Elgar’s Bow

The Elgar Violin Concerto Project

Not long before beginning my Advanced Diploma at the Royal Academy of Music, I was introduced to one of the most extraordinary musical artefacts I have ever encountered: Edward Elgar’s bow.

Made by Tubbs as a 21st birthday gift for Elgar, the bow is inscribed “EWE” on the ferrule, and “presented by the Worcester Amateur Instrumental Society Jun[e] 1878” on the adjuster. At that time, Elgar was their concertmaster, and his teacher Adolf Pollitzer believed he had the potential to become one of the leading violin soloists of his generation.

Elgar kept this bow for most of his life, until just before Albert Sammons’ 21st performance of Elgar’s Violin Concerto, when Elgar gifted the bow to him – entrusting it to the violinist who would become most closely associated with the concerto itself. It is extraordinary to consider that this very bow would most likely have been in Elgar’s hand while composing much of his violin music, including the concerto.

I am extremely grateful to Benjamin Hebbert for kindly lending me the use of Elgar’s bow for this and future projects.

Discovering Elgar Through His Bow

From the moment I first played Elgar’s bow, I felt an immediate connection to his musical language. Its distinctive tip-heavy balance, with a slight ‘drag’, produces a deeply rich, generous sound. The bow almost feels like it sticks to the string, making bow changes effortlessly smooth, and tricky string-crossings – like those in Elgar’s violin Sonata – much easier to control.

Elgar’s writing feels as if it was made for this bow: long lines, harmonic warmth, and emotional breadth emerge with remarkable ease. While the balance might, on paper, make fast or virtuosic passages challenging, in the concerto it simply works – his writing style fits the bow perfectly, allowing even the most demanding passages to flow naturally.

Playing with the bow inspired me to explore projects that bring its voice to life. My first was at the Royal Academy of Music for my final recital, using five different bows for five composers, including a couple of short pieces by Elgar. It was during this preparation that the idea of performing the full Elgar Violin Concerto with his bow first took shape.

The Project in Performance

In October 2024, I had the great pleasure of performing Elgar’s Violin Concerto with the Hertfordshire Philharmonia using Elgar’s own bow. The performance was warmly received, culminating in a standing ovation, and marked a deeply meaningful realisation of a project I had dreamt about since first encountering the bow.

Playing the concerto with the very tool that once belonged to Elgar himself offered an intimacy with the music that is difficult to describe, but impossible to forget.

My long-standing sensitivity to bows has shaped the way I approach different composers, but encountering Elgar’s own bow felt like a quiet confirmation rather than a novelty – a meeting point between history, craft, and musical instinct.

For this performance, I played the concerto on my own violin – only later discovering it was a Parker. Interestingly, Fritz Kreisler fell in love with a Parker violin in 1910 while visiting the Hill shop in London, purchased it, and called it his “Parker Strad”. It may well have been the instrument he used to premiere Elgar’s Violin Concerto.

“The best performance of the concerto I have ever seen.”

– member of the Elgar Society

First rehearsal with Elgar’s bow and Hertfordshire Philharmonia, October 2024

Pre-Concert Talks

Alongside performances of the concerto, I am very happy to offer informal pre-concert talks or introductions when appropriate, sharing the history of and surrounding Elgar’s bow, and how it has shaped my own relationship with his concerto. These can be adapted naturally to the context of each performance and audience.

Future Performances

This project is available for future seasons and performances of Elgar’s Violin Concerto. I would be delighted to discuss collaborations with orchestras, festivals, and concert series interested in presenting this unique historical and musical perspective.

For bookings and enquiries, please visit my Contact page, where you can reach me directly or contact my manager via Eva Artistic Management.