:

ORCHESTRATION

316
(1)

Double-stops in which one note

The following

is

open.^

are available for orchestral use

Combinations of the open note

fc
with any semitone on the 3rd-string from

Combinations of the open note

with any semitone on the 4th-string from

and with any semitone on the 2nd-string from

Combinations of the open note

with any semitone on the 3rd-string from

and with any semitone on the

Ist-string

from

a.
to

Combinations of purely open strings, whether in

following pages.

They are,

2, 3, or

of course, all perfectly easy.

4 parts, are omitted in th

THE VIOLIN
D

317

The unison comTainations of a stopped and an open E, A, or

Note.
are in

common

use for purposes of increased force.

always be written either with two notes or with two

note, so as to

show

clearly

what

is

They must

tails to

a single

intended, thus

The two. notes can, of course, be alternated with each other. This is
generally done under a slur to produce a wavy tremulant effect, thus
:

In

odd-numbered notes would be played stopped on the

taken on the open
The alternate use of an open and a stopped string for the same

this case the

A string, while the even-numbered notes would be

E.

note

common

is

where

in cases like the following

distinction of part-writing is called for.

(2)

Double-stops in which no note

is

open.

The following

are all quite easy and playable

{A) All major and minor sixths of which the lower note
semitone from

(5) All major and minor thirds of which the lower note
semitone from

is

any

is

any

The following are not so completely easy but are still quite playable
(C) All perfect and augmented fourths of which the lower note is

any semitone from

' The low

is not included in this list, as it occurs with its combinations under the
previous heading, "Double-stops in which one note is open." This extension of the list
must be kept in mind throughout. For instance, In {B) (major and minor thirds), besides
the series given above, the major third on low Bjj containing the open note Dt] is also

available.

318

ORCHESTRATION

(D) All perfect, augmented, and diminished

lower note is any semitone from

fifths of

which the

All perfect fifths are difiicult. They have, of course, to be stopped

with one finger directly across the strings, and the slightest sharpness
or flatness, of either of the strings precludes correct intonation.

{E) All octaves of which the lower note

is

any semitone from

The intonation of octaves is not so difficult as that of fifths. They are

stopped with two fingers, the 1st and 4th some adjustment can there[The 12 very easy
fore be made if the strings are not quite in tune.
octaves which can be played in any place or at any time are those
whose lower notes are as follows
;

Of course

successions of octaves such as those that occur in Concertos

are quite out of the question unless they form part of the above short
series.]

{F) The only major seconds worth considering for orchestral purposes are those whose lower notes are any one of the following

[Major seconds on

can of course be played with either one note open or both stopped.
In the former case the upper note is played in the 3rd position on the
lower string: in the latter case both notes are played in the 1st
position.]

{Q) The only minor seconds worth considering are those whose
lower notes are any one of the following
:

[The remark made above with regard to the performance of major

E applies also to the minor seconds on these notes.

seconds on D, A, and

THE VIOLIN

319

Furthermore, the student should observe that, besides the above six
minor seconds, there are only three others available, viz. those on

These are omitted from the first list because they are played with the
upper note open. The complete list of all the available mindr seconds
is

therefore as follows
Minor' seconds, [lower

notes)

The above is a fairly complete list of all the double-stops which the
student may write without fear of the consequences. Quick successions
of double-stops are always to be avoided.
One may, however, make an
exception in favour of such short successions of sixths, of thirds, or of
mixed sixths and thirds as can be played without moving the hand in
either the 1st or the 3rd position. If these two positions are mixed it
is as well to confine the passage to the same two strings throughout.
The student will find this a very safe rule, and, if he conforms to it, he
need not hesitate to write thirds and sixths in his Violin-parts. Into
such passages he can interpolate any simple double-stops, especially
double-stops in which one note is open, provided they do not require
On this point there is rarely any difficulty,
violent changes of position.
for, as the student will doubtless have observed, a good many doublestops can be played in more than one way. The player chooses the
easiest one.

It is as well to confine successions of double-stops as far as possible

to pairs of adjacent strings, which have one string in common. If the
character of the music forbids this, the double-stops should not be
written in quicker notes than moderato crotchets.
Everything that was said above with regard to the position-technique of the Fiddle applies equally to wide skips from low to high
Little difficulty, however, will be encountered on this
double-stops.
score, as double-stops above the 3rd position are practically unknown
in the orchestra. The student must use his judgment in all these
matters. Even so trustworthy a guide as Gevaert cites the following

as involving " a sudden and complete displacing of the hand," and as

" extremely difficult, not to say impossible."
As a matter of fact,
no movement of the hand at all, only of the fingers. It is
involves
it
all in the 1st position, and a child could play it.
In this connection it may be mentioned that, as far as the bow-arm
is concerned, it is easier to get over from a double-stop on the two lower

being