Dodge City times., 1884-06-19
Boston's Girl Fiddlers.

A stranger in Boston who happened
to be in the street when the girls are
going to or returning from school can
not fail to notice that many of the pu-
pills carry violin cases. This is so COM
mon a spectacle that no notice is taken
of it by the inhabitants. Not infre-
quently young woman balances her
violin case with large box of painting
materials, and it is currently reported
that so fashionable have painting and
violin playing become that more peo-
pie carry the tools than are even in the
smallest way acquainted with their use.
A well-knOw violinist said: THE fact
you have noticed, that the girls here
have. in many instances. taken to viO-
lin playing. has been of great benefit tC
professional fiddlers. A good violinist
can now find here all the teaching he
wants. The taste for violin playing
among ladies began to be noticeable
here about five years ago, and now, it
has been calculated there are from four
hundled to five hundred young ladies
studying, beside many who have be-
come sufficiently advanced to pursue
their practice alone.
'The violin is an instrument partic-
ularly well adapted for ladies. 1t does
not require any great physical strength.
and the proper handl ng of instrument
and bow admit of the display of the ut
most grace. Violin-playing does not
have a tendency to narrow the chest
and round the body as too constant sit
ting at the piano often does. The violin
is portable, and. with mute on,
can be practiced in school or bed
room without annoying the household.
Of course the difficulties of the instru-
ment are great, but find, as rule, the
feminine ear is more acute and accurate
than the male. AS the great difficulty
of the violin is to step the notes in tune,
the value of good ear is inestimable.
There are many young girls in Boston
who are really excellent players. and in
several instances thece are families
where the daughters can supply COM
plete quartette, viz, first and second
violins, viola and violoncello. The lastl
named instruments is less adapted to Ia
dies, because it should properly be held
by the grip OF the lower limbs, but the
placing of long peg on which the in,
strument rests has almost overcome the
difficulty.
''My pupils take the greatest possible
interest in their Instruments. They read
up on the subject of violin making. and
can talk learnedly with professor
about scrolls, single and double purfling.
sound-posts, bars and varnishes. They
have the dates of the great makers firm
ly fixed in their minds, and will argue
warmly about the respective merits of
the Cremona artists.
Il don't know what started the
fashion in Boston, but probably the adj
vent OF some lady violinist or the read
ing about the great tr.umphs of Nine.
Norman Neruda in London. At any
rate. the fashion, though on the whole
steadily increasing, grows spasmOdi
cally, and the recent playing of cor
certo by Nine. Sembrich at the Abbey
benefit has brought me several new
pupils.
GA girl should begin to learn when
about ten years old, but not unless she
has strong liking for music, good
ear and decided perseverance. The
first stages of learning are extremely
dreary, and nothing can make them en-
durable but a strong ambition. Bad
violin playing is, think, the worst
torture know, and 1 will not keep q
pupil who does not show application
and intelligence. l shouli think my
self fit for Jail if 1 turned loose upon
society any large number of bad play
ers. 1t requires from two to three
years of honest work before pupil
can play a simple piece sufficiently well
to please even partial listeners. To be
a great violinist is, as Dogberry says,
the gift of nature Some men of in
tclligence, industry. and who devotedly
love their instrument. will practice for
ten hours a day for half their lives and
never be more than good. reliable
players. On the other hand, tie now
pre-emnent Joachim at thirteen played
the Mende!ssohn concerto in so superb
q style that the composer publicly en-
braced him. ."---BostOn Transcript.