It's second position.

That's works reasonably well for flat keys. But don't be afraid to shift.

You might be interested in the "I Vow to Thee, My Country" ther are renditions on violin.  "https://youtu.be/Q0i-ZQEC3P8 give a good view of the fingering choices.

Can even transposed to be played in other keys.

How cool is this! ??

Sorry I didn't really listen to what you were playing, think about what key you were playing; it's often played in Eb (as per Holst).

I see you are playing a version in A; and needs to go up to the C# on E string... is what referring?

For that, a lot of folks find easier to shift up to third position hitting that C# with third finger, the first finger on the A note. But second position can work. Good exercise to learn to do both ; as well as shift up more and play part of that phrase on A string; experiment with which flows better.

That said, I think many might find this a fairly easy tune in G, first position, for fingering and intonation. Of course nothing wrong with challenging yourself. It's a great tune to learn and work on Eb (original key), it's not that difficult as might think.

quote:

---

Originally posted by alaskafiddler

Sorry I didn't really listen to what you were playing, think about what key you were playing; it's often played in Eb (as per Holst).

I see you are playing a version in A; and needs to go up to the C# on E string... is what referring?

For that, a lot of folks find easier to shift up to third position hitting that C# with third finger, the first finger on the A note. But second position can work. Good exercise to learn to do both ; as well as shift up more and play part of that phrase on A string; experiment with which flows better.

That said, I think many might find this a fairly easy tune in G, first position, for fingering and intonation.

---

You do online lessons?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Quincy

Ok I know this is a classical piece. To reach the highest note i move my pinky closer to the body of the violin so one step up. Then the following lower two notes I play with ring finger and middle finger which both moved one up too. I do not know if this is how it works but it seems to work for this piece.

Is this another position?
What am I doing?

---

It's not second position or third position. It's just an extension of the fourth finger. If the whole hand moves up the neck it's a shift, but if the hand otherwise remains in first position, it's just an extension. This extension is common, both in classical playing and in fiddling.

You could also play the note with an extended third finger (a bigger stretch) along with the open A to get a tenth and begin a run, switching to first finger on A and an extended fourth on the E and then shifting until reaching the desired end. This figure is not one you'd use in the piece you're playing, but it does occur in advanced violin repertoire. There's even a piece that requires one to stretch well above a tenth. Fingered tenths are never used in fiddling, though, unfortunately, just like fingered octaves. 

"I Vow to Thee, My Country" is the melody that Holst wrote for Cecil Spring Rice's poem, taking his melody from "Jupiter" in "The Planets." A harmonized version of the melody is also known as "Thaxted." According to Holst's daughter, her father was overworked at the time and was struggling to come up with a new melody quickly. He was greatly relieved upon discovering that the melody from Jupiter fit the text so well!

Sounds like Ab to me?

in which case the highest note C, would be the 4th finger (pinky, or little finger), playing the highest note of the Phrygian mode on the E and A strings, in 2nd position, using standard tuning.

quote:

---

Originally posted by pete_fiddle

Sounds like Ab to me?

in which case the highest note C, would be the 4th finger (pinky, or little finger), playing the highest note of the Phrygian mode on the E and A strings, in 2nd position, using standard tuning.

---

The fourth finger plays the C as it would in second position, but if only the fourth finger moves, it's not second position, just an extension. A shift to another position requires a movement of the whole hand up the neck. 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Violin Beautiful

quote:

---

Originally posted by pete_fiddle

Sounds like Ab to me?

in which case the highest note C, would be the 4th finger (pinky, or little finger), playing the highest note of the Phrygian mode on the E and A strings, in 2nd position, using standard tuning.

---

The fourth finger plays the C as it would in second position, but if only the fourth finger moves, it's not second position, just an extension. A shift to another position requires a movement of the whole hand up the neck. 

---

Another way of thinking would be "Not just an extension" but a "shift", and the first finger would be playing a C or G note, which would indicate a shift of the whole hand into 2nd position in my way of thinking.

Thinking this way envisages a full octave ( Within a 4th on the adjacent A and E strings), of the C phrygian mode , and facilitates all the double stops/harmonies/ornaments etc, That a full octave of C phrygian encompasses.... With just a little shift....

As an aside , i don't know why "fiddlers" As opposed to"violinists" are so averse to shifting?....It ain't that hard. I am in the process of overcoming this fear of shifting and running back to 1st position as quickly as possible. After all, i was, and am probably just as out of tune or in tune, whether i shift or not.

I was wrong.

Rereading the OP, I realize that I misunderstood. She IS talking about moving other fingers and in that case it would be a shift. Somehow I missed the line where she discussed moving two other fingers. When only one stretches beyond first position and returns without the rest of the fingers moving, it’s an extension. It doesn’t sound like that’s what Anja was doing.

My apologies.

Not wrong , one can still Extend rather than shift to the C note.

I think sometimes folk don't know whether they are shifting or extending . They just reach out for the note and get back to safer territory of 1st pos as quick as possible that's what i did untill recently.(last few years).

quote:

---

Originally posted by pete_fiddle

Sounds like Ab to me?

in which case the highest note C, would be the 4th finger (pinky, or little finger), playing the highest note of the Phrygian mode on the E and A strings, in 2nd position, using standard tuning.

---

Maybe, the notes are all in between as would be in A=440, so not sure if intent was as Ab or A? I assumed the tuning is slightly flat, and as A is more common, esp for beginners. In either key, what was mentioned in OP would still be shifting to second. Since Ab is using all closed position, can use same fingering and shifts half step up for A; (or even higher).

Does bring up other question sometimes about choosing key, listening to recordings that might not be A=440; or just trying to work out tunes. Why Ab? vs say A? versus G (which would be way easier); or even orig Eb (which can be played in all first posltion). Can be different reasons, playability, open strings/slurs/bow/phrasing and shifts; or one is just the challenge/exercise to learn different key, or as all closed posltion.

edit: for Ab, might want to try tune starting in third position, shift when gets to third phrase (starting on Eb note on second string).

Ab is pretty rare to non-existent in fiddling tunes. More likely the recording or player are out of tune. It's not generally hard to determine if A or G are where the fingerings work best and one of those will almost surely be the key it was intended to be played. No harm in playing in Ab I suppose, but for fiddle tunes it's surely the least used key.

When i first started playing fiddle i just dived straight in and played the melodies or vocal lines of jazz standards, shifting here, there and everywhere totally by ear. i hadn't got a clue about positions etc. The only way i knew the key was to look at the guitarists left hand. So i know it is possible to play in flat keys as a beginner without having any knowledge of the fingerboard....Got away with it for years.

"i vow to thee" is a typical strong vocal melody that i could pick up and play by ear as a beginner, without knowing which key i was playing in. It was only when i started to play fiddle tunes i needed to learn about keys etc.

Hey to clear something up maybe i am also in AEAE here.

Kind of thought I could hear open strings, why figured A, and cross tuned A works fairly well for this.