The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1884-12-30
University Review.
THE VIOLIN BOW.
By PROF. GEORGE II. ROWE.

B1 fhOF. GEOhtrE II. ROW
Two very valuable adjuncts to the violin
are a good bow and proper knowledge of
its use, and no matter how proficient a
performer may be with the fingers of his
left hand in forming the intOnatiOn of the
notes on the instrument il he does not pos
sess a good show arm" the better part of
that proficiency will be obscured by this
latter weakness, or, as a noted performer
once remarked: ga player may finger
like an angel, but if he draws a poor bow
his playing will be of little account"
To acquire this proficiency is no child's
play as some may think, freak that can
be acquired by few days practice by any
who may take the notion to try. but ii re-
quires patience and much practice. Some
persons are naturally more graceful than
others and consequently acquire the art
with less effort but even they must spend
time and study in its accomplishment.
Many of our best violinists have spent
years in endeavOring to perfect themselves
ON this one particular point and then In
the end find there is still room for further
improvement, and the student who in early
years neglects this most important feature
in the art of violin playing only awakens
some day to the fact that he has made a
most awkward mistake, Oftentimes resulting
in an utter failure to perfect himself as an
artist In the truest sense of the term.
In choosing bow always use discretion
by procuring good article, even though it
does cost trifie more. One of medium
weight, (about two ounces) is the best for
general use, although this is really a mat
ter OF taste and opinion, some prefer a
heavy bow, while others desire a very
light one. The writer of this article had
the pleasure, about twelve months ago of
handling a bow used by the late Ole Bull,
and by him presented Mr.. c. n. Allen, the
present owner and first viOlinist of the
Beethoven Quintette Club of Boston. In
weight it proved vastly heavier than what
most viOlinists would call very heavy
bow and gave evidence OF the immense
power which was welded and subject to
control by the great violinist.
A good bow, whether heavy or light in
weight, must possess one great requisite,
viz: elasticity, for without it a delicate
manipulation in execution is simply i'm
possible.
In selecting bow run the eve along the
stick and see that it is perfectly straight
along the sides with gradual curve along
the top, giving grace and symmetry to the
bow. After submitting it to this examina-
ton tighten the hair and test it again in
like manner, for Oftentimes a bow other
wise true will not stand this last test but
will warp out OF shape at once.
To keep the bow in good order it should
be wiped clean after playing and be sure
to let down or relax the hair Of the bow,
otherwise the elasticity of both hair and
stick Will be impaired The latter is made
OF different kinds of wood, chiefly of Per-
nambucO, snake and rosewood, and much
care must be exercised in Its selection in
order to obtain a bow equal to every occa-
sion.
The best of horse hair is used in hairing
the bow and instead of being made use Of
in Its natural or crude condition it is sub
jected to a cleansing or bleaching process
and in which much care must be exer-
eised or il will be rendered brittle and I'M
hit for the purpose. 1t should be kept
clean and free from contact with the fin
gers of the hand or any other substance
possessing 4 more or less oily nature, and
which has bad effect on the hair, render
ing it incapable of vibrating the strings in
n proper manner.
have an idea that bow should not be re-
haired as long as there are any hairs at
tached to the stick but this idea is all
wrong. There is peculiar roughness be-
longing to the hair which serves to draw
the tones from the strings and constant
playing soon wears off this roughneSs and
the hair becomes smooth and polished and
it fails to perform Its duty even with the
assistance of copious applications of rosin
and the only way to remedy the trouble is
to replace the old hair with new. Profess
sional performers are well aware of this
fact and they rarely allow bow 20 be use,l
over six weeks without rehairing. The ex-
pense of having this done is trihing (75
cents compared to the good results gained
thereby.
Although we are always to loosen the
hair of the bow after playing, we ought
never to let down the strings on the violin,
but the latter should be kept as near at the
concert pitch as possible. Good bows are
often ruined by carelessness and more often
through ignorance by over Tightening the
hair, and much caution should be exer-
cised in this matter. The latter should be
drawn just taut enough to barely allow the
tip end of the little finger to enter between