Mastering the Art of Baroque Bowing
A few pointers on how to get a grip
The Baroque era was a time of experimentation and variety, and bows were no exception. Depending on the music and the location, violinists might have used very short bows or exceedingly long ones. Some players held their bows as we do now, at the frog, while others “choked up” on the bow, placing the hand closer to the middle of the bow, and some cellists preferred an underhand gamba-like hold.
But there were certain similarities in all Baroque bows that set them apart from our modern Tourte-style bows, making them suitable to the music of the time. With a Baroque bow in hand, and a few pointers, you too can make the wonderfully expressive music of the Baroque come alive.
This article, "Mastering the Art of Baroque Bowing," is part of the Strings Archive, which you can access with a paid site subscription.
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