Chats to 'Cello Students

by Arthur Broadley

Arpeggios on three or four strings phrased as Example 47a should be played with alternate down and up bow strokes, always attacking the arpeggio commencing with the lower string with the down bow. For a moderate allegro, about half the bow's length may be used, the two middle fourths (upper and lower) being the most serviceable; the bowing should be as smooth as possible, each note being of equal length; in the triplet arpeggio the customary accent on the first of each group must be observed, and in every case the groups should be quite distinctly separated.

In mixed bowings as Example 47b, the same quantity of bow stroke must be used for the detached note as for the slurs; the detached quaver or semiquaver in each case being taken with a light up-bow.

Exercise 47c is a very brilliant style of bowing, yet generally very easy to acquire. The bow is thrown with force for the first note of each group, then with a nicely regulated wrist movement, assisted by the fore-arm to allow sufficient stroke, the three or four springing strokes fall, one for each note. Any slovenliness in the management of the wrist will result in some of the notes being missed, and others obtaining more than one of the springing strokes. Although this style of bowing is expressed exactly as solid staccato, it is very seldom that arpeggios would be played other than with slurred spiccato, the unhelpable roughness which accompanies a short staccato stroke on an open string, renders the solid staccato impracticable for passages regularly crossing the strings. This bowing is often used with alternate groups of smooth slurred bowings.

Example 48a is a style of phrasing which should always commence with the up-bow; the reasons for this are as follows. Foremost and most important is that the wrist action which one observes in reversing the bow from an up-stroke to a down-stroke, may be utilized to serve the double purpose of changing the bow-stroke and leaping to the A string; this could not be accomplished in so quiet a manner with the reverse stroke. If the above phrasing was commenced with the down stroke, it would be necessary to make two distinctly separate movements to reach the A string; one, a wrist movement from side to side to reverse the stroke, the other an upward movement of forearm and wrist, to obtain the necessary elevation which will allow the bow to leave the D string and touch the A. Another reason is that the nearer the heel of the bow is approached, less leverage and consequently less arm movement is required to cross the strings; this is counterbalanced by the lack of control over the bow at the heel in rapidly changing from one string to another. The bowing should be commenced slightly nearer the point than the middle, especially for Example 48b, so that the spiccato semiquavers may be played at the middle of the bow, with a wrist movement only.

In Example 48a the upper arm should move backwards and forwards (the elbow must not project) the bow being thrown on the upper string by the wrist as previously explained. The student should play an arpeggio phrased as above, at the same time carefully analyzing each arm and wrist movement; he will thus realise the importance of utilising every movement to assist in giving a quiet and finished performance.

Example 49a should be played with alternate down and up-strokes, commencing with the down bow near the heel; the bow should be drawn say one fourth part for the two lower notes, then the hand—from the wrist, should be rapidly raised, so that the bow leaves the G string and touches the A, using another fourth part of the bow for the two upper notes. The second chord commences with the up-bow, at the middle.

A good, broad effect is generally intended with this kind of bowing. To produce this, only the slightest possible gap must be allowed in changing the bow from one string to another, thus giving the impression that two notes are constantly being sounded; sufficient pressure must be applied to the bow to cause the whole width of the hair to touch the strings, and an equal division allowed for each part of the arpeggio.

It is possible to produce a very brilliant, heavy effect with the bowing at Example 49b; it should be commenced with the up-bow near the heel, using a very heavy spiccato stroke, the two upper notes receive a down stroke. It is also possible to execute it commencing with the down-stroke, but if played in this manner it is difficult to get sufficient power on the two upper strings, as well as more time being wasted in changing the bow from the down-stroke to the up-stroke (see explanation of Example 48a).