Books › The violin : how to choose one, 1893 › scan 58
Scan 58
The violin : how to choose one, 1893
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 54. See the scan on archive.org.
1CHAPTER X.
3The Violin Bow, the Case, and the Strings.
5A violin bow should be chosen to suit not only the weight of the player's hand, but the instrument upon which it is intended to use it. A fine old Italian violin, with a tender and delicate tone, which comes with the highest touch, would be quite overpowered by a heavy bow, while a full-toned instrument, however old, ought always to be matched by a heavy bow—that is, one weighing 2 1/2 ounces. No bow should weigh less than 2 1/4 ounces, even when it is intended for a lady's use; indeed, the bow used by a lady ought to be heavy rather than light, as the extra weight in the stick compensates to a certain extent for the deficient muscular power in the female arm. The difference between hard work with a light bow and with a heavy one can only be understood and appreciated by those accustomed to play for hours every day, and never for less than one or two hours on end. With a light bow the thumb and fore-finger of the right hand get terribly tired; while with a heavy bow the same amount of practice is accomplished with comparative ease, as the weight of the stick does part of the pressure. Again, there are some kinds of bowing—notably that which I have named the "Bastard Staccato," in which the bow is simply thrown on the string and allowed to pick out the notes of a long run with scarce any control from the fingers of the right hand—which cannot be executed with anything like certainty with a light bow. The bows of the French maker, Tourte, which are really splendid works of art, and as such have risen to enormous prices, are generally far too light for modern violin playing. Those of Dodd have frequently the same fault, but here and there one may be picked up weighing 2 1/2 ounces. Those of the greatest living maker, James Tubbs, may sometimes be had of this weight, which, be it remarked, not only gives more pressure, but a firmer stick—that is, a stick which, when brought down smartly or suddenly upon the strings does not quiver, and so disturb the tone. I have
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