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String Bowing: A Quick Overview For Conductors

This document provides an overview of string bowing for conductors. It discusses the parts of the bow, different bowing techniques like détaché and spiccato, and 14 principles of bowing like starting down bow on the first beat and alternating bows on afterbeats. The goals are for all string players in a section to bow in the same direction and play in the correct part of the bow.

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717 views33 pages

String Bowing: A Quick Overview For Conductors

This document provides an overview of string bowing for conductors. It discusses the parts of the bow, different bowing techniques like détaché and spiccato, and 14 principles of bowing like starting down bow on the first beat and alternating bows on afterbeats. The goals are for all string players in a section to bow in the same direction and play in the correct part of the bow.

Uploaded by

linomarrocheli
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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STRING BOWING

A Quick Overview for Conductors


EVOLUTION OF THE BOW
PARTS OF THE BOW

Tip, Point Heel, Frog, Nut


Middle Half of Bow, M.H.

Upper Half of Bow, U.H. Lower Half of Bow, L.H.

Motion from Heel to Tip is to proceed in a downward motion.

Motion from Tip to Heel is to proceed in an upward motion.


COMPARED TO WIND INSTRUMENTS

The bow produces:


the possibility of sound, like breath support on a
wind instrument
articulation, like tonguing on a wind instrument
dynamics
style
MAIN TIPS FOR CONDUCTORS

1.You can SEE everything happening!!!


2.Be sure that each member of their section...
is bowing in the same direction
is playing in the correct part of the bow
is playing correctly on or off the string
3. When the section needs to be louder...
fewer notes per bow (break slurs)
4. When the section needs to be softer...
more notes per bow (longer slurs)
DUTIES
1.Concertmaster and Section Leaders can and should be
responsible for bowings, or at least help the conductor
decide if there is a question.
2. In tutti passages all section leaders follow the
concertmasters bowings (some exceptions for bass and
celli apply).
3. Inside player turns pages quietly, quickly and early and
outside player plans ahead so as to cover.
4. In changing rapidly from pizzicato to arco and vice-
versa, inside player finishes while outside prepares new.
5. In divisi parts, outside plays top notes and inside lower.
Bowing Classifications
Understanding how to use the bow...
On-the-String, Connected
Dtach"
Short, separate bows played smoothly, not slurred and not
staccato. Also called as it comes.
On-the-String, Connected
Slur"
Bow moves smoothly in one direction on the string or strings.
On-the-String, Connected
Lour"
Bow moves in one direction as in any slur, but pressure is
released slightly between notes so that they are somewhat
articulated.
On-the-String, Separated
Staccato"
Any note followed by a momentary stop usually shown with
a staccato dot. However, not all notes with staccato dots
mean on-the-string staccato.
On-the-String, Separated
Martel"
Bow applies pressure before starting stroke, releases pressure
slightly for fast stroke, and stops still when stroke is finished.
O-the-String Bowings
Spiccato"
Bow is dropped on the strings and rebounds by itself. Must
be held very lightly.
O-the-String Bowings
Chopped"
Similar to spiccato but heavier, with less finesse. At the frog.
O-the-String Bowings
Brushed"
Bow comes slightly o the string between notes.
14 BOWING PRINCIPLES
Everyone in your section must do the same...
PRINCIPLE 1.
The note on the first beat of the measure is down-bow.
PRINCIPLE 2.
The last bow before the bar-line is up-bow.
PRINCIPLE 3.
If the note before the bar-line is slurred across the bar-
line, play it down-bow.
PRINCIPLE 4.
An odd number of notes before a bar-line (unslurred)
starts up-bow.
PRINCIPLE 5.
An even number of notes before a bar-line (unslurred)
starts down-bow.
PRINCIPLE 6.
Alternate the bows (down - up) on after-beats. If
rhythmic figures between rests have an even number of
notes, chance on down-bow on the first note; if an odd
number of notes, try an up-bow on the first note.
PRINCIPLE 7.
In groups of four or three notes, starting on the beat,
play the first one down-bow.
PRINCIPLE 8.
In most situations, hook the dotted-eighth and
sixteenth.
PRINCIPLE 9.
The dotted-eighth and sixteenth are not hooked...$
a) when the tempo is too fast to permit stopping the
bow.
PRINCIPLE 9.
The dotted-eighth and sixteenth are not hooked...$
b) when soft passages require extreme neatness.
PRINCIPLE 9.
The dotted-eighth and sixteenth are not hooked...$
c) when loud, choppy eects are desired.
PRINCIPLE 10.
Hook the quarter and eighth in fast six-eight time.
PRINCIPLE 11.
Chords are played down-bow unless part of the melody
line.
PRINCIPLE 12.
If the closing chord has a little short note before it, play
the little note up-bow near the frog.
PRINCIPLE 13.
In four-four time, an accented half-note on the second
beat of the measure is taken down-bow.
PRINCIPLE 14.
In continuous string crossings (unslurred), take the upper
note up-bow on violin and viola, and down-bow on cello
and bass.
14 PRINCIPLES TAKEN FROM
!
ORCHESTRAL BOWINGS AND ROUTINES
BY
ELIZABETH A.H. GREEN
!
MENC PUBLICATIONS

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