All Bowing DO NOT USE articles – Page 4
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Focus6 ways to control bow pressure
How to use bow pressure to produce a fine, even tone, to vary texture and dynamics and to produce smooth bow changes from The Strad archive
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FocusHow to develop expressive technique, by violist Pauline Sachse
The professor of viola at the Carl Maria von Weber School of Music, Dresden, explains how to give meaning to every note by training independence of the hands
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FocusGetting articulation right is vital for performing minimalist music
Pwyll ap Siôn explores minimalism’s leading works for strings and provide tips on how to play them
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FocusShould string section bowings always be synchronised?
It is generally accepted that string sections should bow as a collective, but could this uniform approach sacrifice the composer's intended sound? Violist James Boyd argues in favour of greater freedom
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ArticleViolinist Ray Chen gives masterclass on smooth bow changes
Imagine that the paper is the instrument, the brush is the bow, and your musical line is the ink' Ray Chen continues his video masterclass series by analysing, with the aid of a paint brush, exactly what happens at the moment of a bow change. Watch: Violinist ...
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Focus9 perspectives on spiccato
Like riding a bicycle, mastering spiccato is all about striking the perfect balance between control and release, as these excerpts from 100 years of The Strad demonstrate
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BlogsMastering up-bow and down-bow staccato
Dr Tomas Cotik gives an introduction to the bow stroke and demonstrates techniques and exercises
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FocusViolist Tabea Zimmermann on technique, teaching and competitions
The German violist talks to Carlos María Solare about her teaching philosophies and the role of competitions in the development of young musicians
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BlogsCellist Alban Gerhardt on the importance of open string practice
The German musician also advocates bringing a broader perspective to the interpretation of great concertos
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ArticleCellist Ralph Kirshbaum on varying bow speed
When playing Bach we tend to use a slightly faster bow speed - with less core and more resonance' Cellist Ralph Kirshbaum speaks about varying bow speed depending on period and genre for the Play With A Pro Music Academy. The full masterclass is available here. Kirshbaum ...
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ArticleHow to achieve perfectly controlled bowing
The presentation may be a little odd, but this video on how to achieve a clear and controlled bow stroke, drawing inspiration from the method of Paganini, features some very useful tips.Read: The evolution of violin bow holdRead: Violinist Aaron Rosand on improving bow technique
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ArticleViolinist Rachel Podger gives Baroque bowing masterclass
Imagine your hand is like seaweed in the water, always flowing...'British Baroque violinist Rachel Podger gives a bowing masterclass as part of the York Baroque Strings Project for students at the National Centre for Early Music in 2014.Podger speaks about the singular challenges of Biber’s Rosary Sonatas, considered ...
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ArticleViolinist Itzhak Perlman on mastering up-bow staccato
Josef Gingold: 'I'm sorry Mr Ysaÿe, I don't have a good staccato' Eugène Ysaÿe: 'Ah, don't worry, I'll give you a good staccato - and you won't forget!' While giving a masterclass for a young Cho-Liang Lin, violinist Itzhak Perlman relays a humorous story, passed on to ...
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ArticleViolinist Aaron Rosand demonstrates the impact of bow direction
For me the bow is the breathing process - it has to be free and clear' Violinist Aaron Rosand speaks about the importance of bowing direction and demonstrates his ideas in the opening of Sibelius's Violin Concerto. Read Aaron Rosand's blogs: Improving bow technique and Every movement ...
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ArticleViolinist Ray Chen reviews fans' up bow staccato videos
Violinist Ray Chen shares his humorous reviews of videos sent in by string players in response to his up bow staccato masterclass.Read The Strad’s 6 ways to improve your staccato.Watch Ray Chen performing Ysaÿe’s Solo Sonata no.6 at the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Belgium in 2009 – ...
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Focus6 ways to develop a smooth legato
Tips from The Strad’s Archive on producing a fluid and beautiful tone
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ArticleViolinist Ray Chen gives up bow staccato masterclass
Violinist Ray Chen shares his technique for mastering up bow staccato - making use of tremolo.Read The Strad's 6 ways to improve your staccato.Watch Ray Chen performing Ysaÿe’s Solo Sonata no.6 at the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Belgium in 2009 – which he later won.
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ArticleCellist Myles Jordan discusses bow changes
In The Strad's September 2015 issue, cellist Myles Jordan gives a detailed analysis of bow changes, particularly focusing on how mastering the collé change gives a seamless transition. Here he gives an audio–visual demonstration.
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ArticleViolinist Jascha Heifetz performs Hora Staccato
Jascha Heifetz demonstrates impeccable bow control in up- and down-bow staccato in his arrangement of Dinicu's Hora Staccato. Read The Strad's 6 ways to improve your staccato.
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FocusThe evolution of violin bow hold
From the awkward grips of the past to the relaxed approach of today, the bow hold has come a long way. Globalisation has a lot to do with it, says John Krakenberger