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Opinion: French or German bass bow hold?

2023-04-03T08:06:00

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Rodrigo Moro Martín, the London Symphony Orchestra’s new principal double bass, argues that the two tribes who favour French and German bow holds should coexist in perfect harmony

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Which is better, the French or the German bow hold? It’s a contentious question that can stir up a lot of feeling from the two camps and can even limit with which orchestras and where in the world a double bassist can perform.

There are some people who believe one bow hold offers more power, or the other more agility, or who are of the opinion that it’s just a matter of each hold offering different but equally valid qualities. I however believe that the two tribes – French and German – can coexist in peace…

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