Sorry, I just can't resist. This is kinda long, and might be considered off topic by some. You been warned. It is risky to assign too much significance to the issue of high crown in violins as it may pertain to the piano. It has already been observed that the violin top or belly is carved, and bears only four strings. The body of the fiddle is nearly closed as well. Tonal characteristics change with the volume, and shape of the enclosed area. Pianos and violins are so dissimilar in so many ways, it is hard to make comparisons. The higher archings of the belly on the tyrolian violins of Stainer, Thir, and others, gave a characteristic sound to the violin. Some describe these instruments as having a sweet, reedy tone, and, while lacking in room-fillng power, they were ideal for the intimate chamber music popular at the time. If memory serves, Stradivari apprenticed under Stainer for a time. In any event, the old master's influence is evident in the very high archings of the early Strads. The flat belly pioneered by Stradivari near the end of his very long life gave power, brilliance and fullness to the sound, unprecedented in earlier violins. This characteristic lent itself well to the virtuosic displays of the great violinists like Corelli, Tartini, and Geminiani in the new concerto form as it was developing in Italy. That the tyrolian style violin fell out of favor is undeniably true, but not, I submit because the archings caused lousy sound, or somehow contributed to tonal decay. Those old violins still sound pretty darn good. I have an 18th century German fiddle with high archings that sounds like a million bucks. It may be argued that they were simply ill suited to the rising popularity of all things Italian, including violins, and the concertos written for them. Stradivari's instruments were highly prized in his lifetime, and he was quite the celebrity. His last opus was made when he was in his 90's. They didn't get good many years after they were made. They were good from the beginning. Conversely, a poor fiddle will always be a poor fiddle, not matter how old it is. The lingering myth that "the older the violin the sweeter the music" is just that: myth. High archings, low archings, flat belly, or round. It makes them different. that's all. Beyond the first few years of playing, ther is no evidence that they get better with age. They do, however, get older. Just like me, and I suspect, you all. We only think we're improving. JMHO, Steve Pearson >>> Don <drose@dlcwest.com> 11/09 5:36 PM >>> Hi Stephen, At one time Stainer violins were much more highly prized than the Italian ones. They have not stood the test of time nearly so well as the flatter bellied Italian instruments--one wonders if there is a lesson to be had there. At 07:31 PM 11/9/98 -0500, you wrote: > >On old violins: For various reasons it is only the Italian masters that >are grossly over-inflated prices. Many old violins of (arguably) equal >quality, such as the Tyrolian Stainer, can still be had at very affordable >prices. > >Stephen > Regards, Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T. "Tuner for the Centre of the Arts" drose@dlcwest.com http://www.dlcwest.com/~drose/ 3004 Grant Rd. REGINA, SK S4S 5G7 306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner
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