A study of expressive fingering in performing the violin works of Ludwig van Beethoven
(last edited: 2014)
author(s): Yuki Horiuchi
connected to: KC Research Portal
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Name: Yuki Horiuchi
Main Subject: Baroque Violin Research Coach: Wouter Verschuren
Title of Research:
A study of expressive fingering in performing the violin works of Ludwig van Beethoven
Research Question:
To what extent can we apply the 19th-century style of expressive fingering to violin works by Ludwig van Beethoven?
Research Process:
What are the best sources to consult regarding Beethoven’s violin fingering? In the 18th century, the most influential source of information on violin fingering is Leopold Mozart’s Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule, but this treatise, published in 1756, is not necessarily the best source to use when performing the works of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770~1827). How, then, should we choose our fingerings for Beethoven’s violin works? By the end of the 18th century, some composers and players had started to adopt expressive fingerings, by which I mean the use of portamento, harmonics, and una corda playing. In this paper, I will explore the use of these techniques in the violin music of Beethoven, with the hope of discovering the timbre that Beethoven might have imagined.
Summary of Results:
At the end of the 18th century, violin-fingering practices began to move away from the conservative style of Leopold Mozart toward a more expressive approach, especially in France and Italy. Beethoven shows an obvious fascination with portamento, consecutive use of the same finger, and una corda playing, while harmonics are basically nonexistent in the works of Beethoven. As the 19th century progressed, these expressive fingerings were used more and more. It is clear that composers and violinists of the 19th century were looking for new timbres and evenness of tone. Beethoven’s fingering approach was truly avant-garde for its time.