Au talon

As Printed on a Score

Printed above a string part over the notes it affects, and in force until the bowing is changed — à la pointe, ord., or a new stroke word. Al tallone is the Italian form, am Frosch the German.

How Composers Use It

The frog end of the bow carries the arm’s weight, so au talon gives strong attacks, heavy accents and gritty chords — often a series of down-bows, each retaken from the frog. Changing direction there is slow, so pair it with detached notes rather than rapid passagework. Use it to make string playing rough-edged or rustic; its opposite, à la pointe, gives the lightest, most delicate sound.

Related Terms