THE WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA. Report by Philip Smith Churchill Fellow

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1 THE WINSTON CHURCHILL MEMORIAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA Report by Philip Smith 2009 Churchill Fellow To gain first hand knowledge in traditional bow making techniques from Master craftsmen - France I understand that the Churchill Trust may publish this report, either in hard copy or on the Internet or both, and consent to such publication. I indemnify the Churchill Trust against any loss, costs or damages it may suffer arising out of any claim or proceedings made against the Trust in respect for arising out of the publication of any Report submitted to the Trust and which the Trust places on a website or access over the internet. I also warrant that my Final Report is original and does not infringe the copyright of any person, or contain anything which is, or the incorporation of which into the Final Report is, actionable for defamation, a breach of any privacy law or obligation, breach of confidence, contempt of court, passing off or contravention of any other private right or of any law. Signed Dated. 1

2 INDEX Introduction page 3 Executive Summary page 5 Programme page 6 Main Body page 7 - The Modern French Bow page 7 - Bow Making page 7 - Bow makers page 15 Conclusions page 17 Recommendations page 18 2

3 INTRODUCTION Some people think a bow is only wood and hair. But the bow can be more essential to expressing the soul of the music than the violin is. Günter Seifert, violinist Vienna Philharmonic and head of the Wiener Geigen Quartet Saving the Music Tree, Russ Rhymer, Smithsonian April 2004 Volume 35, No. 1 Years of experience as a violinmaker and double bass player have brought to my attention the lack of available expertise in Australia. Good bows are not readily available and the large community of string players in this country must source bows made overseas. French bows and traditional bow making techniques are unequivocally the best in the world. And so I undertook this project to research French bow making techniques from French Master bow makers and bring it back to Australia. The project involved traveling to France and studying bow making for four weeks with Master Archetier (bow maker) Jean-luc Tauziede in Onesse-et-Laharie, Aquitane. I cannot thank Jean-luc enough for his open welcome and wonderful training as well as his fantastic company. During this four weeks I was taught to hand make a complete bow using the tricks and secrets of the Master. Following this initial training, I traveled to Lyon where I met with Sylvain Bigot. He provided me with much information about the French style and about the culture and history of bow making in France. Sylvain also gave constructive criticism of my bow making technique and a personal introduction to Jean-Francois Raffin, the current world expert in bow making. In Paris, I took this introduction and visited the atelier of Jean Francois and Sandrine Raffin. It was fascinating to get insight into a focusing solely on bows. I was able to view and discuss with experts a very large collection of antique and modern French bows. Monsieur Raffin 3

4 viewed the bow I had made, and generously gave me invaluable insights into my progression as a bow maker. He honoured me with one word of praise Continue. In Paris, I also met Gilles Duhaut, another Master bow maker and a fantastic character. Gilles makes many double bass bows, these of particular interest to me as a maker and double bass player. He was also very encouraging and offered me the opportunity to return to study at the bow making school he is setting up in Tours. I cannot express to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust sufficiently my gratitude for this incredible experience. This opportunity has given me entry into an inspirational community of master craftsman and entrenched my determination to become a Master bow maker and return this knowledge to Australia. Thank you to Michael Fortes cue and Christian Wojtowicz for the wonderful words of support and encouragement as referees for my project. I must thank them too for their unwavering support of my work in general. Thanks to my family who supported me in this project and accompanied me on this journey. Finally, I would like to dedicate this report to the wonderful bow makers of France who taught and inspired me with their openness, generosity, craftsmanship, tradition and style. I must thank them for showing me how each member of a community of craftsmen can benefit so significantly from an open and passionate culture of friendship, information and skill sharing. To the archetiers of France all the way back to Francois Xavier Tourtes, the inventor of the modern bow - Merci beaucoup! 4

5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Philip Smith 145 St John Street, Launceston TAS Violinmaker (Luthier) To gain first hand knowledge in traditional bow making techniques from Master craftsmen - France HIGHLIGHTS: Jean-luc Tauziede s welcome, mentorship and company Being welcomed into the community of French bow makers so warmly Visiting the atelier of James Chauvelin, Paris and his wonderful collection of instruments and bows and being introduced to world famous principal double bassists, Thiery Barbe, from the Paris Opera and Sven Haugen, from the Oslo Philharmonic. MAJOR LESSONS/CONCLUSIONS: To be taught bow making in person by a Master is the best way to achieve an excellent standard of workmanship and to gain entry into the community of bow makers. The open, generous and skill sharing culture of a community of craftsmen has enormous benefits for all in achieving excellence. IMPLEMENTATION AND DISSEMINATION: One of the major lessons of this project has been the advantage of skill and information sharing and the benefits of a culture of openness and generosity in a community of craftsmen and peers. The information and skills gained in the course of this project will be passed on to musicians, music teachers and their students with whom I work to create bows. It will be passed down to future staff and apprentices that I will train and through articles, interviews, workshop and seminar opportunities as they arise. 5

