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"Mystery of the Stradivarius" on YouTube
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Author:  jfrench [ Sun Aug 19, 2007 3:32 pm ]
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Interesting series, with some fair conclusions (and maybe some not). My favorite was: "That brings us back to what you asked me - if one can hear the shape of the violin in the sound? ... it took ten years to solve this problem, scientifically. And the answer is No."

Look in the "related" window for 1,2 and 4

YouTube: Mystery of the Stradivarious
Author:  Bruce Dickey [ Sun Aug 19, 2007 9:10 pm ]
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Those were nice Joshua.

I also found one of Yo Yo Ma playing the 294 year old Stradavari "Davidov" Cello. Amazing we still have these instruments.
Author:  Colin S [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:06 am ]
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Very interesting Joshua, but of course more twaddle has been written and broadcast about what makes Stradivari special than almost any other instrument related topic.

For instance, Charles Beare, probably the foremost expert on Stradivarius who appraises the instruments for the major auction houses, has in the past used my lab equipment at the University to analyse various varnishes from the Cremonese builders, result, nothing special just the usual gunk. My good friend David Hume, who builds very high end violins and has restored more Strads than anyone else, also says there is nothing special about them. So, what makes them good? They were well made and they have aged well.

I have handled about half a dozen Stradivari, and my wife, a professional violinist, has played the Liotti, probably the best preserved surviving Strad. Yes it sounded sublime, but no better than David's 'Strad'.

Colin


Author:  jfrench [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:20 am ]
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Colin - I couldn't agree more! Actually, I would love to hear one of Hume's Strads one day.

The thing with the varnish borders on ridiculous. People would carve out the insides of the soundboards and thin them toward the edges, change the neck angles, lengthen the necks.. all kinds of things. Yet everyone is careful not to touch the varnish. I figure he used some pre-prepared varnish like everyone else.

Those broadcasts on YouTube were fairly well balanced in that they pointed out the absurdity of some of what the average person thinks about the Stradivari violins. Such as the modifications and also that its impossible to say what effect the varnish could have when so much of it is warn away or retouched.

Fun to watch.
Author:  Bill Bergman [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:55 am ]
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Recently retired Prof. Nagyvary from Texas A&M makes violins and has studied and published for 25 years on his version of Stradivari secrets, including varnish. You can probably Google him.
Author:  jfrench [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 2:19 am ]
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[QUOTE=Bill Bergman] Recently retired Prof. Nagyvary from Texas A&M makes violins and has studied and published for 25 years on his version of Stradivari secrets, including varnish. You can probably Google him.[/QUOTE]

Every three years he comes up with some new esoteric nonsense explaining the "secret" to the sound. Usually it is quite funny. I'm with Colin - the secret is good wood and talent as opposed to feces and urine.
Author:  Steve Kinnaird [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 2:38 am ]
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Wait a minute... You mean that urine isn't part of the secret?! Next I suppose you'll say something like "neither is ground glass"?

Horrified,

Steve
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 3:26 am ]
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C'mon guys, you know he was a hack builder.  He just got lucky 1000 times. 

It is absolutely funny to me that no one really wants to give him credit for his success.  It has to be a secret formula of some kind.  Nuts!  He was a skilled artisan and a genius who understood the instrument and it's idiosyncrasies better than his peers.  He used the best materials he could get his hands on, and built to finer tolerances relative to the wood.  I bet he was a tapping fool when he was building.

It is, though, amazing that instruments of that age and level of usage have survived as well as they have.  The wonders of HHG, or did he use fish glue?   I bet that's the secret.

Author:  Bruce Dickey [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 5:11 am ]
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Another thing too, he was prolific. So, many times when a great player was looking for a 100 year old instrument. It was a whole lot easier to find a Strad versus an Amati or Bergonzi or such.

When reading Hill, I was amuzed to find the cellos and violas also build by Antonio. But what really blew me away were the three guitars known by him also. I think only the neck of the third one survives. They were five course doubled string instruments. Ten strings.
Author:  Colin S [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:37 am ]
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Bruce a copy of a five-course Strad guitar is on my list of projects, probably next year, my interest is moving more and more towards the historic.

Colin
Author:  Bruce Dickey [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:55 am ]
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What an interesting project that will be. Colin, based on what someone said in a recent thread, you might consider using ebony for pegs.

His headstock design was incredibly ornate.
Author:  Rick Turner [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:08 am ]
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There's a Strad guitar at the National Music Museum in Vermilion, ND.
Author:  Arnt Rian [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:32 am ]
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He also made mandolins and at least one harp. Check this 5 course beauty out!


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