How To Use Bowing Angle To Vary Articulation by Cellist Colin Carr - Latest - The Strad

10/4/2014
How to use bowing angle to vary articulation by cellist Colin Carr | Latest | The Strad
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How to use bowing angle to vary articulation by cellist

Colin Carr
The artist explains how he varies the attock and timbre of a note by modifying the angle
of the bow to the string
Monday, 22 September 2014
Like singers or speakers forming words,

string players have the ability to define
the type of articulation we choose for
each bow change. The principle behind
bowing is, of course, pulling and
pushing: we pull the down bow and push
the up bow, but this can only work if the
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angle for a down bow is different to that

of an up bow. Perhaps this is obvious,
but most players have only a casual or
superficial knowledge of their bow's
relative angle at any given moment Reading The Strad
puts you at the top of your game - Save 42% off a subscription today.
except during string-crossing
passages
where we have to be conscious and
precise. I would like to explore the
musical and tonal ramifications of the
bow's angle.
The basis of the concept is that of
resistance. Let us begin with a broad
stroke on the D string. I position the bow
at the frog and pull the down bow at an
angle close to the A string, so that the D
string bends toward the G string rather
than being pressed down from above
towards the instrument's belly. On the up bow I lower the level of my right arm so that
the angle of the bow is nearer the G string and I push the D string towards the A string
in both strokes, paying attention to the core of the sound and the feeling of weight and
resistance. This simple manoeuvre increases the resistance I feel from the string. The
opposite angle, which results in a feeling of less weight and resistance, will produce an
airy, silkier sound, yet equally valid when used appropriately.
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When using this technique correctly the right arm will make a circular motion - the key
to fluidity and tension-free playing. If I want a sound with maximum core then the arm
should form a clockwise circle (as seen by the player), whereas for the lighter, more
'French' sound, the arm motion is anticlockwise. The shape is controlled by your wrist
and can be circular or more like a see-saw, depending on the type of bow change.
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In speech or song, if there is a consonant at the beginning of a word, we must do

something with the lips and tongue to annunciate. I try to emulate this on the cello by
varying the angle of the stroke, depending on what kind of consonant or vowel is
desired. For instance, for a hard sound, such as a 'T' (sforzando down bow), I begin
with the bow angled towards the higher string, for maximum resistance, then add arm
weight and pull the bow quickly. For a succession of consonants I adjust the angle of
the bow before each bow change.
Now let us assume that I want the more powerful, concentrated sound beginning with
a soft, vowel-type articulation. On a down bow I position the bow close to the lower
string, which speaks more easily because of less resistance, then the moment it
responds I raise my arm so the bow is closer to the upper string. To change to the up
bow I raise my arm even higher, then settle back down close to the lower string again,
creating maximum resistance at the change. The results are a sound with real core
and seamless bow changes without a fight to get the string to speak. If, on the other
hand, a vowel-type bow change and light tone is required, as in a soft, tender passage,
then the arm would remain in the same position.
Let's look at the opening theme of the Cello Sonata no.1 in E minor by Brahms, as an
example. I begin at the angle of low resistance so that the first note speaks
immediately. There are three or four notes that I wish to bring out because they have
dissonance with the piano, representing points of tension or pain - the first is the C in
bar two, which falls on the down bow. I slightly elevate my right arm, add a little weight
and bow speed, and feel resistance. The result is a wistful sigh formed by the falling
second. The next note is the F sharp in bar four, with its suggested modulation and
added intensity. The previous note (E) was a down bow, so I lower my arm for the up
bow, thus pushing the C string towards the G string for the added tension. I would
follow the same procedure for the high F sharp in bar six, the G, and particularly the F
sharp in the next bar. Listen critically to develop a real core to the sound in these few
notes and the shape of the phrase will be immediately apparent.
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We can further apply this technique in a semi-quaver passage. Usually players go

back and forth in one plane and will either sound ponticello or scrubby, because there
is too much resistance. Let us imagine the passage is all on the D string. The down
bow should be close to the G string and the up bow close to the A string. When the
passage is fast the circle is made with the wrist. This is perfect for Bach, but would
work equally well for a continuous quaver passage like the one (bar 178) in the first
movement of Shostakovich's Cello Concerto no.1 op107. Of course, you must be in
the right part of the bow and I must emphasise that the contact should remain the
same throughout.
In the case of Baroque music, such as the Courante from Bach's Second Suite or the
Prelude of the Third Suite, I recommend Playing nearer the fingerboard as this will
better replicate the feeling and sound of gut strings. Even though you are on the
fingerboard, make sure the bow's contact with the string is firm or the tone will be pale.
It is helpful in this bow stroke to feel more in the string during the downbow, as you
navigate the low part of the circle.
Finally, this technique will work equally well in lighter spiccato or heavy, slower, off-thestring strokes as well as for accents and sforzandos - the same principles apply.
Photo: Music@Menlo
This article was first published in The Strad's September 2004 issue.
Subscribe to The Strad or download our digital edition as part of a 30-day free
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How to use bowing angle to vary articulation by cellist

Like singers or speakers forming words,

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angle for a down bow is different to that

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In speech or song, if there is a consonant at the beginning of a word, we must do

We can further apply this technique in a semi-quaver passage. Usually players go

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Violinists AnneSophie Mutter and

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