The best violin bows are made from pernambuco wood.
The violin gets all the glory, but experienced musicians will tell you that it's the bow that makes the instrument. The modern violin bow was perfected by Francois Tourte in the early 19th century, and since then expert luthiers have put as much effort into perfecting the bow as they have the violin itself. After centuries of experimentation, the experts have come to regard pernambuco wood as the very best wood for violin bows.
Pernambuco Wood
Pernambuco wood comes from Caesalpinia echinata, a slow-growing Brazilian tree found only in the coastal mountains around the port town of Recife. Pernambuco has been valued in Europe as a luxury wood, and as a red dye, since the 16th century. Its fiery red color and extreme hardness made it much sought after for furniture and sculpture.
Qualities of Pernambuco Bows
These same qualities later made the pernambuco the ideal wood for violin bows. The pernambuco's heartwood is hard and resilient, but still lightweight. Once curved into the shape of the bow, its high density makes pernambuco hold that curve extremely well. The tree's heartwood tends to be very straight-grained and has a high mineral content, both of which are highly desirable for making top-quality bows.
Pernambuco Ecology
Every top violin player needs a pernambuco bow -- but soon, they may become impossible to acquire. When the Portuguese first settled Brazil, the pernambuco tree was extremely abundant -- but overharvesting soon depleted the population of trees. Today, the tree has been listed as an endangered species, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species may soon ban all export and sale of this rare wood. Bow makers have formed the International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative to replant trees and help to prevent the tree's extinction. In the meantime, true pernambuco bows are becoming rarer and more valuable -- and may eventually no longer be made.
Experimental Materials
Even if it remains available, pernambuco wood may not be on top forever. Bow makers and luthiers have long been experimenting with synthetic and composite materials, and some new materials give pernambuco a run for its money. Carbon composite bows are now approaching pernambuco in quality, and have the advantages of being more consistent and much less expensive. As carbon composite technology continues to advance, pernambuco may soon be only one of many "best" materials for violin bows.
