{"id":40770,"date":"2024-03-18T12:55:50","date_gmt":"2024-03-18T11:55:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/49fb50ee-66ed-4985-82c2-5f258719d2c2"},"modified":"2024-03-18T13:39:59","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T12:39:59","slug":"violin-bows-how-to-hold-them-what-they-are-made-of-and-where-to-buy-the-best-violin-bows","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/rss_feed\/violin-bows-how-to-hold-them-what-they-are-made-of-and-where-to-buy-the-best-violin-bows\/","title":{"rendered":"Violin bows: how to hold them, what they are made of and where to buy the best violin bows"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Hannah Nepilova\n <\/p>

Published: Monday, 18 March 2024 at 11:55 AM<\/p>

\n\n

A poking device? A walking stick? A magic wand? Many a parent to tiny children has seen violin bows appropriated for various purposes. But what do they actually do? And how do they do it? Here is our guide to violin bows and the different types and styles available on the market. <\/p>

What does a violin bow do?<\/h2>
A violin bow is a tensioned stick with hair attached to it, which is used to stroke the instrument\u2019s strings. This produces vibrations that we hear as either heavenly or ghastly sounds, depending on a few variables.<\/p>
History of the violin: its invention, evolution and famous Italian violin makers<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul>Can you use a violin bow on a viola or a cello?<\/h2>
Imagine using a spoon to shovel concrete. You wouldn\u2019t get much done, and odds are that the spoon might bend under the pressure. A similar principle applies to bows. As violin strings are thinner, and therefore require less pressure than those of their thicker-stringed counterparts, violin bows are narrower than cello or viola bows. What\u2019s more, cello bows are shorter than either violin or viola bows.<\/p>
Viola vs violin: what’s the difference?<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul>
How should you hold a violin bow?<\/h2>
The fundamental violin techniques are something you will learn in your lessons, but you might be surprised to hear that there are two different bow holds depending on which musical tradition you’re learning in. The most frequently taught bow hold is the Franco-Belgian bow hold, which involves a bent thumb, a pinkie finger that sits on top of the stick and is also slightly curved, with three middle fingers curved around the stick. It is crucial that the hand doesn’t form a ‘gripping’ motion, and instead is loose and flexible. The other significant bow hold was used by Jascha Heifetz and Nathan Milstein and is known as the Russian bow hold. This sees the hand leaning towards the first finger, with a pinkie finger remaining almost straight. <\/p>
This is a good starting video to check that you’re doing the basic bow hold right and learn how to get the perfect bow hold. <\/p>
<\/div><\/figure><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-they-made-of\">What are they made of?<\/h2><p>The part of the bow that touches the strings tends to be made of a hank of horsehair – often taken from horses in cold climates such as Siberia, Mongolia and Canada, which produce the thickest, strongest hair. \u00a0<\/p><p>The stick of a bow, however, can consist of a range of materials. Historically, it was always made of wood – often pernambuco wood or Brazilwood. Through the help of advancing technology, however, modern materials for the stick have included fibreglass and carbon fibre, helping to make bows more affordable.\u00a0<\/p><p>Fact: While upper-string players will use almost exclusively white-hair bows, lower strings, such as cellos and basses, will sometimes use black hair or \u2018salt-and-pepper\u2019 mixes, thanks to the coarseness of black hair, which allegedly gives it extra oomph for grabbing the thickest strings.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/rosin-what-it-is-the-best-rosins-and-why-string-instruments-need-it\"><strong>Rosin: what it is, the different types and why string instruments need it<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-much-does-a-good-violin-bow-cost\">How much does a good violin bow cost?<\/h2><p>What kinds of violin bows can you get at different prices? It won\u2019t come as a surprise that bows in the upper price bracket – anywhere upwards of \u00a35000\u00a0 –\u00a0 tend to produce the warmest, smoothest and richest sound. Plus violinistic pyrotechnics such spiccato, sautill\u00e9 and flying spiccato are cleaner and easier to achieve with more expensive bows.<\/p><p>That said, a good sound does not need to cost the earth. A decent student bow will probably set you back only a couple of hundred pounds, with various pernambuco and Brazilwood bows available at this price. Beginners may also\u00a0<\/p><p>want to consider carbon fibre options, which offer a lot of bang for your buck, especially given that they won\u2019t react to heat or humidity like their wooden cousins, and rarely need to be repaired.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/what-actually-is-the-worlds-smallest-violin-our-experts-investigate\"><strong>What actually is the world’s smallest violin?<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-were-the-famous-bow-makers-in-history\">Who were the famous bow makers in history?