The Mystery of the Stradivarius _ part 1

[@WadeKing-dm2hw]

What is surprising is a violin maker can make many violins in the what is basically the same way, and one violin will be the most beautiful, unique sounding violin he has ever made. They all seem to have their own unique sound.

[@CelloCoach]

I've played a Guaneri cello was still not impressed. It certainly doesn't mean the feeling of playing a 300-year-old instrument is not by any means, awesome. Because majority of the world will never get the chance hold and hear up close and play these wonderful instruments, most people well simply opine on subjective conjecture based on superficial interests and not actual, in person evidence. I have held in my hands a Stradivarius and a del Gesú, $20 million worth of violin, at the same time. As a cellist, I certainly could not play them but the violinists around me were eager give each of these wonderful fiddles a go. To see them queue up to get a taste of the del Gesú (which was deemed it much more worthy of their colpohane then the Strad), just to become immediately lost in the music of whatever song they chose to play, was quite the experience. So I sat there holding the Strad and studying it, all $9 million worth of it (insured price), as the violinists waited eagerly for their turn on the del Gesú, and yes it was wonderful to hold a piece of history. The Strad felt delicate and light, with a smell and dryness you find to old wood. To me, that Stradivarius was simply a very old piece of wood, akin to something you find in a museum. Still, it was magical to see the way each violinist became so enrapt in their music as their bows played those wonderful instruments.

[@oakvue45]

Strads were carved not sanded...huge difference in resonating reflecive surface...

[@feax]

+Bull Cedar Carved creates more waves. Sanded is smooth transition from one thickness to another.

[@oakvue45]

You obviously never became a master carver.....the transition you are referring to is much finer than even sanding down to 1500 grit...

[@feax]

I am not a carver at the moment. I like it and have tried but I don't have the skill yet to do fine carving. I was playing the violin and I am an engineer. I would like to build a violin in the future, maybe with a slight different design than the classical forms. I recognized that you said something interesting that's why I replied to your comment. I just wondering if a silk smooth surface is better than a slighty rougher one.

[@oakvue45]

If you have even whittled a stick, you may have noticed the smooth surface that's produced....And my grandfather, who taught me, said the sound reflected better....Everything about a violin is important to getting that great sound....placement of sound-post....finger board perfect....no glue gaps....strings...bridge shape....etc. If you were to build a Chev 327 from scratch, what would you change? And I'll throw some cold water on your dream of building a great violin...If you have not done it yet...You never will...And my grandfather was Roy E. Durham who lived in Portland OR and did his best work in the '30's....He is in the book of luthiers.

[@feax]

I don't have big expectations. At the moment I am a novice and just studying the violin making art. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me.

[@annabatarowicz]

japenese subtitles that is the first time ive seen that. it shows how popular the violin is in japan and china

[@AndromedaAiken]

Those are Chinese words, not Japanese.

[@annabatarowicz]

AndromedaAiken thanks very much for correcting me take care

[@AndromedaAiken]

You too! :) They used traditional chinese characters if you wanted more detail.

[@niko790321]

may someone explain to me what is the different of stradivarius compared to any other violins? I am a no expert of violins and really want to know what makes stradivarius so unique, is that from its sound or something else?

[@niko790321]

***** thank you for your kind explanation. To me, the sound just like any other violins LOL. Maybe because I am not a violist.

[@TheThreatenedSwan]

Nothing really, they don't hold up to their reputation under scientific studies of their sound. Stradivarius is like brand, it's been hyped up and people believe what they want to believe

[@pheart2381]

niko790321 they do sound a certain way,its like a particular vocal tone,but that tone is not exclusive to strads.

[@MartyMartin87]

Das Geheimnis ist der Schimmel am Holz sonst nichts. Eine neue klingt mindestens genauso gut, wenn nicht sogar besser... Der Sammlerwert ist interessant, für den ein oder anderen ist es eine Geldanlage.

[@sherom]

Exaggerated !!!!...Go listen to Ruggiero Ricci's Glory Of Cremona cd. Ricci plays 15 tunes using different Stads & Guarneri violins, these violins all sound the same. The thing that is noticeable, is Ricci's distinct tone comes through on every violin.

[@jamesmay5365]

Slightly chared woods, honey in the finish, and age ,the older the violin..... . They have played , heard,an learned more music an had more practice than all the others violins

[@fododude]

Ahhhhhh, the old, "found it in the attic," story.

[@pheart2381]

fododude i bought mine in a junk shop for £50......unfortunately its not a strad!

[@annabatarowicz]

yeah I think that's true mastery has much more beauty than mystery

[@cookingprof]

A Stradivarius violin STILL needs a good bow & an artist that is capable to get the best sound from so fine an instrument. Give a hack the finest tools & the performance will be that of a hack. Put the finest tools in the hand of a master & it will be a moment of exultant rapture.

