There is an old Nova program from the late 70s called “What is Music” that features an interview by Dr Joseph Najivari (sp), a physicist at Texas A&M University. He examined wood shavings from Stradivarius violins using an electron microscope and found significant differences in the spruce compared to modern spruce. He also analyzed the varnishes used. It would be worth a watch if it is still on RUclips.
Hello Mr. Russ , In 1732 Stradivarius made only six violins ? Listed in Wikipedia . I am curious regarding the ' Louis von Spencer ' . Was this the violin commissioned by Lady Diana Spencer paid for by her Grand mother Lady Sara Churchill / Duchess of Marlborough who was trying to marry her Grand Daughter to the new Prince of Wales Fredrick Louis von Hanover . Hence listed as 'Louis von Spencer ' . Was this violin commissioned by Lady Diana's dear friend G.F.Handel who traveled to Italy in Jan 1729 to buy instruments and hire singers for the Royal Academy of Music ? Did Handel use this instrument to compose ' Messiah ' ? There is a photo in Icon Stradivarius published 1972 , along with a photo of a label from that year ? I wonder what happened to this violin ? Any comments ? BTW your videos are getting a lot better .
There was a MS degree thesis published a few years ago (I don't remember the authors name or university). Her findings were that Strads' original varnish recipe was written into the first page of the family bible. On the death of his mother, one of the strad son's came into possession of the bible, ripped out the page, and then he started propagating the story of a "lost Stradivari secret" known only to him and his father. I think she references the diary of one of Strad's sons for this bible story IIRC.
people worship the legendary Steinways and with good reason. but when glenn goulds beloved Steinway was damaged and he was forced to switch to a brand new Yamaha concert grand, it's superiority to my ear was instantly obvious. Modern technology can be a juggernaut if you are open to it.
unlike a violin, a piano doesnt sound better with age..the million parts that deteriorate over time needs to be replaced..violin as it get used the top becomes more elastic and starts to vibrate freely, the varnish crackles and stretches which all add to the sound of an old instrument...but some modern instruments are already up there in tone, give it a couple of hundred years in the hands of musicians and they will hit any strad out of the park.
Hello Maestro! 😄 It would be interesting to hear your explanation of why the arching outside the F-holes differs from the other arching. If you do it; -Why?
Hi! Sorry master, I am not sure if I understood your question! You refer to the “negative arching” of the wings nearby the F holes? Furthermore you are curious to hear what I think why the great masters made this strong fluting in that area? Let me know! All the best from Cremona Edgar
@@EdgarRuss Hi again Edgar! What I meant was that when you make the top arching, the area outside the F-holes flows into the rest of the arching, but then, after cutting the holes, very often makers take a chisel and lower the area outside the hole to the edge of the plate. Sacconi explains that Strad did this but with no system or thought, controlling how much or what shape this should be executed. What is your method here? Best Peter
There are no secrets to a Strad. He was a great craftsman, ran a very prolific and profitable shop and was very organized and methodical in the evolution of his instruments.
Finding a great sounding violin is like finding a great sounding banjo. To me a violin sounds like being awakened at 5 AM to someone doing something to an alley cat. I heard a sound file of a great violin that was about 125 years old. Nothing. Just nothing there.
been working on a viola for a few years, slowly making progress. When I first started my teacher made it clear to me that there was no voodoo involved in instrument making which is the opposite of the impression I get from many luthiers and players.
ok i have a question i have already asked one luthier and got his answer so i will ask you and see what you have to say . now Stradivarius is said to be the best violin maker of all time the master of violin makers . how ever my question is do you think there is any room for improvement . now im not taking anything away from the masters how ever what is to say there way is the best way have you ever tried to make some different design of your own . not a copy of right down to the mm . the goal is to become better then the master the student becomes the master for a better quote . so again my question is do you feel there is any room for improvement .
