Watertown Man's Twist on Bow Making is a Leap in Musical Technology

Watertown's Benoit Rolland put his own twist into how violin bows are made, and took a technological leap in bowmaking.

For his work, Rolland received a McArthur Foundation "Genius" Grant, and a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne from Boston Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Malcolm Lowe. He made a change in the bow frog - the heel that holds the bow hairs. 

When making new bow, known as the the GallianeTM frog, the hair that makes the bow no longer runs straight from the frog to the tip. Rather, it is helicoidal; twisting from a 15-degree angle at the frog to flat at the tip, according to a story on the Galliane.com website.

The Galliane frog is designed for the modern musician, who must perform more demanding pieces for more sophisticated audiences and play in larger concert halls. The design allows violinists to use the full width of the bow hair without tilting the hand or wrist beyond what is comfortable in standard technique. 

Read more about Rolland and the Galliane Frog by clicking here.