ABSTRACT
The historical and modern treatises and approaches address ten basic concepts related to teaching left-hand techniques: finger actions and fingerings, scales, intonation, positions, shifting, vibrato, double stops and chords as related to the left hand, harmonics, ornaments, and left-hand pizzicato. Each basic concept includes a number of corresponding pedagogical practices. Quantz suggested that left-hand finger pressure must be proportional to the strength of the bow stroke. Rode, Baillot, and Kreutzer, however, promoted finger pressure matching or even exceeding bow pressure. Yankelevich articulated objectives for scale practice at various stages of instruction. Most pedagogues recommended introducing positions after students acquire fluency in various finger patterns on all four strings in first position. They also agreed that students should play and read music in only one position before doing so in several connected positions. Galamian suggested that in ascending shifts the thumb moves with the hand and fingers.