yes, unfortunately nowadays they only make copies, they don't design the sound; I do it and when I proposed the innovation all the luthiers kicked me out
@@edoardolivolsi4759 well it reminds me of a old saying that gos why roost with the chickens when you can soar with the eagles . you know when Stradivarius went out on his own he had a hard time selling his violins . because he had to prove they were as good if not better then Amati . there is a very old German movie about his life . at least i think it was a German movie . but in the movie Amati told Antonio that when he had finally made his varnish that not only is it as good as the Amati varnish but it was better . i think that maybe you will never be a great master of luthiers if you worry about what others think . now beating Stradivari' is a hard quest for sure . but not impossible . im not a luthier but even if i was i would always be looking for that golden moment . the secret recipe the greatest thickness . the perfect curve . the geometry of the greatest sound . now you wont find it looking in only the past but in the present as well . we have better glues better tools better varnishes . even though oil based varnish is the way to go . but what im saying is even if you cant beat the great Stradivarius design and that would be very hard indeed hands down i dont think it could be done . does not mean you cant do better . you should strive to make the best of what ever you make as beautiful and you can imagine . cause other wise you are still the student copying the master . exp . sure so and so make nice violins but so and so's violins are with out the dought the most beautiful violins i have ever seen . and the sound of it sings like a 100 angels . there are no rules and i say if the other luthiers kicked you out they did you a favor as they were holding you back . be as great as you can be in this life cause you wont be remembered for being common .
Hello Edgar, I apologize for contacting you through this channel. I am planning to copy and paste this message onto a few of your videos because I understand that you are very busy. I hope you will take notice of my message and respond to my emails. I have sent you a few emails about my low-budget violin, and I am hoping to have it customized. I need your expert guidance and suggestions. I truly appreciate your work and I hope that your channel will soon have more subscribers. With less than 19k subscribers, you are an amazing luthier who deserves to have more subscribers. Thank you.
I don't know who is editing you videos, but man, it is so restless, every 3 seconds something happens in the edit. We audience do have a longer focus span, no need for crazy editing.
all chatter, you still haven't understood anything; at that time Stradivari and also other luthiers designed their own violins, not like you do now when everybody only make poorly copies of the instruments from that time
Knowing they have best instrument, often the violinsts are able to express their full potential.
There is an old Nova program from the late 70s called “What is Music” that features an interview by Dr Joseph Najivari (sp), a physicist at Texas A&M University. He examined wood shavings from Stradivarius violins using an electron microscope and found significant differences in the spruce compared to modern spruce. He also analyzed the varnishes used. It would be worth a watch if it is still on RUclips.
"Nagyvary", but yes.
The true secret is how people believe it time and time again.
Hello Mr. Russ , In 1732 Stradivarius made only six violins ? Listed in Wikipedia . I am curious regarding the ' Louis von Spencer ' . Was this the violin commissioned by Lady Diana Spencer paid for by her Grand mother Lady Sara Churchill / Duchess of Marlborough who was trying to marry her Grand Daughter to the new Prince of Wales Fredrick Louis von Hanover . Hence listed as 'Louis von Spencer ' . Was this violin commissioned by Lady Diana's dear friend G.F.Handel who traveled to Italy in Jan 1729 to buy instruments and hire singers for the Royal Academy of Music ? Did Handel use this instrument to compose ' Messiah ' ? There is a photo in Icon Stradivarius published 1972 , along with a photo of a label from that year ? I wonder what happened to this violin ? Any comments ? BTW your videos are getting a lot better .
There was a MS degree thesis published a few years ago (I don't remember the authors name or university). Her findings were that Strads' original varnish recipe was written into the first page of the family bible. On the death of his mother, one of the strad son's came into possession of the bible, ripped out the page, and then he started propagating the story of a "lost Stradivari secret" known only to him and his father. I think she references the diary of one of Strad's sons for this bible story IIRC.
Very interesting ❤
people worship the legendary Steinways and with good reason. but when glenn goulds beloved Steinway was damaged and he was forced to switch to a brand new Yamaha concert grand, it's superiority to my ear was instantly obvious. Modern technology can be a juggernaut if you are open to it.
unlike a violin, a piano doesnt sound better with age..the million parts that deteriorate over time needs to be replaced..violin as it get used the top becomes more elastic and starts to vibrate freely, the varnish crackles and stretches which all add to the sound of an old instrument...but some modern instruments are already up there in tone, give it a couple of hundred years in the hands of musicians and they will hit any strad out of the park.
Maybe strad just urinated on his violins after he finished them, when they dried up that's how the unique sound properties came to be..
That’s pretty disgusting.
