Bowing & articulation
Col legno
Col legno is striking or drawing the wooden stick of the bow against the string instead of the hair, producing a dry percussive click.
There are two forms. Col legno battuto strikes the string with the stick, giving the skeletal rattle of the Danse macabre and the Witches' Sabbath of the Symphonie fantastique. Col legno tratto draws the stick along the string for a thin, glassy sustained sound, which is much rarer.
Players are often reluctant to use good bows for col legno battuto, since repeated striking damages the stick, many orchestral musicians keep an inexpensive spare bow for exactly these passages. The instruction is cancelled by arco.
Related terms
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.