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THE MASTERY Or the BO W 9 THE MASTERY OF THE BOW AND BOWING SUBTLETIES A TEXT BO O K FO R TEAC HERS AND STUDENTS O F THE VIO LIN PAUL STO EVING / " “ ” r o t Author of The Art of Violin Bowing . The Sto y f he Violin. “ and The Elements of Violin Playing and a Key ’ " to S ewilc c Works. etc . SUPPLEMENTED BY RIGHT ARM GYMNASTICS A VO LUM E O F SELE CTE D AN D AN N OTATE D BO WIN G STYLE S FO B DAI LY STUDY (Published S eparately) NEW YO RK CARL FI SCHER 1920 CO PYRI HT 1920 G , , BY CARL FI SCHE R N E W YO RK Interna tional Copyright Se cured vi CON TE NTS Pa on forearm the fourfold purpose and benefit ofhand-stroke exer c ises the lengthened hand stroke (forearm stroke) the halfand whole bow stroke the inaudible change ofbow will c ontrol over extent (length) of bow m ove ment bow ivision a thir kin of c ontrol the li ht d d d , g touch what artinimeant the ri ht start ofa tr k T by g s o e . PART II CHAPTER V Three princ ipal families of bowings smoothly detac hed strokes or detac he forearm and hand strokes (extended hand stroke) perfection depends on three featur es length ofstroke determined by speed and dynamic quality sm ooth c hange of bow two reasons for a roughish finish bow pressur e the action of the forefinger the prac tic al applic ation of the detac he in triplets detac he and st ring c rossing CHAPTER VI Legato playing (slurring) two princ ipal rules slurring over several strings the m utual relation between hand and forearm in c rossing strings furthering a relatively low position ofthe elbow two m ethods ofstring transi tion c om inations of slurs and etac he strokes nu b d d , ac cented and ac c ented CHAPTER VII M artelé and st ac c ato bowings their importanc e three attributes a determining factor in their exec ution m artelé at different parts ofthe bow the right start the natur e of the str oke variations in tone and varia tions in pressur e m ethod of prac tic ing m artelé m odific ations the dotted eighth and sixteenth rhythm the Viotti stroke other m odific ations CONTENTS ' CHAPTER vm The firm (tied) stac cato two kinds method of study the activity of the forefinger the forearm with a stifiened arm the stac c ato with the down bow CHAPTER IX Springing bowing general princ iples governing their exe c ution two groups with aided elastic ity ofthe bow stic k the slow (m oderate ) spic c ato or thrown stroke ' m odific ations combinations of the slow spic cato and n m etho i lur t c . the stac c ato vo a t of r s s e ac t c e . , l d p CHAPTER X S pringing bowing continued automatic rebormding the fas t spic c ato or sautillé (light skipping bow) experi mental m ethod of study sautillé in c onnec tion with rapid fingering ac ross strings the stac c ato aric oc het springing bow arpeggio method of study over dou le b strings the trem olo . CHAPTER XI Bowing styles not m entioned in the foregoing c hapters the ac c ented detac he skipping string martelé and skipping string the grand m arte lé the sustained stroke with m artelé st art the stac c ato porté sync o ated slurs the arlando a st le ofrarer oc c urren p p y ce . CHAPTER XII The playing of c hords double string non-sustained c hords rules for sounding them short c hords over four string short c hor ds with the upstroke sustained c hords some modific ations CONTENT S CHAP TER XIII FAQ: The problem ofa beautiful tone psychic aspect the tech nical side tone production tone shading ac c en tuation PART III CHAPTER XIV Concluding remarks on the study ofthe bowing styles in the music al supplement and bowing prac tice in general LIST O F ILLUSTRATIO NS Correc t natural bend ofthumb Inc orrec t ac ute bend O fthumb Inc orrec t inward bend offir st joint um lac ed at the c orrec t an le O site Th b p g , ppo to the middle finger with the forefinger and ringfinger slightly suspended over their plac es . do ron i All the fingers wn; f t v ew . Inc orre c t position ofthe hand (forefinger lies on the stick h l r e knuc kl an firs between t e a g e d t j oint) . - ow reversed i. a. with hair u and showin the ri h h nd 7 . B , , p g g t a fingers in the ac t ofgripping it Correct slant and iti n lin nd bow whie 8 . pos o of the vio a l l in on th E 2 ay e strin at mi dle ofbow . 3 p g g, d Same as Illustration 8 with bow on the G string 33 Same as Il ustration 8 with bo on the E trin at the n t 36 l w s g, u Sam e as Il ustration 8 with w n the rin at the nut 37 l bo o G st g, Fau t osition ofthe ri t while la in on the A rin l y p w s p y g st g, n o t h ul h at the nut . The wrist ha g d wn wi h t e res t t at the fin ers have alte red their c orrec t osition on the stic g p k , h thum stand at a ri ht n l th ick h sli d i.e . t e s a e e st as e , b g g , pp int o the fir t in enture of the orefin er and the lit le s d f g , t THE MASTERY O F THE BO W CHAPTER I The right grip ofthe bow what c onstitutes it how to sec ure it the thumb its func tion and position the middle finger the ring finger the little finger and the index finger résum é exerc ises for gripping the bow and loosenin the fin er oints . g g j 0 Perhaps the most important thing in the The right all important correct beginning of violin grip of the h b°w study is the right grip of t e bow . I say l h r r for a s u e purpose y t e ight g ip, t d nt m ay faithfully ser e the rules e eral and s e for l ob v book , g n p cific , ho ding the bow and et su cee se ur the r h y not c d in c ing ig t grip . li l Here already individua ty shows itse f . Not only are a s ffere l s a e wea and s r l and s r t h nd di nt y h p d , k t ong, ong ho , sle er and r a and es but the m a r nd bony, b o d fl hy , nne of taking hold of the bow whether according to strict rules or the er eel the a for r not , v y f ing of h nd it va ies with indi viduals and com es under the head of the right grip of h t e bow. WHAT CONSTITUTE S SUCH A GRIP AN D WHAT Is IMPLIED BY IT Th an l rese an all r e h d whi e p nting ounded, ra e ul shell-l e a eara e s ul rs g c f , ik pp nc ho d fi t stitutes it hold the bow securely but not tightly ; second : it should balance its top heavy tip and yet not eel a is ala t or r r f th t it b ncing any hing in othe wo ds, 2 TH E MASTERY OF TH E BOW feel any strain on any p articular finger or part of the hand ; third : all finger joints should be flexible so that ea fi er al u the a u ns as a whole ma ch ng , tho gh h nd f nctio , y be a le l to m e the s el its s b not on y ov on tick, yi d in joint , e and s re but rm e di uall s b nd t tch , pe it b ing in vid y sen i tized for some particular pur pose and thr ough such inde pendence and Obedience to mind impulses help to attain for the whole hand that utmost sensitiveness and deli cacy of touch which is inseparable from a true mastery f h o t e bow . E Is THE N E E E Too WHAT, FOR INSTANC , CO S QU NC OF TIGHT A GRIP ? It creates a state of rigidity of the hand where flexibility of the finger joints is im possible and by straining also the m uscles of the forearm paralyses the functioning of h l t e who e arm . On the other hand holding the bow very loosely not only j eopardizes the security of the grip in rapid sudden changes of bowing l n ura es a a l rless s le bu i sty es a d enco g fl bby co o ty , t as t keeps the m uscular apparatus of the hand in an over relaxed condition every effort at energizing the muscles and stim ulating them to increased activity has to be h proportionately greater to secure t e desired results .
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