[@JgHaverty]

why would you revarnish a stradivari.... ughhhh

[@lesterclaypool1]

the insect lacquer is part of its sound , to revarnish it is sinful and likely makes it worthless

[@MartyMartin87]

Die Alte labert einen Scheiss, dass mir die Ohren wackeln...' Ich war soooo gerührt....' schleim schleim :D

[@Alexander-iq5yq]

How about it all being in their heads? Theyre great because they say they are. Simple...The same goes with anything ridiculously inflated in price.

[@Fitzliputzli23]

No. Just because you and I don't hear the difference does not mean that there is no difference. Our ears are just ruined by every day's musical trash. When asked to pick the best sounding violin out of a group of 10 just by blind-testing each of them for only a couple of minutes top violinists pick the Stradivarius with 100% accuracy.

[@galning]

Well it is all in their heads, as with all other music instruments. But think about it. The Davidov Stradivarius that Yo-Yo Ma plays on, was build in 1712. Mozart wrote his first Symphony in 1764, 52 years later than the making of the violin, and maybe the harmony of that time must have had some influence on the making of the music. The reason why they are so good, might just be because some music were build for them. I am just fascinated by the fact that an item like that have has such an amazing longevity. To be honest, the price is just right :)

[@labdrive]

References please? I suspect this is either a lie, a myth, or a grossly inadequate test methodology.

[@paridox4ever]

actually they sound pretty balanced and bright i prefer del gesu violins they come unbalanced and really loud

[@labdrive]

How exactly the power of suggestion is working is indeed a mystery. It can nonetheless be studied in the case of musical instruments (e.g. the Paris Experiment) just as for placebo in pharmacology and countless other cases. But of course you need some good scientific knowledge to plan the experiments, and.... perhaps a little less of the cheap third-grade horror movie drama you like to wrap your "documentary" videos into. Try again.

[@labdrive]

I do not care about wine bottles, and never referred to Paris tasting. Glass bottles make very poor violins.

[@TheThreatenedSwan]

Too bad they don't actually sound any better than today's top-of-the-line violins. In blind playing tests violinists couldn't tell the difference in sound quality. Their ridiculous price and popularity are more of a reflection of elitism and materialism

[@kgpisaro]

+chasem007ify - Yes, and that's why the world's best violinists don't care if they play a Strad or not. I think you will excuse me if I will take the opinions of the world's best violinists as to the value of a Strad. They seem to feel strongly about them, and I don't think they are materialistic - their career wouldn't survive if they only cared about the monetary value of the violin.

[@TheThreatenedSwan]

+kgpisaro That's like saying people like duchamp don't care about the artist being painted in such a glorified light because they say things against it and make art that is satirical, but once they get popular they have no problem getting a ton of money and being paid exorbitant amounts for their art

[@TheThreatenedSwan]

+kgpisaro Stradivarius is like a large brand, everyone knows it's name and there is an undeniable social prestige to it, so despite the fact that it doesn't sound any better than other top of the line violins (and what argument can you really have against the extensive tests) violinists will continue to covet them and value more for them

[@imateapot51]

+kgpisaro I have seen other videos about the strategic asymmetrical plate thickness and I wonder if this belief is widespread in the violin making industry. I am a piano player so what would I know, but it was proven with magnets by scientist. In one of those blind tests which I only hear on youtube I really liked a non strad. I have no idea how good the strads were used in the test because many violinist say not all strads are that good.

[@hifijohn]

name recognition is very powerful,and many brands depend entire on it. every time some very high end brand (chocolate, coffee,wine, etc) goes up against a mainstream cheaper version, the high end versions never does very well.and as far as that great german engineering,the amount of money you spent repairing your BMW or mercedes you could have bought a good used Honda or Hyundai.and I dont want to break the hearts of those BOSE lovers but you just paid $500 for a $80 clock radio with a cd player in it.

[@muhammadsteinberg]

Pure myth and grossly overrated. They're precious to me only because they're old, rare and have survived centuries. The better sound thing is pure BS! I've had professional violinists play my $2k violins and I had to hold back the tears. Sound comes from the fingers.

[@HelmetVanga]

the drier the wood, the resonance is better.. A luthier told me, the wood does matter

[@muhammadsteinberg]

@@HelmetVanga I agree with that. I also believe an instrument loosens up when played frequently. I just don't attribute those characteristics exclusively to centuries old instruments. No more violins will be made by any of the centuries ago Cremona luthiers. For some strange reason people put mystery, mystical and mythical attributes to things that can't be obtained anymore. Major case of the "Placebo Effect".