@@nickiemcnichols5397urine was widely used in the past and if you don't have a UTI it is sterile!
Hello Maestro! 😄
It would be interesting to hear your explanation of why the arching outside the F-holes differs from the other arching. If you do it; -Why?
Hi! Sorry master, I am not sure if I understood your question! You refer to the “negative arching” of the wings nearby the F holes? Furthermore you are curious to hear what I think why the great masters made this strong fluting in that area?
Let me know!
All the best from Cremona
Edgar
@@EdgarRuss Hi again Edgar!
What I meant was that when you make the top arching, the area outside the F-holes flows into the rest of the arching, but then, after cutting the holes, very often makers take a chisel and lower the area outside the hole to the edge of the plate. Sacconi explains that Strad did this but with no system or thought, controlling how much or what shape this should be executed. What is your method here?
Best
Peter
There are no secrets to a Strad. He was a great craftsman, ran a very prolific and profitable shop and was very organized and methodical in the evolution of his instruments.
Finding a great sounding violin is like finding a great sounding banjo.
To me a violin sounds like being awakened at 5 AM to someone doing something to an alley cat.
I heard a sound file of a great violin that was about 125 years old. Nothing. Just nothing there.
Some paint their instruments inside with a Gummi Arabicum based varnish instead of Calciumcaseinate.
Thin layer of protein? So egg white?
The secret of stradivarius ,is verry simpel, hy protect the wood egainst wood worm ,natrium sulfaat ,wood chaning and. Sound
been working on a viola for a few years, slowly making progress. When I first started my teacher made it clear to me that there was no voodoo involved in instrument making which is the opposite of the impression I get from many luthiers and players.
ok i have a question i have already asked one luthier and got his answer so i will ask you and see what you have to say . now Stradivarius is said to be the best violin maker of all time the master of violin makers . how ever my question is do you think there is any room for improvement . now im not taking anything away from the masters how ever what is to say there way is the best way have you ever tried to make some different design of your own . not a copy of right down to the mm . the goal is to become better then the master the student becomes the master for a better quote . so again my question is do you feel there is any room for improvement .
yes, unfortunately nowadays they only make copies, they don't design the sound; I do it and when I proposed the innovation all the luthiers kicked me out
@@edoardolivolsi4759 well it reminds me of a old saying that gos why roost with the chickens when you can soar with the eagles . you know when Stradivarius went out on his own he had a hard time selling his violins . because he had to prove they were as good if not better then Amati . there is a very old German movie about his life . at least i think it was a German movie . but in the movie Amati told Antonio that when he had finally made his varnish that not only is it as good as the Amati varnish but it was better . i think that maybe you will never be a great master of luthiers if you worry about what others think . now beating Stradivari' is a hard quest for sure . but not impossible . im not a luthier but even if i was i would always be looking for that golden moment . the secret recipe the greatest thickness . the perfect curve . the geometry of the greatest sound . now you wont find it looking in only the past but in the present as well . we have better glues better tools better varnishes . even though oil based varnish is the way to go . but what im saying is even if you cant beat the great Stradivarius design and that would be very hard indeed hands down i dont think it could be done . does not mean you cant do better . you should strive to make the best of what ever you make as beautiful and you can imagine . cause other wise you are still the student copying the master . exp . sure so and so make nice violins but so and so's violins are with out the dought the most beautiful violins i have ever seen . and the sound of it sings like a 100 angels . there are no rules and i say if the other luthiers kicked you out they did you a favor as they were holding you back . be as great as you can be in this life cause you wont be remembered for being common .
Hello Edgar, I apologize for contacting you through this channel. I am planning to copy and paste this message onto a few of your videos because I understand that you are very busy. I hope you will take notice of my message and respond to my emails. I have sent you a few emails about my low-budget violin, and I am hoping to have it customized. I need your expert guidance and suggestions. I truly appreciate your work and I hope that your channel will soon have more subscribers. With less than 19k subscribers, you are an amazing luthier who deserves to have more subscribers. Thank you.
I don't know who is editing you videos, but man, it is so restless, every 3 seconds something happens in the edit. We audience do have a longer focus span, no need for crazy editing.
all chatter, you still haven't understood anything; at that time Stradivari and also other luthiers designed their own violins, not like you do now when everybody only make poorly copies of the instruments from that time