Having The Right Violin Wrist Position Is Vital

By Lucia Weeks


Learning anything starts with some key steps. The key to great string music is having the perfect viola or violin wrist position. Failing to get the correct position can cause severe problems. A collapsed wrist will pull the violinist's fingers into the wrong arrangement and place extreme stress on the player's tendons, potentially leading to carpal tunnel syndrome. Ideally, the wrist remains straight and the fingers are curved.

Mastering this technique is a must for musicians who want to become maestros. Some of the all-time classical music pieces rely heavily on a talented string section. Famous composers such as Mozart orchestrated some of their finest works with the violins to the fore. Mozzart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" (A Little Nightmusic) is simple and elegant.

Symphony No. 7 in A Major is another eternal classic which has violins at the heart of Ludwig van Beethoven's characteristic composition. The magnificent and amazing Beethoven symphonies deserve their reputation as being illustrative of the utmost artistic creativeness the West has ever witnessed. Samuel Barber instils ardour and tragedy into his poignant "Adagio for Strings"; regarded as the most emotional section of his "String Quartet, Op. 11".

The complexity and richness of Johannes Brahms' "Symphony No. 1 in C Major" owe much to the unique sound of the string section. Many a wedding would not be the same without the atmospheric Baroque violins within "Canon in D Major" by Johann Pachelbel. "Serenade for Strings in C Minor" by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky is a soulful, melodic Romantic era composition which features the beautiful qualities of violas and violins.

The English violinist Nigel Kennedy made his debut in the recording studio performing Elgar's "Violin Concerto" and did much to bring classical music to a wider audience with the 2 million selling version of Vivaldi's masterpiece "The Four Seasons". Kennedy's skills transcend musical genres, and he has featured on The Who's "Live at the Royal Albert Hall" album on the phenomenal "Baba O'Riley" track. He also joined Kate Bush on "Experiment IV".

Another child virtuoso who has crossed musical boundaries with her unique style of instrument playing is Vanessa Mae. She had recorded both the Tchaikovsky and Beethoven concerto solos by the age of 13. After this, she went on to record her own brand of pop music, often appearing in quite raunchy, skimpy outfits in her videos. Vanessa is famous for using two different kinds of violins; a Zeta Jazz electric model and the Guadagnini acoustic instrument which her parents paid 250,000 sterling, when Vanessa was just ten years old. At the tender age of thirteen, she had already played the solos from concertos by Beethoven as well as Tchaikovsky on best-selling discs.

All players need solid technique to do justice to the work of brilliant composers like Bach, Dvorak and Shostakovich. It is essential to learn how to correctly position the left hand, fingers, thumb and wrist. The right hand and proper posture effect tone, intonation and vibrato through the way in which the bow is held.

Different postures for playing while standing or seated can be as important as wrist position for beginners. Correct hand position can be developed by practising tapping and strumming with the little finger. Instrument sizing is also vital for young violinists.




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