<\/h2><p>It\u2019s safe to say that the French have fared pretty well in this area, with the 18th century bow-maker Fran\u00e7ois Xavier Tourte probably at the forefront; one of his bows sold for a record-breaking US $288,960 in 2015. Other notable kinsmen include Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (born 1798) and Eug\u00e8ne Sartory (born 1871).\u00a0<\/p><p>Meanwhile, outside France, some of the best-known bow makers included the \u201cRussian Tourte\u201d Nicolaus Kittel (born 1805\/6), the \u201cGerman Tourte\u201d Ludwig Bausch (born 1805) and the \u201cEnglish Tourte\u201d James Tubbs (born 1835).<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/articles\/five-famous-people-who-played-the-violin-and-one-who-didnt\"><strong>Five famous people who played the violin…and one who didn’t<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-best-violin-bow-makers-today\">Best violin bow makers today<\/h2><p>Among the best-known of today’s bow-makers are Charles Espey (US), Walter Barbiero (Italy), Emilio & Luca Slaviero (Italy), Pierre-Yves Fuchs (Switzerland) and Beno\u00eet Marie Rolland (France-US).<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/best-violin-concertos-of-all-time\"><strong>The best violin concertos of all time<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-which-famous-pieces-of-music-showcase-the-bow-s-capabilities\">Which famous pieces of music showcase the bow’s capabilities?<\/h2><p>For a start, pretty much anything by Fritz Kreisler. One of the most admired musicians of his day, the German-Austrian violinist wrote a number of pieces – often pastiches in the style of other composers – designed to showcase the violinist\u2019s virtuosity. Among those that put the bow through its paces is <em>Tambourin Chinois<\/em>, which demands some pretty crisp spiccato action. And if you can\u2019t deliver it, there\u2019s nowhere to hide.<\/p><p>Another nightmare (from a technical point of view) is Sibelius\u2019s Violin Concerto, whose third movement in particular is extremely complex rhythmically, taking the violinist on an odyssey of bowing techniques.<\/p><p>Then, of course, there are the good old Paganini Caprices. Among the trickiest is No. 5 with its ricochet action; No 13 with numerous string crossings; and No 16 and 22, whose advanced bowing techniques include spiccato, ricochet and sautill\u00e9.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/works\/best-violin-music\"><strong>The best violin music ever written<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-should-i-look-for-in-a-violin-bow\">What should I look for in a violin bow?<\/h2><p>First and foremost: the quality of the sound it produces. It sounds obvious, but the differences can be subtle and it\u2019s worth spending a bit of time testing the bow out on different pieces of music and paying attention to those microscopic nuances.<\/p><p>Consider, also, the weight and balance of the bow. There are those who believe that heavier means better, allowing for a fuller sound. But the most important thing is that the bow should feel natural in the hand and well balanced from the tip to the frog (bottom).<\/p><p>There are some, also, who favour octagonal bows to round bows on the basis that octagonal shafts are stiffer.<\/p><p>Ultimately, though, what you\u2019re looking for is a bow that allows you – as far as possible – to forget that you\u2019re even using a bow; that feels like an extension of your hand. And that is largely about personal taste.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/news\/violin-strings-spun-spider-silk\"><strong>Violin strings strung from spider silk<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-where-can-i-buy-a-good-bow\">Where can I buy a good bow?<\/h2><p>If you live in London, you can\u2019t do much better than <a href=\"https:\/\/guivier.com\/\"><strong>J P Guivier & Co<\/strong><\/a>, a Central London-based company founded in 1863 by Joseph Prosper Guivier – one of Britain\u2019s foremost violin dealers and restorers.\u00a0<\/p><p>Then there\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.florianleonhard.com\/\"><strong>Florian Leonhard Fine Violins<\/strong><\/a>, a Hampstead-based an instrument dealer specialising in the sale of rare Italian violins.<\/p><p>Another high-end option is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beares.com\/\"><strong>J & A Beare<\/strong><\/a>, an international violin dealership that has been trading since the 1890s, specialising in the sale of fine stringed instruments.\u00a0<\/p><p>More budget-friendly options, meanwhile, include <a href=\"https:\/\/stringerslondon.com\/\"><strong>Stringers of London<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/bridgewoodandneitzert.london\/\"><strong>Bridgewood & Neizert<\/strong><\/a>, which offers a wide range of different stringed instruments catering to all string players, from students to professionals.