Baroque viola bow, England, circa 1800

This historic baroque viola bow is an unusually rare piece for the viola and dates back to the classical era of stringed instruments around 1800. It has outstanding tonal and playing properties. The baroque viola bow was crafted during the transition between the Baroque bow – with the typical convex curve of the bow – and the classical bow, which features a concave model that was permanently defined by François Xavier Tourte. As this transition was evolving, a variety of different approaches were flourishing throughout Europe; the goal of all of them was to satisfy the changes in tonal standards — both in ensemble playing as well as in solo performance. Only a very few authentic baroque viola bows from this period have survived, and they are of special interest when it comes to acquiring historical information about how music was interpreted during the era. This baroque viola bow is a piece of unmistakably English origin, as can be seen by the large head of the strong round stick made of dark brown pernambuco. Its active, dynamic, responsive play will satisfy sophisticated musicians. The straightforward historical fittings with an ebony frog and an ivory button are characteristic for the period in which the bow was crafted. Since the original button was no longer functional, it was replaced by another which was also made around the turn of the 19th century. To preserve the historical context of the bow, we are including the replaced button. At a weight of 62.3 g and a length of 73.8 cm, this truly rare baroque viola bow was meticulously set up at our specialist atelier for restoration, and we offer it ready to play. Its balance point is towards the middle and slightly inclined towards the upper half. Its bright yet warm sound is fluid, precise and surprisingly large, giving you a wide range of musical interpretations.

 

 

Order a certificate of appraisal with this baroque viola bow, the certificate option is available in the shopping cart.