Strads and other good fiddles

[Tim Coates]

Hi Ric,

You had asked me who tuned the harpsichord for the concert.  I didn't.
Dr. Larry Schou (Head of the Music Dept) tuned it.  He is a superb
organist and harpsichordist.  Our department is very active with the
Shrine to Music.  They travel a lot with early keyboards doing concerts.
Needless to say they have learned to tune the instruments themselves.
It's kind of like for any instrument but a modern piano:  you play it -
you tune it.

I will tune the 1789 Germaine harpsichord every once in a while and the
only modern piano the Shrine owns (cheap Wurlitzer cheese box).  I am
proud the people who are playing these instruments have taken the time to
tune them.

This particular concert I understand had about 1500 people in
attendance.  People came from as far away as LA to hear this one.  Heck,
you came from the corner of 358th ave. and 266th street near Kimball, SD.

Tim Coates
Wapin Co., LLP

Richard Moody wrote:

> Had the pleasure of hearing four 18th century violins at a concert at
> Univ of South Dakota.
>     In the second half of the program Eugene Fodor played all four in
> the Vivaldi's Four Seasons, "the youngest first" in "Spring" to the
> oldest played in "Winter".     Interesting concept and comparison. The
> two Strads were the Harrison (1693) from the Shrine to Music Museum on
> the USD campus, and the Jackson (1714) on loan to the show.    The two
> other violins were, quoting from the program notes, "The 'Fodor' by
> Guiseppe Guarneri del Gesu (1740), and the 'Sloan' by del Gesu
> (1742)."  Fodor referred to them as "deljesu" (he said it real fast)
> and described them in words similar to "something to die for".
>      The Strads had a darker more mellow tone, I thought rich, while
> the Del Gesu seemed "brighter"  but still toward rich.  I thought each
> (name) had its own character.   However both sounded "bright" in the
> upper resigers.  I wonder If I could pick them out in a blind
> listening?   I think so.
>     The Sloan was perfect for "Spring", the Fodor great for "Summer",
> the Jackson fitted "Autumn" and the Harrison put a mellow warmth of
> the fireside to "Winter".
>     Not being a violinist I wondered what players or violin
> technicians would have said.
> Someone said the program was recorded but no details were given.
> ---==ric
>
> From: Don <pianotuna@accesscomm.ca>
> To: <caut@ptg.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 5:34 PM
> Subject: Re: tapping pins (wapin)
>
> | Hi Richard,
> |
> | I've been fortunate enough to play 5 Strads and one Guarnarius. The
> Strads
> | were all "ok" but nothing fabulous. The Guarnarius on the other hand
> was
> | one of those instruments "to die for". On that *very* limited and
> subject
> | basis I can say that my own fiddle "out played" the 5 Strads, and
> was NOT
> | even in the same building (maybe on even on the same planet) as the
> | Guarnarius.
> |
> | I do believe that choice of instrument is a totally subjective
> phenonima.
> |
> | My single point was that just because an instrument has a "name" it
> does
> | NOT mean it is good.
> |
> | Regards,
> | Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T.
> |
> | mailto:pianotuna@accesscomm.ca
> | http://us.geocities.com/drpt1948/
> |
> | 3004 Grant Rd.
> | REGINA, SK
> | S4S 5G7
> | 306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner