string" } s dis s e s fis s dis] s | e[ s gis s fis s gis s a s fis] } >> } }$

In this instance, unless the whole of the lower part is played on the 2nd string in higher positions, the necessary contrast to the pedal note E, which is strongly given by the open string, cannot be properly marked. It will thus clearly appear that a complete command of the fingerboard in all positions is one of the chief technical requirements of the art of violin-playing, and that the right choice of position, on which a truly musical, tasteful, and characteristic rendering of every composition largely depends, is one of the main tests of a violinist's artistic feeling and judgment. Studies in all the usual positions are given in every good violin school. The best known are those in Baillot's 'L'art du Violon,' but they have the defect of being all written in C major.

[ P.D. ]

↑ Besides the natural compass of a position, notes which really lie beyond it are frequently reached by extension of the fingers, without the hand leaving its position.
↑ Generally taken as a harmonic.

[1] Besides the natural compass of a position, notes which really lie beyond it are frequently reached by extension of the fingers, without the hand leaving its position.

[2] Generally taken as a harmonic.

[1]

[2]