Yesterday I was watching the proms on TV and the commentator was saying something about Russian bowing - what is it, and how does it sound different?

oh my goodness, just as I thought there were already too many ways of 'bowing' here's another one coming up! not a clue what it is, I'd like to know too

Have a look at someone like Heifetz. It's kind of...well less graceful! Think flat hand, spread fingers, because the bow is help between the knuckle and nearest fingerjoint. It's like a push-pull motion, and creates a veeery powerful sound. If it's done properly, which is quite tricky. People often credit Auer with popularising this style amoungst soloists, he taught Heifetz/Milstein/Elman.

The opposite is Franco-Belgian bowing, which needs tighter bowhair, and the hand has more contact with the bow because of the curved shape of the hand which makes contact with the bow between the first and second fingerjoints.

There are other schools of bowing too but these are the oldest (I think) and best established.

I think of Russian bowing techniques as being like the kind of playing that a big, hairy Russian Bear would use. It gives a big, solid sound which suits some of the monster orchestral works of !9th century Russia, but lacks the lightness and grace of the European bowing styles. I am not at all sure that the bow hair used is less tight though. I think that the opposite may be true.

I also saw that PROM!! Cannot remember what it was now... Tchaikovsky?? I think it was - Hamlet?? Russian bowing often uses a lot of bow speed.

I read the title as russian BOWLING oops!

Luke, I think it was Prokofiev - but I'm not 100% sure.
Thanks everyone, I kind of get what it is now

Ah, yes. I remember. And that awful piano concerto. Wasn't it absoultely awful?! No wonder they had over a thousand standing places left only hours before it started! But they did play tchaikovsky in the same concert as prokofiev. It went: Tchaik R&J, Prok Piano Conc. INTERVAL Tchaik Hamlet, Prok Something, didn't wait to find out! If I remember correctly. I only wanted to see the Tchaikovsky, but ended up missing the R&J anyway because I was too late! I can't remember which one the russian bowing comment was about though, although atleast we both know which prom it was in

Ooh yes, I didn't catch most of the Tchaikovsky though I have to agree the concerto wasn't the best piece I've heard in my life...