Bow-Bokken
Recently I took a few violin classes with Patrick Ourceau. Most of our time was spent learning bowing.
When I first took up the violin I soon learned that the way you use the bow is the way you bring out the soul of the instrument, and bowing techniques are very distinct in different styles of music. Good bowing requires a really delicate touch, and a lot of practice. Actually I think if I had known how daunting the bowing aspect would be, I might have been frightened off.
Patrick talked about bowing and musical phrasing in relation to breathing: up-bowing is like breathing in, and down-bowing is like breathing out, a release. He talked about the down-bow being extremely relaxed, letting gravity draw the arm and the bow downward. Making your bow strokes with minimum effort brings out the best sound, and allows you to play in a more relaxed way, so you can play for hours without getting tired.
In a recent aikido seminar with Shuji Maruyama Sensei we practiced a sword exercise from the most basic sword strike: shomenuchi, an overhead strike to the head. Watching senior students doing both the exercise and sword attacks, it was obvious how natural it is: sword up: breathe in. Sword down: breathe out. Most bokken weigh under two pounds, but lifting and lowering it 100, 200 or more times is impossible unless you are relaxed, coordinate with your breathing, and let gravity do the work.
A violin bow weighs about 60 grams. But it's still a lot like a sword.
When I first took up the violin I soon learned that the way you use the bow is the way you bring out the soul of the instrument, and bowing techniques are very distinct in different styles of music. Good bowing requires a really delicate touch, and a lot of practice. Actually I think if I had known how daunting the bowing aspect would be, I might have been frightened off.
Patrick talked about bowing and musical phrasing in relation to breathing: up-bowing is like breathing in, and down-bowing is like breathing out, a release. He talked about the down-bow being extremely relaxed, letting gravity draw the arm and the bow downward. Making your bow strokes with minimum effort brings out the best sound, and allows you to play in a more relaxed way, so you can play for hours without getting tired.
In a recent aikido seminar with Shuji Maruyama Sensei we practiced a sword exercise from the most basic sword strike: shomenuchi, an overhead strike to the head. Watching senior students doing both the exercise and sword attacks, it was obvious how natural it is: sword up: breathe in. Sword down: breathe out. Most bokken weigh under two pounds, but lifting and lowering it 100, 200 or more times is impossible unless you are relaxed, coordinate with your breathing, and let gravity do the work.
A violin bow weighs about 60 grams. But it's still a lot like a sword.
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