HOW TO PRACTISE ŠEVČĺK'S MASTERWORKS - 4

   As to the bow, Ševčík demanded that it should be
held more from above than  from the side. 

The arrangement of the fingers on the stick should then be
as follows:

1. the index finger lies on the stick in the middle of the second joint,
2. the middle finger touching it at the bend between the first and second joints and
3. the ring-finger with the middle of the first joint,
4. while the little finger rests on the stick with its tip.
5. The thumb stands opposite the middle finger and
6. with this it forms a closed but elastic grasp.

The position of the arm will always be ruled by the bowhold,  and not vice versa.  The upper arm should therefore not be lifted in such a way that, when playing at the frog, the elbow would be as high as, or even higher than, the wrist.  In the first place this would impair the
playing at the lower half of the bow, the precision of spring bow technic, and the sensitivity of phrasing. Mention should here be made of the so-called "Russian" bowhold of which Sevcik did not approve.  Anyhow, this bowhold was not taught by any of the other great teachers of violin playing such as Hubay or Auer, both of whom were adherents to the so-called " Franco-Belgian " bowing technic.  The Russian bowhold became fashionable with the use of steel strings which demanded a stronger bow pressure than gut strings. The raising of the arm resulting from this lateral
bowhold soon became a mannerism which was detrimental to elastic and finely differentiated bowing. Even Carl Flesch who at first propagated the Russian bowhold appreciated its disadvantages as time went by--as proof vide his directions in " The Art of Violin Playing " of 1923, as opposed to those in " Problems of Sound" 1932.  He describes the Russian bowhold in his " Art of Violin Playing " as follows" " The index touches the stick at the line separating the second from the third joint, and in addition embraces it with its first and second joints."  In " Problems of Sound " he says" "  however, the index must never lie on the stick at the beginning of the root joint, or all advantages of this grip become disadvantages; the tone becomes hard, unelastic and incapable of modulation.  The technic at the frog becomes clumsy and the détaché at the point shaky." As is obvious, Flesch contradicted his original stipulation nine years later, and described all its disadvantages.  Also, he was no longer convinced of the reality of its advantages for he wrote further: " For the rest, I usually leave it to the pupil whether he wishes to use the Russian or the Franco-Belgian bowhold." Shortly before his death, Flesch expressed the same opinion to the writer who proved the Russian bowhold to be physiologically detrimental to movement.