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English fingering

noun

Definition of English fingering

: marking of piano music that indicates the thumb by an X or + and the other fingers by the numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4 starting with the index finger
  • The English fingering, + to 4, has also been retained in the figures from Cramer's Etudes …
  • —Sandra P. Rosenblum,  Performance Practices in Classic Piano Music,  1991
— called also American fingering; compare german fingering

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First Known Use of english fingering

1859

in the meaning defined above

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