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Baroque cello - Bass violin bow
Bow made by Hans Reiners, Berlin
"CLIP-IN" FROG.
The classical bows with a screw system appeared at the en of the XVIIIth century, after the baroque period.
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BOW HOLDS
UNDERHAND
OVERHAND
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I. UNDERHAND BOW HOLD
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Observation of paintings
Scotland
Niel gow and his brother (Donald Gow, cellist), by David Allan, circa 1780
NETHERLAND
Village musicians, by Adrian Jansz van Ostade, circa 1645
england
Portrait of a gentleman seated playing cello, by Charles Philips, circa 1720
italy
Concerto in casa Lazzari by Girolamo Martinelli
closer view.
"Iconographic study of the violoncello and the way it was played up to the year 1800"
"Certain Aspects of baroque music for the violoncello as finally exemplified in the suites for
unaccompanied violoncello by J.S. Bach. (thesis, doctorate, University of South Australia 1983-4)"
Read: "The cello bow held the viol way, once common, but almost forgotten" by Mark Smith Read - Page 47
description
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Translation
The thumb was laying on the frog of the bow, the second finger was on the stick, and the other 3 fingers were on the bow hair. By the pressure of those fingers, especially the little finger, he increased the tension of his bow .
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CELLISTS WHO PLAYED WITH UNDERHAND BOW HOLD
FERDINANDO III DE MEDICIS
His Villa in Patrolino was a center of music where he held operatic production in a theater built for that purpose. Close to D. Scarlatti, he produced five of his operas.
Ferdinando was also in contact with J.F. Handel. Vivaldi dedicated him L'Estro Armonico, a collection of twelve concertos for one, two and four violins.
ANTONIO VANDINI
"Antonion Vandini, the famous violoncello, who they say play a parlare upon his instrument" [...]
it is remarkable that Antonio and all the other violoncello players here hold the bow in the old fashioned way with the hand under it"
Charles Burney,
Excerpt from: “Music men, and manners in France and Italy 1770”
- Maestro al violoncello“ at the Ospedale della Pietà 1720-21 (In 172O Vivaldi returned to Venice where he staged in the Teatro Sant' Angelo new operas of his composition.)
- First violoncellist of the Church of St. Antonio in Padua, concertmaster: Tartini (1721)
- 1723-26 : Accompanist of Tartini in Prague
- 1726-70: Back to his position of principal cello of the Church of St. Antonio in Padua.
- 1776-78: Back to Bologna his birth town where he taught until his death.
Composition for the violoncello:
- Concerto in D major
- Six Sonatas
Markus Grauel
Excerpt from "An eighteenth century musical tour in central Europe and the Netherland."(1773)
J. C. Shetcky
In 1799 the "Allgemeine Musikzeitung" published a long biographical print where his bow hold is described, explaining that his thumb was laying on the frog of the bow, the index finger was alone on the stick, and the other fingers were on the bow hair.
Highlights of his career: Schetky spent six months in Hamburg in 1761 where he got offered a Stradivarius.
- 1761-68 Cellist of the court orchestra of Darmstadt
- 1768-69 Played concerts in Hamburg
He also appeared in concerts in London where he got the patronage of J.C. Bach.
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overhand bow hold
Observation of paintings, documents & performers
England
england
Excerpt from: The Rev. John Chafy Playing the Violoncello in a Landscape, Gainsborough - c.1750-2
Italy
Portrait of Giovanni Battista Cirri by Giacomo Ceruti
Michel Corette's description1741- end of the baroque period
Methode théorique et pratique pour apprendre en peu de temps de violoncelle dans sa perfection. - 1741
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FAMOUS CELLIST WHO PLAYED WITH OVER-HAND BOW HOLD
FRANCESCO ALBOREA
he received by far the highest salary paid to any violoncellist at the chapel (1260 fl. while the standard salary was between 150 and 500 fl.)
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«The incomparable violoncellist Fransciscello."
J. Quantz
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LUIGI BOCCHERINI.
Even if this is post baroque (1764), the hand is still placed at the balance point of the bow
"Luigi Boccherini playing the violoncello"
Date: circa 1764-1767
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important cellists - unknown bowhold
GIOVANNI BONONCINI
Also refered as BUONONCINI
.MARTIN BERTEAU
Before becoming a cellist, Berteau was a fine bass viol player. Important figure as a performer teacher and composer, "The famous Bertaud", is considered as the founder of the French school of violoncello. He left no written record of his teaching method, but many of his pupils did. Among them: the Brothers Janson, Jean-Pierre Duport, Jean-Baptiste Bréval, François Cupis de Renoussard, Joseph Tillière, Dominique Bideau. Famous for his use of harmonics he composed 6 cello sonatas Sonate Da camera a violoncello Solo col Basso Continuo op.l where he wrote an explanation on how to play harmonics on the cello.
Read: Martin Berteau et le violoncelle en France (FR)
ABOUT THE CHOICE OF BOW-HOLD
We know that both bow-holds were used for cello/bass playing, it was not the case for other bowed instruments.
OVERHAND BOWHOLD
All the instruments held in the Da Spalla and violin position use the overhand bow-hold
UNDERHAND BOW HOLD
All the instruments held in the upright position use the underhand bow hold.
THE CHOICE OF BOW HOLD IS RELATED TO THE WAY THE INSTRUMENT IS HELD IN ORDER TO USE THE NATURAL STRENGTH OF THE ARM THROUGH THE PALM OF THE HAND.
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