The historical bows (or replicas thereof) used on tonight’s program are generally convex, or curved outwards, as opposed to the modern concave bow, which is curved inwards.

In addition, historical bows tend to be lighter, shorter, and are less heavily haired. Violin-family instruments were originally often used for dance music, and the nature of the historical convex bow allows for stronger strokes near where the hand grips the bow (the frog) and lighter strokes near the tip, imitating strong and weak beats embodied in the dance and music.

As musical tastes and demands changed, there was increased demands for bows that could more easily produce longer, cantabile or singing lines. The bows of the late 18th century, especially those produced by François Tourte, were meant to accommodate those demands. Tourte bows, with their concave shape and increased tension, allowed for more equalized sound production across the length of the bow. The “hatchet” tip of these bows (see image) helped to facilitate this increased tension, compared to the “swan bill” tip of earlier bows.