<\/p><p>Beyond London, some options include<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/oxfordviolins.com\/\">Oxford Violins<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stringersedinburgh.com\/\">Stringers of Edinburgh<\/a><\/strong>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theviolinshop-glasgow.co.uk\/\"><strong>Glasgow\u2019s Violin Shop<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moseleyviolins.co.uk\/\"><strong>Moseley Violins<\/strong><\/a> (Birmingham), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forsyths.co.uk\/\"><strong>Forsyth Music Shop<\/strong><\/a> (Manchester), <a href=\"https:\/\/cardiffviolins.co.uk\/\"><strong>Cardiff Violins<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.devonstrings.co.uk\/\"><strong>Devon Strings Workshop<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/instruments\/most-famous-violins-ever-made\"><strong>Four of the most violins ever made \u2013 and who owns them now<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ul><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-best-bows-available-online\">What are the best bows available online?<\/h2><p>1. For a decent, budget-friendly option, you might want something along the lines of this entry level carbon fibre bow from <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestringzone.co.uk\/noir-carbon-fibre-violin-bow-by-jon-paul\">Jon Paul Bows<\/a><\/strong>, with a fully mounted ebony frog, with Parisian eye, nickel silver lapping and leather thumb grip.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"\/><p>2. This Marco Raposo Nickel mounted violin bow option, meanwhile, is better suited to the advancing player, made by American-trained bowmakers in Brazil from Brazilian pernambuco.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-caswell-039-s-strings wp-block-embed-caswell-039-s-strings\"><div class=\"wp-block-embedwrapper\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"gNHReYnQT8\"><a href=\"https:\/\/caswells-strings.co.uk\/product\/marco-raposo-nickel-mounted-violin-bow\/\">Marco Raposo Nickel mounted Violin bow<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"\u201cMarco Raposo Nickel mounted Violin bow\u201d \u2014 Caswell's Strings\" src=\"https:\/\/caswells-strings.co.uk\/product\/marco-raposo-nickel-mounted-violin-bow\/embed\/#?secret=CiiOqcv0Kb#?secret=gNHReYnQT8\" data-secret=\"gNHReYnQT8\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"\/><\/div><\/figure><p>3. This <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stringersmusic.com\/products\/silver-artisan-violin-bow\">Sousa Silver Artisan violin bow<\/a><\/strong> is suitable for intermediate-advanced level players.<\/p><p>4. For the advanced player, ready to splash out on their equipment, this French bow by C\u00e9lestin \u00c9mil Clasquin, made around 1920, comes with a certificate of authenticity from Raffin, Bigot, Le Canu.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-jp-guivier wp-block-embed-jp-guivier\"><div class=\"wp-block-embedwrapper\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"mcaBsH80nk\"><a href=\"https:\/\/guivier.com\/product\/french-bow-by-celestin-emile-clasquin-circa-1920\/\">French bow by C\u00e9lestin \u00c9mile Clasquin circa 1920<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"\u201cFrench bow by C\u00e9lestin \u00c9mile Clasquin circa 1920\u201d \u2014 JP Guivier\" src=\"https:\/\/guivier.com\/product\/french-bow-by-celestin-emile-clasquin-circa-1920\/embed\/#?secret=j1XZyDYEDA#?secret=mcaBsH80nk\" data-secret=\"mcaBsH80nk\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"\/><\/div><\/figure> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Hannah Nepilova Published: Monday, 18 March 2024 at 11:55 AM A poking device? A walking stick? A magic wand? Many a parent to tiny children has seen violin bows appropriated for various purposes. But what do they actually do? And how do they do it? Here is our guide to violin bows and the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":40771,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"7"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/03\/violin-bows-how-to-hold-them-what-they-are-made-of-and-where-to-buy-the-best-violin-bows.jpg",1920,1080,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/03\/violin-bows-how-to-hold-them-what-they-are-made-of-and-where-to-buy-the-best-violin-bows-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/03\/violin-bows-how-to-hold-them-what-they-are-made-of-and-where-to-buy-the-best-violin-bows-300x169.jpg",300,169,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/03\/violin-bows-how-to-hold-them-what-they-are-made-of-and-where-to-buy-the-best-violin-bows-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/03\/violin-bows-how-to-hold-them-what-they-are-made-of-and-where-to-buy-the-best-violin-bows-1024x576.jpg",800,450,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/03\/violin-bows-how-to-hold-them-what-they-are-made-of-and-where-to-buy-the-best-violin-bows-1536x864.jpg",1536,864,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2024\/03\/violin-bows-how-to-hold-them-what-they-are-made-of-and-where-to-buy-the-best-violin-bows.jpg",1920,1080,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Hannah Nepilova Published: Monday, 18 March 2024 at 11:55 AM A poking device? A walking stick? A magic wand? Many a parent to tiny children has seen violin bows appropriated for various purposes. But what do they actually do? And how do they do it? Here is our guide to violin bows and the…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/40770"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40771"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}