6 PROGRAMME 8 th April - 8 th May 2010 Onesse-et-Laharie, France Entered the workshop of Jean-Luc Tauziede to be trained in the craft of French bow making th May 2010 Lyon, France Sylvain Bigot, Archetier/Expert 14 th and 18 th May 2010 Paris, France Jean-Francois Raffin and Sandrine Raffin, Atelier Raffin 16 th May 2010 Paris Gilles Duhaut, Archetier NB. I had planned to meet with Stephane Tomachot and Jean Grunberger, however both makers were not available while I was in France. I have, however been in communication with Stephane Tomachot and will continue to develop a relationship with him and other Master bow makers in France. 6

7 MAIN BODY The Modern French Bow Francois-Xavier Tourtes created the modern in bow in Paris in the mid 1700 s. His innovations included cambering the stick, a higher head, the ferrule and the screw mechanism and he standardized measurements and dimensions. Makers continue to work with reference to the past Masters while creating a modern style working within traditional boundaries. Bow making My fellowship began with a four-week apprenticeship to Jean-luc Tauziede. Jean-luc was trained in Paris by Jean-Francois Raffin, the current pre-eminent world bow expert and by Master Archetier Stephane Tomachot. Jean-luc works from his workshop in the Landes forest in Onesse, Aquitane, also his shop in Anglet. Jean-luc is also the bow maker and restorer for Patrice Taconne, a very well regarded French violin maker and dealer in Bordeaux. He has been working as a bow maker since It was decided that my time with Jean-Luc be best spent and decided that making a cello bow and observing Jean-luc make a quatur or quartet of bows would provide the best overview of the craft. The following documents the process as taught by Jean-luc Tauziede in making a bow using the techniques of French bow making as passed down from master to apprentice since its invention by Francois- Xavier Tourtes over 200 years ago. To provide all the details involved would take a complete book rather than a report, however this is intended to provide a reasonable overview. 7

8 Wood Pernambuco or Caesalpinia echinata is the wood of choice for bow making. Pernambuco is an endangered Brazilian rain forest timber. Some baroque bows are made from snake wood and modern bows may be made from carbon fibre, however no satisfactory substitute to pernambuco has been yet established. Extreme care needs to be taken when working with Pernambuco as it can be very hazardous for the Bow maker. It can cause Flew like symptoms and also Asthma. Some makers become so allergic they can no longer work with Pernambuco. Good quality dust extraction and breathing masks are required. The first step in making a bow, and possibly the most important, is the selection of wood. Blank baguettes or sticks of pernambuco are chosen by physically testing the strength and flexibility by holding the stick at both ends and flexing for resistance and give. A small section of the stick is also planed to check its density. A good stick has closed pores enhancing its strength. An ebony block is also selected for the frog and the same test of density is required. Porous ebony, when polished, does not have the smooth finish required. The stick or baguette The stick is planed square, starting at the bottom and then the top and sides in order to create uniform thickness and roughly shaping the head. All four edges are beveled at 45 degrees to create a chamfer and the bow s initial octagonal shape, leaving all dimensions slightly oversized. The stick is then cambered. The wood is heated over the dry heat of a Bunsen burner starting at the head, working in small sections of about 100mm long, moving along the stick. The wood has achieved the required heat when it changes colour and is too hot to touch. A 8

9 wooden pattern is used to control the camber. The heated sections of the stick are bent by hand on the corner of a bench controlling both the curvature and the straightness. The stick is then left to cool. The Head The underside of the head is then planed and filed flat. In the French tradition, the end third of the cello bow is slightly curved. If left completely flat the bow appears clumsy, the slight curve creates the illusion of flatness and a more delicate style. In the French style, the angle of the head is determined by projecting two lines, one from the top of the stick and the other from the underside of the head. These lines should meet at a distance from the bow (approximately 30 mm past the head). A 0.5mm thick ebony lining is glued on to the underside of the head. In the French tradition the lining is shaped from one solid piece of ebony. The tip is then shaped from a solid piece of mammoth ivory. (Fossilized mammoth ivory is now substituted for elephant ivory.) Blanks can be purchased from bow making suppliers. 9

Drill and shape the throat or degorgement.

