Frank, you've put lots more study into this than I ever thought of!:-) I know, even classically trained, I was taught to use my elbow to help control which string the bow was working; but the real work was in the wrist and the fingers on the bow, as you pointed out. I had the luck to also watch my dad fiddle, so I grew up *hearing* both. To be honest, I never thought twice about how to hold the bow. I did it the way my teachers explained and I have finally gotten into fiddling more and the few people who have heard me in the past year or so say I don't sound half-bad, so something must be alright, no matter how I'm holding it!**bg** To anyone, I say just do what works best for you.