Books › The Strad; a monthly journal for professionals and amateurs of all stringed instruments played with the bow, 1890 › scan 31
Scan 31
The Strad; a monthly journal for professionals and amateurs of all stringed instruments played with the bow, 1890
44 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1up to great rapidity. Kreutzer's Study, No. 4, Peters' Edition, should be used for its practice. I give the first bar as an example:—
3The upper two-thirds* of the bow and the up-stroke only may be employed for this form of staccato, which should be practised very slowly at first. The first and last note of the bar must be accented and each successive note of the up-stroke bit out in the manner described further on. The bow must not leave the string, but lies lightly and inert on it by its own weight only, between each note, for a very brief space of time.
5The note C in the example should be started at the middle of the bow (down-stroke) and drawn to about an inch or two of the tip, the action for each of the following notes (up-stroke) being as follows:—
7The bow is depressed, whilst practically motionless, by the turn of the forearm at the elbow as already explained under "C" in last month's number, so that the middle of the stick may be seen to approach the hair when practising slowly. The pressure on the bow is then released by letting the hand swing freely forward in the direction of the stroke, on the axis at the elbow, thus producing the note, the same operation being performed for each successive note alternately.
9The wrist-stroke as explained as "A" and "B" in last month's number, is not used for this bowing. It will be seen by the thoughtful student, why the up-stroke only may be employed. An important point is to use as little bow as possible for the staccato.
11In a slow tempo this bowing is similar to the following, and it would be more correct to write it as shown in the example below:—
13For this bowing (which is the link between the slur and detached notes), whether slurred or not, the up or down-stroke may be used; the wrist or forearm-stroke, or both combined, according to the tempo and tone required, may be employed. The rule is to make the stroke as flowing as possible with a good length of bow. There should only be the slightest possible rest between each note.
15Ricochet.
17For this bowing the springing style is employed, either the up or down-stroke and any part of the upper two thirds of the bow may be used, although the middle is preferable. The four notes would be performed by one bow-stroke, the bow bouncing from the string between each note. The bow must be held very lightly and without pressure, the third and fourth fingers may leave the stick; this applies also to the following bowing.
19* This refers to a bow of medium or light weight, the upper half only can be used if the bow is a heavy one; it is only a question of balance.
21The above bowing, usually known as "feathering" or "tremolo" in many of De Beriot's works, is similar in character and production to the last named, owing however, to the rapid reiteration of the notes the wrist-stroke only is used, the two notes being performed by one swing of the hand, the arm remaining as nearly motionless as possible.
23Trem.
25The above is the tremolo (orchestral) and is the rapid repetition of any single note, the wrist-stroke only is used. In a piano passage the springing bow would be employed, but in forte passages the bow should not leave the string.
27A B C D
29There are many ways of performing this bowing, usually written as at "A." In quick passages the short note may be looked upon as belonging to the following long one, as the phrasing will be facilitated by so doing.
31"B" shows the usual method of bowing the phrase, i.e., two notes to the bow. When the rhythm occurs in a very rapid tempo, this method is almost impossible. Resource is then had to that shown at "C," the upper part of the bow near the point should be used in the latter case, the action employed being the same as that shown at "C" in last month's number. This style is used chiefly in quick hornpipes. At "D" is shown another way of performing the phrase.
33To sum up, the student will observe the great liberties that may be taken with the bowing marks, the correct performance of which greatly depends on the judgment and experience of the performer, gained only with the advice and under the instruction of a good professor.
35COLLEGE OF VIOLINISTS.
37Supplementary list of successful candidates at the examinations of the College of Violinists.
39ASSOCIATES.—Miss O. Boys, Havant.
40GRADUATES.—Miss G. M. Traill, Chard; Miss M. Price, Guernsey.
41THIRD GRADE JUNIORS.—Miss M. E. Spencer, Chard; Miss L. C. Hughes, Southsea.
42SECOND GRADE JUNIORS.—Miss H. K. Powell, Guernsey; Mr. A. E. Dowley, Haling.
43FIRST GRADE JUNIORS.—Mr. J. Whendon, Guernsey; Miss A. B. van Cooten, Guernsey; Miss W. K. Elliott, Guernsey; Mr. A. H. Pearsall, Guernsey; Miss M. L. Bucktrout, Guernsey; Miss G. Pullen, Havant; Miss A. Winsor, Portsmouth; Mr. H. E. Hobbs, Landport; Miss M. Taylor, Sark; Miss E. de Jersey, Guernsey; Miss M. J. Rickard, Guernsey; Miss M. M. Laine, Guernsey.
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