10 The Frog The piece of ebony previously selected is shaped into a rectangle and the end view is trapezoidal. The back of the frog is angled to create the optical illusion of squareness. That is essential to the French style. Drill and shape the throat or degorgement. This is one of the areas were the bow maker can show there own style, and master bow makers are instantly recognizable. Ferrule The ferrule holds the hair and enables the hair to be spread into an even ribbon. It is part of the mounting and can be made from gold, silver or nickel. 10

11 The ferrule in my cello bow is shaped from flat stock Sterling silver made up of two parts, one half round soldered to the flat. This is then firmly fitted to the blank frog using small bow making chisels and files. The line of the inner edge of the ferrule must be at an exact right angle to meet the French style. The heel of the frog is then rounded with a file. The curve is oversized so that when the talon is fitted, the ebony projects past the talon and can be shaped last to create a very crisp flush edge. The talon is fitted with three silver pins or goupilles. Cut the slot for the pearl slide, using small bow making chisels. The frog mortis can be drilled and shaped and the passage of the hair. Pearl slide This is made up of two parts ebony 1mm thick and mother of pearl glued together. The slide is shaped to slide into the frog so it can be removed for rehairing. The mother of pearl is cut slightly thicker to stands proud of the frog, so it can be shaped and polished with the frog, ebony, the silver ferrule and talon. Underslide The underslide facets are cut into the frog using chisels and files. The silver underslide is glued to the ebony using a two-part epoxy, Penlock GT1, a very strong glue with no shrinkage. This has two pins made from silver. Attaching the frog Shape the end of the stick facets to fit the frog. The frog and the stick must fit perfectly, particularly when making a frog with no underside. This is a return to an old practice giving wood on wood contact between frog and stick. Resulting in an improved sound production. The stick Mortis is drilled and shaped. Turn the nipple for the button and drill hole in the stick for the screw. The correct alignment of the holes for the screw is very important to working of the bow. 11

12 Eyelet This is made of bronze with a hole drilled into the underside of the frog. The hole continues all the way to the mortis. This is helpful when the eyelet needs to be replaced Button The body of the button is turned from ebony and encased in silver with hand shaped octagonal facets. The screw mechanism used has a rolled coarse thread with is a traditional French model. Shaping the stick Shape the stick by planning the 8 facets. Plane all the edges to 16 facets then to 32 facets. The stick is then rounded with a sanding block. Rounding starts 30mm from the winding or garniture. The stick is then polished. 12

13 Finish shaping the head using knives and files. In the French tradition, the shape and style of the head is one of the signatures of the maker. Pearl Eyes Pearl Eyes with silver ring are inserted in to the frog. Also an element where the maker can insert his personal style, the French traditional rules dictate that a bow with a plain button should have a fancy eye a Parisian eye (a small mother of pearly eye, ebony ring then silver ring). If you make a three-part button it should have a simple pearl eye. I personally made a simple button an eye of mother of pearl eye with silver ring. Cut chamfers into the back of the head with a knife. This step is left till last in order to create very sharp edges. This step is very difficult to do. The French style dictates that the part of the chamfer that meets the tip should be slightly smaller than the rest and continue down the stick a little. Varnish Before the varnish is applied the stick is tanned in sunlight to create a rich dark color. Spirit varnish is hand applied with friction to burnish the wood. The first coat is applied very thinly, with subsequent coats thicker varnish is used. Hair The bow can then be rehaired using the finest Mongolian horsehair. This hair is the strongest and finest available, there for producing the best possible sound. The French method starts at the frog with the hair once tied is held in the mortis with a wooden block. At this stage a wedge is also fitted into the ferrule to create a wide and even ribbon of hair. The head end of the hair is tied at the correct length and also held into the mortis at the head with a wooden block. Varnish The varnishing process is repeated. 13

14 Garniture or winding and thumb leather This is the last process and the gauge of silver wire used is determined by the weight of the bow. For example, a cello bow should weigh 80 grams, so a bow without the winding is weighed and the gauge of the silver wire makes up the difference in weight. For example, to add 5 grams you would use 0.25mm silver wire. The garniture total length should be 75 mm and the thumb leather should be one third of the winding length. A small amount of leather is placed at the tip end of the winding. The final coat of varnish is applied. The bow is now complete. 14

