What does bariolage mean in music?

Bowing & articulation

Bariolage

French, "multi-coloured"

Bariolage is a string technique that alternates rapidly between strings, often repeating the same pitch on a stopped string and an open string, for a shimmering change of colour rather than of note.

The effect works because the same pitch sounds different on an open string than under a finger: the open string rings with more overtones and no vibrato, so alternating between the two produces a flicker of timbre. The bow does most of the work, crossing strings quickly while the left hand stays put.

The most famous instance is the Preludio of Bach’s E major Partita, where the open E alternates with fingered notes for bars at a time. Orchestrally it appears wherever a composer wants a string section to glitter, the opening of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony finale is a well-known example.

It is not a marked technique; there is no bariolage instruction. The player recognises it from the notes themselves, which is why it is worth being able to name.

Open string: An open string is a string played with no left-hand finger stopping it, sounding the pitch the string is tuned to.
Détaché: Détaché is the basic string bowing in which each note gets its own bow stroke, changing direction between notes while the bow stays on the string.
Double stop: A double stop is two notes played simultaneously on adjacent strings of a string instrument, with the bow drawn across both at once.
Harmonics: Harmonics are pure, flute-like tones produced by touching a string lightly at a node instead of pressing it to the fingerboard, notated with a small circle above the note.

Every term in this glossary is taught in context somewhere in Arco's curricula, on the staff, on the keyboard, and on your own fingerboard at the same time.

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