Choosing Bowings

I always find it amusing when I demonstrate something to a student and see their eyes fixated on my left hand. Nine times out of ten, they are looking at the wrong hand!

The bow is our magic wand. It is when the color, clarity, intensity, and quality come together to create the sound that initially made you want to pick up the violin and, more importantly, not put it back in its case.

As with choosing fingerings, the right bowings are both technical and musical choices. It is not simply deciding on the bow's direction or how many notes fit into a bow. Our goal is to find a bowing that sounds good, feels comfortable and secure, and supports your musical taste and the style of the piece.

When going through the process of deciding upon bowings (as well as fingerings), you should strive to try them out in real time. There is no use in playing too slowly or too fast, since the movements and point of contact differ greatly. Since this is usually done at the beginning of the learning process, using the Four Elements System (discussed in previous entries) could help you make the right choice.

Two Kinds of Bowings

There are two kinds of bowings: musical and technical. Musical bowings are usually notated by the composer and, most likely, would not indicate directions (up or down), with notable exceptions. Technical bowings are usually notated by a violinist, hired by the publishing company or the composer himself, and are meant to make life a little easier (or harder). We must also learn to differentiate between the composer's true intentions and bowings written by an editor. One is a must; the other is merely a suggestion, and you should not confuse the two.

The composer's instructions are a major factor here. As opposed to fingerings, most composers do notate bowings, often with deliberate accuracy. Sometimes the bowing is the main event, as in up-bow staccato in virtuoso pieces (usually written by violinists for violinists), but more often the bowings indicate musical direction, articulation, or general feel and flow rather than a realistic division (such as at the beginning of the Beethoven Violin Concerto).

Here, I differentiate between composers who are violinists (Ysaÿe, Sarasate) and all the other composers. Usually, a non-violinist composer would not care about your bow direction and would rightly assume you'd figure this out yourself. Violinists in virtuosic pieces tend to give more precise annotations but, personally, I take that with a pinch of salt. There are also traditions to follow, which I tend to break the older I get, but that is an issue for another entry.

Articulation is an essential part of musical expression and often a source of freedom for the performer, so your choice matters.

Sound and Safety

The second, and perhaps most important issue, is your sound: simply put, what sounds better to you and the audience. There is the musical consideration, and there is acoustics. Not all instruments are the same, and that includes bows. These decisions can even differ depending on the acoustics (playing in a church versus playing in a dry hall, for example), so be ready to switch bowing sets if circumstances change.

As with choosing fingerings, safety is also a factor, though perhaps less clear at first glance. Ending a long note on a down bow or an up bow, or making sudden or dramatic changes in dynamics or articulation, requires firm bow control. On a side note, the more you are comfortable with different bow techniques (playing chords on an up bow, playing three-part chords together, stopping and hovering, up-and-down bow staccato, etc.), the more options you have.

We strive to align all three factors with every choice, but life is never that easy. Many times we need to make a difficult decision, and that is part of this wonderful art.

A Few More Guidelines

Here are a few more guidelines:

I mentioned this earlier, but it is so important that I should emphasize it again: you should test the bowings at real, realistic tempi.

Timing is everything. In fingerings and in bowings.

As a rule, I never trust the bowings given by the composer or my peers (and students should not completely trust mine). I do consult them, and value their direction, but every so often I make a habit of trying different or even completely opposite sets of bowings, just to make sure… I have found some real gems this way.

I value sound quality over everything else, but that is my own affinity, and there are plenty of examples of when I chose the safer road rather than a flashy or brilliant sound. It is a personal journey that is both fascinating and consequential for musical growth and sophistication.