15 Bow makers Sylvain Bigot, Lyon A visit to Sylvain was made possible though an introduction from Jean- Luc. Sylvain works as bow maker and expert. He studied bow making in Mirecourt , then worked for nine years as workshop manager for Jean-François Raffin in Paris. I presented him with my bow for his expert appraisal. He was very impressed with my first bow and suggested some areas I could improve on. He observed that I have made a bow in the style of Jean-Luc and can now work on my own style. Sylvain was very generous with his time and gave me a stick of pernambuco to work on when I returned to Australia. He said, You must continue. Sylvain also presented me with a poster illustrating the lineage of French bow makers, dates, who they are/were and where they worked. Sylvain produced together with Jean-Francois Raffin. Jean-Francois Raffin, Paris Jean-François Raffin studied violinmaking at the famous violin and bow making school at Mirecourt in His training continued with Etienne Vatelot and then with Bernard Millant with whom he worked as an assistant for 17 years. Raffin won the Silver Medal of the "Meilleurs ouvriers de France" in 1979 and in the same year, he became a member of the GLAAF (Groupement des Luthiers et Archetiers d'art de France). With Bernard Millant, Raffin has researched and produced a three volume definitive work on French bow making - "Les TOURTE et les Archetiers Français de ". This work covers the life and the work over this period history of French Bow making. It was suggested that I visit Mr. Raffin by Sylvain, and to show him my bow. Sylvain generously gave me a personal recommendation. I was very fortunate to be granted an audience with Jean-Francois. A very busy man as the current world expert on French bows. Jean-Francois was also very encouraging gave constructive feedback on my bow and technique, mainly the cambering, style, frog and stick fitting. And in finishing Jean-Francois declared Continue. 15

16 Sandrine Raffin, Paris Sandrine is the daughter of Jean-Francois and has taken over the Atelier Raffin. Sandrine runs the business while also making, repairing and selling bows. The shop is located on the Rue de Rome in Paris, a Mecca for luthiers and bow makers as there are numerous ateliers of master craftsmen in this field gathered on this street. Sandrine has 7 makers working for her. She made me very welcome and was also very encouraging about my bow making. I was also able to look at her collection of French bows both new and old, which gave me a fantastic insight into traditions, style and techniques employed by French masters. Simon Shaw, Paris I met Simon at the Atelier Raffin. Simon is a Canadian who has previously worked as a luthier. It was very interesting to be able to talk with him about how he got started in bow making, as a non-french national and the progress of his career and experience in France. Simon worked with Gilles Duhaut for some time before moving to Paris. Gilles Duhaut, Tours I was able to meet with Gilles in Paris. He is a fantastic character. Gilles Duhaut trained in the 1970 s at the famous bow and violin making school at Mirecourt under the tutelage of Master Bow maker Bernard Ouchard. Gilles works in Tours and was trained by Emile Ouchard who was a very important figure in French bow making. Once again, I was able to receive positive feedback on the bow I had made and advice for my future progress. Gilles also makes a lot of bass bows, which are of particular interest to me. Gilles is opening a bow making school as part of the French tradition of passing their knowledge on. 16

17 CONCLUSIONS Francis Xavier Tourtes passed his innovations and expertise on to his apprentices and this tradition of Master-to-apprentice training has continued. Each bow maker I met in France s bow making lineage can be traced easily and directly back to Tourtes. This has created a small and interconnected community of highly skilled, specialist bow makers into which I had the honour of being accepted, thanks to the Churchill Fellowship. Without traveling to France this knowledge sharing, warm welcome and immediate induction in to a community of peers would not have been possible. Due to the completely hand-made tradition of bow making, much of the work is done by feel and according to the judgement of the maker. The skills required for bow making borrow from a wide range of crafts including sculpture and jewellery making as well as instrument making. To be taught in person by a Master is the best way to receive insight into how excellence in bow making workmanship is achieved. The French tradition also has many unwritten rules and standards, which must be adhered to by the makers. For example, the quality of a bow is reflected in the precious metal used for the mounting (windings, button and talon) gold is for the best, silver next and nickel for a student quality bow. And each maker is expected to create their own modern style within specific boundaries and with references to the makers of the past. But makers must also have the skills to replicate the work of previous Masters and their styles. Bow makers in France are all almost exclusively bow makers and it is quite a different field to instrument making. It is a recognized, wellorganized and respected profession. The organized structure of competition bow making in France and its rigorous standards provides a clear pathway for becoming a Master Archetier. This tradition and structure does not exist in Australia nor does the opportunity to complete, as there are so few makers here. 17

18 RECOMMENDATIONS These recommendations are possibly better entitled goals or hoped for outcomes: To further develop connections and channels of communication between makers here and in France. To continue the tradition of Master to apprentice training in bow making in Australia. To generate interest in and participation in the art of bow making in Australia through the dissemination of the knowledge and skills I have attained. To educate players of stringed instruments about bows and bow making To provide high quality Australian bows made in the French tradition to Australian players. 18

Technical Guidelines for Galliane

Technical Guidelines for Galliane The Galliane concept is simple: the hair sits at an angle at the frog. Galliane represents one of the most fundamental evolutions in the classical bow. For the first time, the bow frog is designed for