JAVS Fall 1991

Appendix B - Primrose "Rule of 60"

20

The following excerpt is taken from Playing the Viola:

I recall from those days, one particular imposition with which I charged myself came with the realization that security might be achieved by repetition, and being a person of some methodicalness, I arrived at sixty repetitions as being an adequate number, hence my 'rule of sixty'. This is hardly a rule, rather more in the nature of a suggestion. But it is a suggestion that has grown out of many years of experience and practical usage. As it turned out, it proved to be timely whether I practised a bowing pattern or was engaged with a left..hand problem. However, I soon became aware that in repeating, I might easily become confused as to the number of times I had indeed repeated a passage unless I marked each off in some fashion. How better than to resort to bowing variants, and thereby organize the confusion? In resorting to an arbitrary series of bowing patterns, I perceived that this would give me bowing practice combined with lefthand practice, an economy that immediately appealed to my Scottish instinct! For passages which manifested themselves in groups of four notes, I devised the following scheme (Ex. Ia):

Ex. la. Groups of four: to be played at the frog, middle, and point

v

o

Likewise, for those which were distinctly grouped in threes (Ex. Ib):

Ex. lb. Groups of three

In all, ten bowing styles are each repeated six times at the frog, the middle, and the point of the bow, starting with a downbow, and then an upbow. This approach requires considerable concentration, and in working on groups of four if they happen to be in a passage in 3/4 time, or on groups of three in 9/8 time, concentration is more sternly demanded.... The benefits of the scheme are evident: the left hand achieves its end, while the right arm experiences a concomitant discipline. When unevenness in left..hand execution arises, I follow a similar principle, in that I practise deliberately problem passages unevenly. For instance. in a passage of running sixteenth notes, I advise that the rhythm, dotted sixteenth and thirty.. second and its opposite be imposed. We can arbitrarily prescribe groupings of notes in an infinite variety of rhythmic patterns, this imposing conscious unevenness on the left hand in another attempt to organize confusion and to discipline our motoric responses. Such problems, and their solution, added spice and stimulus to my practice, and 'order in variety we see'. So, as I matured and mingled with the sundry talents, talents of varying degree that were enriched under the mastery of Ysaye, so increased by interest in work, which never abased itself to soulless drudgery.