No. 33.
Students ask, “Is this a short staccato? Where do I play such a passage?” The value and tempo of a work govern bowing. Avoid meaningless bowing. Play broadly when possible. One must study the classics and discriminate between the style of different schools and periods if one is to judge of methods of bowing. In this case, play with a free, somewhat broad tone, in the upper part of the bow. Produce a resonant, singing tone. Do not decrease the tone in an ascending passage. It is a good plan to play the arpeggios separately, that is, repeating each line over and over, until they are mastered. If the student has difficulty with them, review the twelfth Kreutzer étude. The second and fourth positions require much more careful practice. Use a free forearm stroke when it is possible. Passages of this nature may be played near the point of the bow:
Note the octaves in the eleventh line. They should be played in the middle of the bow, slightly detached, the bow being raised by a flexible wrist stroke, the first note of the group being accented. Certain teachers prefer a perfect legato at the point of the bow. The stroke at the middle is freer. Do not press upon the bow-stick, as the bowing must be light, especially in the chromatic passage:
The single detached notes of the last line are more easily played with spiccato bowing at the middle of the bow. They may also be practiced with a short, crisp, light staccato at the point: