tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2880974301962622482024-03-18T23:28:34.851-05:00The Violin ShopMusings from the workbench of violin maker Andy Fein on makers, instruments, bows, musicians, and the joys of a life in the world of stringed instruments.
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Cameo appearances by the musicians on staff at Fein Violins.The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.comBlogger284125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-30738255214690893562024-02-04T17:40:00.004-06:002024-02-04T18:09:57.009-06:00Rent or Buy? Good, Better & Best Violins, Violas & Cellos<p>By Andy Fein, Luthier at Fein Violins</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1zIZ_sIxw8b3ljy8M4rgDQH1B4CsW6ZD5rnp6HnA58wIs63LX1juc60sxeaZu3K5yiamiUy3gClkAfDHNXd-ih8vZgQWAAY05-kTR9fsH7vCHI8RDBSx1-CU7YOOmFGVQSFuT_QhZuLskV5cXcR92-aTu4dycQpG14QV22dJnoXgTAOqFLkWkfIHNKM/s1791/405B9ECD-8D5D-4DB6-A087-04445DB4240D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1791" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1zIZ_sIxw8b3ljy8M4rgDQH1B4CsW6ZD5rnp6HnA58wIs63LX1juc60sxeaZu3K5yiamiUy3gClkAfDHNXd-ih8vZgQWAAY05-kTR9fsH7vCHI8RDBSx1-CU7YOOmFGVQSFuT_QhZuLskV5cXcR92-aTu4dycQpG14QV22dJnoXgTAOqFLkWkfIHNKM/s320/405B9ECD-8D5D-4DB6-A087-04445DB4240D.jpeg" width="257"></a></div><br><p>Parents of budding musicians always seem to get to a certain point- "My kid needs a better instrument, but I'm not sure they're going to stick with it". Or, "Their teacher says they need an instrument in the $ 3,000 to $ 20,000 range (or more!). Yikes! My blood pressure just spiked!" </p><p>Cool down, we have a solution for you! You can rent better-quality instruments from us! All the way up to more than $100,000. Rent one for months or years, or just for a big recital or audition. These instruments are available in full size (4/4) and 7/8 size. </p><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2024/02/rent-or-buy-stage-2-and-beyond-good.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-91026667507436285532023-10-15T16:34:00.005-05:002024-02-04T16:32:36.359-06:00Women Composers- Alive & Composing. Give Them a Listen! <p>By Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="http://FineViolins.com">Fein Violins</a>; and El Show & Jennifer Lee</p><div><br /></div><div>Today, right now, this time in history is (in our humble opinion) the best time ever to be a female composer. Given all the ways to get your music heard- live performance, social media, games, movies, and streaming, a composer has infinitely more venues to share their creativity compared to composers even fifty years ago. </div><div>Here are some women composers we think you should listen to. If you like them, share them with your friends!</div><div><br /></div><div> <span> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet; font-size: medium;"><b>Hildur Guðnadóttir </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Hildur Guðnadóttir" class="c-lazy-image__img lrv-u-background-color-grey-lightest lrv-u-width-100p lrv-u-display-block lrv-u-height-auto" decoding="async" height="417" sizes="(min-width: 87.5rem) 1000px, (min-width: 78.75rem) 681px, (min-width: 48rem) 450px, (max-width: 48rem) 100vw" src="https://www.billboard.com/wp-content/uploads/media/Hildur-Gudnadottir-bb27-2019-billboard-1548.jpg?w=942&h=623&crop=1" srcset="https://www.billboard.com/wp-content/uploads/media/Hildur-Gudnadottir-bb27-2019-billboard-1548.jpg?w=942&h=623&crop=1 1548w, https://www.billboard.com/wp-content/uploads/media/Hildur-Gudnadottir-bb27-2019-billboard-1548.jpg?w=942&h=623&crop=1&resize=300%2C198 300w, https://www.billboard.com/wp-content/uploads/media/Hildur-Gudnadottir-bb27-2019-billboard-1548.jpg?w=942&h=623&crop=1&resize=942%2C623 942w" width="631" /></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Hildur Guðnadóttir photographed by Timothée Lambrecq via billboard.com</div></span><div><br /></div><div>Let's start with someone you may've heard the music of, even if you aren't constantly listening to the classical radio: Hildur Guðnadóttir. Composer of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8M8YJqikqY">the score</a> to Todd Phillips' <i>Joker</i> (2019), her work for the movie won her the Oscar for Best Score (1). She is one of three women to have won the award by themselves (1). Being a cello player herself, the score began to be composed by Guðnadóttir playing around on her <span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><b>halldorophone</b></span>: an acoustic-electric cello, which lends itself well to "droning feedback" (2). </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="242" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4jbgUCC2nnw" width="290" youtube-src-id="4jbgUCC2nnw"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(15, 15, 15); color: #0f0f0f; font-family: trebuchet; font-size: x-small;"><b>Excerpt from "Composition for Halldorophone #5"</b></span></div><div><br /></div>Born in Reykjavík, Iceland in 1982, Guðnadóttir played cello from a young age and joined the Reykjavík Music Academy. She studied composition and new media at Iceland Academy of the Arts and Berlin University of the Arts, and is now currently based in Berlin (3).<br /><div> <br /><div>Alongside winning an Oscar for her film score, she won an Emmy for her score for the 2019 min-series on HBO, <i>Chernobyl</i> (3). As well as composing for theatre and dance, she has also released solo albums -- four in fact! She has her own <a href="https://www.hildurness.com/music">website</a> for more information and direct links to a lot of her music. </div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Valerie Coleman</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><img height="332" src="https://www.msmnyc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Picture1.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; display: block; margin: auto; user-select: none;" width="332" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Valerie Coleman via The Manhattan School of Music</span></div><br />Our next composer has many accomplishments, including making history as a Black woman in the performing arts and founding a quartet highlighted in the Smithsonian Museum. <br /><br />Valerie Coleman is both a flautist and composer, and she was the first living Black woman composer to have a piece performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra (4). The piece played was her orchestral arrangement of her own work titled <i>Umoja</i>, which the orchestra played at Carnegie Hall (4). <div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85);"><br /></span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/46IWYnicc1c" width="415" youtube-src-id="46IWYnicc1c"></iframe></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Minnesota Orchestra: Valerie Coleman—Umoja, Anthem of Unity for Orchestra</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></div></b></div><div><br /></div>In 1997, Coleman founded a wind quartet based in New York City called <a href="https://imaniwinds.com/">Imani Winds</a>. The quartet has a "permanent presence in the classical music section of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC" (5).</div><div><br /></div><div>Another interesting piece of hers is called "Shotgun Houses for Clarinet and Strings" (6). Coleman was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and the neighborhood she grew up in was also home to Muhammad Ali. "Shotgun Houses" chronicles his life, told through three movements (7). Anthony McGill, principal clarinetist for the New York Philharmonic, describes the work as "At times, we’re in a ring with Muhammad Ali, fighting and going through each ring and all the batting that goes back and forth, the strategy, the percussive rhythms" (6). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Valereie Coleman will be an artistic partner with the St.Paul Chamber Orchestra during the 2024-25 season. We're looking forward to the collaboration!</div><div><br /></div><div>Currently, Coleman also works at the <a href="https://www.msmnyc.edu/faculty/valerie-coleman/">Manhattan School of Music</a> in many fields, including Composition and Orchestral Performance. For more information on Coleman and her projects, check out her <a href="https://www.vcolemanmusic.com/">website</a>!</div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-size: medium;"><b>Gabriela Lena Frank</b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85);"><img alt="Composer Gabriela Lena Frank finds working on her farm can inspire her creative impulse to write music." class="image" decoding="async" height="392" loading="lazy" sizes="100vw" src="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ff57b7d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3136x3920+0+0/resize/1200x1500!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2Fdc%2F10cca1f04c5980c334c725ebb19a%2Fgabriela-lena-frank-and-chicken.jpg" srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/48204c5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3136x3920+0+0/resize/320x400!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2Fdc%2F10cca1f04c5980c334c725ebb19a%2Fgabriela-lena-frank-and-chicken.jpg 320w, https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b343bcf/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3136x3920+0+0/resize/568x710!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2Fdc%2F10cca1f04c5980c334c725ebb19a%2Fgabriela-lena-frank-and-chicken.jpg 568w, https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e141856/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3136x3920+0+0/resize/768x960!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2Fdc%2F10cca1f04c5980c334c725ebb19a%2Fgabriela-lena-frank-and-chicken.jpg 768w, https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9a42a2b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3136x3920+0+0/resize/1024x1280!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2Fdc%2F10cca1f04c5980c334c725ebb19a%2Fgabriela-lena-frank-and-chicken.jpg 1024w, https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ff57b7d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3136x3920+0+0/resize/1200x1500!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F66%2Fdc%2F10cca1f04c5980c334c725ebb19a%2Fgabriela-lena-frank-and-chicken.jpg 1200w" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" width="314" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lena Frank by Carlos Chavarria via The New York Times</span></div></div><div><br /><div>Gabriela Lena Frank is a woman of many facets (Peruvian of Chinese descent on her mother's side, Lithuanian Jewish on her father's) and <span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: trebuchet;">she brings all aspects of her identity to her music. She is hearing impaired and has worn hearing aids since age 5, and is also blind in one eye (9). But this obviously wasn't going to stop her from making music, and Lena Frank composes all of her music in her head rather than at an instrument (9). Impressive!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85);"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Her mother is Peruvian, and she likes to draw on this part of her heritage in her music (11). S</span></span>he has traveled widely in South America, and her work combines the "poetry, mythology, and native musical styles into a western classical framework that is uniquely her own" (12).<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">I</span></span>n 2009, Lena Frank won the Latin Grammy for best Contemporary Classical Music Composition for her work "Inca Dances" (10, 12). Also in 2009, she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for Music Composition (10).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EgcxLlhQl80" width="320" youtube-src-id="EgcxLlhQl80"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Inca Dances: Danza Del Mallqui-rey</b></span></div><div><br /></div>Another inspiration for Lena Frank is Bartók. She's inspired by his appreciation for folk melodies, and says, "It’s like a call to arms, this goal of using simple means to convey something that is authentic from the people" (9).<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: trebuchet;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85);">Lena Frank founded the </span></span><a href="https://www.glfcam.com/">Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music</a> <span style="caret-color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: trebuchet;">in 2017, which is a non-profit "training institute" for future composers. </span></div></div><div>Currently, she is the composer-in-residence for the Detroit Orchestra, and has been since 2013-2014 (13).</div><div><br /></div><div>Lena Frank is also an Artistic Partner with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra this 2023-2024 season!</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Arlene Sierra</b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Arlene Sierra" class="wp-image-13850 entered lazyloaded" data-lazy-sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" data-lazy-src="https://usuo.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Arlene-Sierra-1.png" data-lazy-srcset="https://usuo.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Arlene-Sierra-1.png 590w, https://usuo.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Arlene-Sierra-1-300x229.png 300w" data-ll-status="loaded" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" height="331" sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" src="https://usuo.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Arlene-Sierra-1.png" srcset="https://usuo.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Arlene-Sierra-1.png 590w, https://usuo.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/Arlene-Sierra-1-300x229.png 300w" style="text-align: start;" width="434" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Arlene Sierra is an American composer currently based in London (14). She studied at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, where she got her B.Mus in Electronic Music as well as a B.A. in East Asian Studies (17). Some of her notable works are Butterfly House and Bird Symphony (14). In 2014 she was nominated for a Latin GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for her "orchestral showpiece" <i>Moler</i> (15).</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Sierra enjoys drawing on themes of the natural world for her compositions, and her most recent large orchestral work is called <i>Bird Symphony</i> (16). Each movement involves direct quotations of birdsong; in movement I (<i>Warblers</i>), Sierra uses transcribed songs from birds in the warbler family (16). In movement II, a field recording of the Hermit Thrush is included (16). The piece was commissioned by the Utah Symphony Orchestra, and premiered in 2022 (16). </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A3LcFThx21w" width="320" youtube-src-id="A3LcFThx21w"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Arlene Sierra on the World Premiere of "Bird Symphony"</b></span></div><div><ul>Other inspirations for Sierra are "military strategy, game theory, Darwinian evolution, and the natural world" (17). Her <a href="https://www.arlenesierra.com/biography/biography.html">website</a> has more information about her and her music. </ul><ul>Sierra currently works as a professor of Music Composition at Cardiff University (15).</ul></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Errollyn Wallen</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img height="363" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/static.musicsalesclassical.com/images/composer/newsite/img-6340-20062023-5329406.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; display: block; margin: auto;" width="273" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Wallen photographed by Hugo Glendinning</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>Errollyn Wallen is a Belize-born British composer (19). She won the British Composers Award, and in 2013 was the first woman to receive the Ivor Novello Award for Classical Music (18). She grew up playing piano and doing ballet, and left her education in Dance at the Dance Theater of Harlem, New York to study Composition in London (20). She is currently a professor of Composition at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance (20).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Wallen takes an eclectic and "free spirited" approach to her music composition, and actually lives and composes in a lighthouse in Scotland (20, 19). In 1990 she founded Ensemble X, who follow the motto “we don’t break down barriers in music…we don’t see any” (19). Here is a performance by Ensemble X of one of Wallen's works, with her own commentary on top:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i7uqK3qj_Ro" width="320" youtube-src-id="i7uqK3qj_Ro"></iframe></div><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mighty River by Errollyn Wallen | New Music Biennial 2017 | Oxford Contemporary Music OCM</span></b></div></span></b><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>Wallen composes a lot of operas and choral works, which her background as a singer and pianist lends her well to (18, 19). She also has a prolific collection of chamber pieces, and in 2010, her piano quintet named 'Music for Tigers' was performed in New York at the Museum of Modern Art (21). </div><div><br /></div><div>For a full list of her works and accomplishments, visit her <a href="https://www.errollynwallen.com/">website</a>!</div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Rae Howell</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img height="385" src="https://www.navonarecords.com/nv/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Rae-Howell.jpg" style="-webkit-user-select: none; display: block; margin: auto;" width="385" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>Another composer who likes to integrate the natural world into her works is Rae Howell. From Australia, she studied at Melbourne University, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, and then New York University Steinhardt (22). She is the founder and director of Sunwrae, a "music performance and production enterprise" (24).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Howell describes her music as "A colourful patchwork of music, multimedia projects and piano-art (for the love of our environment and sustainability), and the lost art of piano tuning & maintenance (to quell my lifelong search for the perfect piano)" (23). She gets her inspiration for this patchwork of composition from "patterns in nature, highlighting poignant environmental concerns that emerge from the buzz of a bee, the call of a bird, or the hammer of a piano" (24).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">One of her most recent works, <i>Bee-Sharp Honeybee</i>, exemplifies both her inspirations of nature and her patchwork style. Described as both a "large scale research project" as well as a modern multi media performance, the piece includes a live orchestral performance, animated visuals, and the audio of a live beehive (22, 25). Here's a clip from Howell's YouTube of an animation and audio from <i>Bee-Sharp</i>:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q2k_Yb6CDJU" width="320" youtube-src-id="Q2k_Yb6CDJU"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">'up close & personal' ~ Bee-Sharp Honeybee</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Visit her <a href="https://www.raehowell.me/about">website</a> to learn more about her completed and future projects.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Chaya Czernowin</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Headshot of Chaya Czernowin" height="332" src="https://radcliffe-harvard-edu.imgix.net/radcliffe_prod/801852d5-f517-49dc-a0b0-f2638a53dbb9/Czernowin-Chaya_3206_radcliffe-TR.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=min&fm=jpg&q=80&rect=10%2C267%2C2531%2C2534" style="font-weight: 400; text-align: start;" width="331" /></div></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Czernowin photographed by Tony Rinaldo</div></span></div><div><br /></div>Born in Israel, Chaya Czernowin left at the age of 25 to study in Germany and the US, and she earned her PhD in Music Composition from UC San Diego (26, 27). She is currently the Walter Bigelow Rosen Professor of Music at <a href="https://music.fas.harvard.edu/people/faculty/chaya-czernowin/">Harvard</a>, and has been since 2009 (26). She spent time composing in Japan in 1993-95 and Germany in 1996, and these years helped her to really develop her style and voice as a composer (29). In 2011, Czernowin won a Guggenheim Fellowship, and in 2016 she won the the 2016 Heidelberger Künstlerinnenpreis (27). These are just a few of her many awards.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Czernowin's work is characterized by "working with metaphor as a means of reaching and analyzing a sound world that is unfamiliar; the use of noise and physical parameters as weight, textural surface; an inquiry of the handling of time; and shifting of scale; and perspective" (26). She has two large theatre works, including <i>Adama</i>, which was commissioned by the Salzburg Festival for Mozart's 250th birthday (28). The opera responds to Mozart's own <i>Zaïde</i>, and it "deals with the impact that a political situation has on the individual and the limited freedom one has when trying to escape this impact" (28). Here is a filmed set of interviews about her opera from the 2006 Salzburg Festival:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pEqF3mg5SJs" width="320" youtube-src-id="pEqF3mg5SJs"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mozart / Czernowin - Zaide - Adama - interviews - (Salzburg Festival 2006)</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Explore her <a href="http://chayaczernowin.com/">website</a> to learn about her interesting pieces and accomplishments. </div><div><br /></div><div>Women composers have been overlooked in the classical canon. These living women composers stand on the shoulders of many women that came before them When you hear about a woman composer, living or historical, Give Them A Listen! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Sources:</div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.thestrad.com/news/cellist-composer-hildur-guðnadottir-wins-best-score-oscar/10196.article">Cellist–composer Hildur Guðnadóttir wins Best Score Oscar -- The Strad</a></li><li><a href="https://musebycl.io/music-film/inside-hildur-gudnadottirs-haunting-score-todd-phillips-joker">Inside Hildur Guðnadóttir's Haunting Score for Todd Phillips' Joker -- Muse by Clio</a></li><li><a href="https://www.classicfm.com/composers/gudnadottir/">Hildur Guðnadóttir -- ClassicalFM</a> </li><li><a href="https://content.thespco.org/people/valerie-coleman/?_gl=1*z59114*_ga*Nzc3NTAwMzczLjE2OTQ2MjAzNjI.*_ga_M9G3NJRP1C*MTY5NDYyMDM2Mi4xLjEuMTY5NDYyMTI2NC44LjAuMA">Valerie Coleman -- St Paul Chamber Orchestra</a></li><li><a href="https://imaniwinds.com/">Imani Winds</a></li><li><a href="https://theclassicalstation.org/news/the-classical-stations-interview-with-anthony-mcgill-for-preview/">The Classical Station’s interview with Anthony McGill for Preview! -- The Classical Station</a></li><li><a href="https://www.thestrad.com/playing-hub/american-stories-chronicled-a-contemporary-recording-for-a-contemporary-time/16107.article">‘American Stories’ Chronicled: A Contemporary Recording for a Contemporary Time -- The Strad</a></li><li><a href="https://content.thespco.org/people/gabriela-lena-frank/?_gl=1*1yfw115*_ga*Nzc3NTAwMzczLjE2OTQ2MjAzNjI.*_ga_M9G3NJRP1C*MTY5NDYyMDM2Mi4xLjEuMTY5NDYyMTE3Ni4yNy4wLjA">Gabriela Lena Frank -- St Paul Chamber Orchestra</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/music/story/2021-07-25/gabriela-lena-frank-is-a-borders-leaping-composer-and-pianist-im-a-woman-of-color-who-is-partially-deaf">Borders-leaping composer Gabriela Lena Frank champions change: ‘I’m a woman of color who is partially deaf’ -- San Diego Tribune</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gf.org/fellows/gabriela-lena-frank/">Gabriela Lena Frank -- Guggenheim Memorial Foundation</a></li><li><a href="https://www.pcmsconcerts.org/composer/gabriela-lena-frank/">Gabriela Lena Frank -- Philadelphia Chamber Music Society</a></li><li><a href="https://www.aso.org/composer/detail/gabriela-lena-frank">Gabriela Lena Frank -- Atlanta Symphony Orchestra</a></li><li><a href="https://www.dso.org/watch-listen-and-connect/latest-news/meet-the-composer">MEET THE COMPOSER: Gabriela Lena Frank -- Detroit Symphony Orchestra</a></li><li><a href="https://www.arlenesierra.com/biography/biography.html">Arlene Sierra Composer</a> </li><li><a href="https://profiles.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/sierraae">Professor Arlene Sierra -- Cardiff University</a></li><li><a href="https://utahsymphony.org/explore/2022/04/arlene-sierra-bird-symphony-world-premiere-utah-symphony-commission/">ARLENE SIERRA: BIRD SYMPHONY -- Utah Symphony Orchestra</a></li><li><a href="https://meettheartist.online/2018/11/12/arlene-sierra-composer/">ARLENE SIERRA, COMPOSER -- Meet The Artist Online</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.wisemusicclassical.com/composer/6340/Errollyn-Wallen/">Errollyn Wallen -- Wise Music Classical</a></li><li><a href="https://www.errollynwallen.com/">errollyn wallen</a></li><li><a href="https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/study/teaching-staff/errollyn-wallen-cbe/">Errollyn Wallen -- Trinity Laban Teaching Staff</a></li><li><a href="https://oxfordphil.com/news/errollyn-wallen/">Errollyn Wallen -- Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra</a></li><li><a href="https://www.raehowell.me/about">Rae Howell</a></li><li><a href="https://www.creativeballarat.com.au/artists-makers-creatives/rae-howell">Rae Howell -- Creative Ballarat</a></li><li><a href="https://www.navonarecords.com/artists/rae-howell/">Rae Howell -- Navona Records</a></li><li><a href="https://www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6539/">Bee-Sharp Honeybee -- Navona Records</a></li><li><a href="http://chayaczernowin.com/biography">Biography -- Chaya Czernowin </a></li><li><a href="https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/people/chaya-czernowin">Chaya Czernowin -- Harvard Radcliffe Institute</a></li><li><a href="https://www.schott-music.com/en/person/index/index/urlkey/chaya-czernowin">Chaya Czernowin -- Schott Music</a></li><li><a href="https://music.fas.harvard.edu/people/faculty/chaya-czernowin/">Chaya Czernowin -- Harvard Faculty</a></li></ol></div><p></p></div>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-6863080801661007872023-06-11T12:36:00.005-05:002023-06-11T13:05:26.504-05:00New Sounds on an Old Instrument<p>by Andrea Wallick, cellist </p><p>and Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="https://fineviolins.com" target="_blank">Fein Violins</a></p><p><br></p><p>Why does that cello sound like a seagull? How are the sounds I'm hearing coming out of string instruments? It sounds like percussion and overtones. </p><p>If you've ever asked these questions after watching a string performance, the performers were most likely playing their instruments using <b>extended techniques</b>. </p><p>Watch this George Crumb piece being performed to get an idea of what extended techniques are: </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="272" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/11o8nHk-l_o" width="328" youtube-src-id="11o8nHk-l_o"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ensemble intercontemporain</div><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2023/06/extended-techniques-pieces-yay.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-941664773207141092023-06-05T12:08:00.003-05:002023-06-05T13:03:34.094-05:0020 Hours To Montréal & the Philip Glass Ensemble- The 2023 Version of Bach's Walk<p><b>Story in Four Parts</b> </p><div>by Andrea Wallick, Cellist at <a href="http://www.Fineviolins.com">Fein Violins</a><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP5lFXmiwXTWrubh2RadRRYg8rpUtfR3U1Bk40nPSXfeWC1spv011F38QUiQY-_YsTOwqJV8v_H0q7Snj7V-fle-GNrDZ_iKGTe7eFgwqoaPq2LaPWG8nfUQyGp-DNxKi9CWlnDaAoUVjtMvKilKn10xZN729lg-eIPI8bJxOUN-4GQlVEEANiDrH/s1530/IMG_8911.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="1170" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizP5lFXmiwXTWrubh2RadRRYg8rpUtfR3U1Bk40nPSXfeWC1spv011F38QUiQY-_YsTOwqJV8v_H0q7Snj7V-fle-GNrDZ_iKGTe7eFgwqoaPq2LaPWG8nfUQyGp-DNxKi9CWlnDaAoUVjtMvKilKn10xZN729lg-eIPI8bJxOUN-4GQlVEEANiDrH/w239-h313/IMG_8911.jpeg" width="239"></a></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Part 1: Conceptualization </b></div><div><br></div>I was in the thick of finals, having performances every night, working on my massive paper about <i>Einstein on the Beach</i>, and I randomly had the urge to check out what the Philip Glass Ensemble is doing now. There I saw it... the list of performances with one happening on May 24th in Montréal, Canada. With a quick glance at their performance history over the past three years or so, I realized that if I wanted to ever see them live anytime soon, it would have to be at the May 24th Montréal concert. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2023/06/20-hours-to-montreal-philip-glass.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-42395625630418807132023-05-24T15:53:00.003-05:002023-05-24T17:32:43.384-05:00The Time to Get Your Instrument Ready For Summer Fun Is Now!<p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Off to Music Camp?</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;"> Playing Outside: </span></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Tips to </span></b><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Summer-ize Your Stringed Instrument</b></span></p><p>By Diane Houser, Office Manager at Fein Violins, professional violinist & violist </p><p>and Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="http://www.FineViolins.com">Fein Violins</a></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Summer is right around the corner in the Upper Midwest, and if you have plans to play outside over the next few months, now's the time to get your instrument ready for the heat and humidity.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymyaLyCvN8B4PR_8zTd1us74WvWiaw8zUuCkow3LXiii5C7M_hwcUpGc2_recE880TIcwqwV_DzyWBUTzTmNp48dLyfiy8nB_PHjR9niFLvbDbxiUhtvw4Zl2hvdZonXE_pz86la_bZUhdgM-_aMyV-4mq3gbiJUk0eyUD8ZDyof8TrsRqoGP-Zdw/s206/95904781_10158268631824911_6723519831552819200_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="206" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymyaLyCvN8B4PR_8zTd1us74WvWiaw8zUuCkow3LXiii5C7M_hwcUpGc2_recE880TIcwqwV_DzyWBUTzTmNp48dLyfiy8nB_PHjR9niFLvbDbxiUhtvw4Zl2hvdZonXE_pz86la_bZUhdgM-_aMyV-4mq3gbiJUk0eyUD8ZDyof8TrsRqoGP-Zdw/s1600/95904781_10158268631824911_6723519831552819200_o.jpg" width="206"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing outdoors is fun! Treat your instrument well! </td></tr></tbody></table><br><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Stringed instruments are made of wood, a material that expands when it absorbs moisture, and contracts when it dries. To make matters even more complicated, there are two different types of wood used to make violins, violas, and cellos - Spruce for the top and Maple for the back and sides. These two woods expand and contract at different rates, so the best advice is to try to avoid extremes in temperature and humidity</span><span style="font-size: large;">. </span></p><p><img border="0" data-original-height="3221" data-original-width="3021" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXzSidaLKIylrjYT80Z2N74zB7demp3Tm1-0W0UrPUXLKJqw8xXEiAtL3ml2nRTIBVZZ9UyqIkQzrd-CdHxNlkjc_ZOVhplcDjUTA8-L8syQsq1XUYyYIKsHjSj30NOps8rPwj2xh07YRga5O63EBfKKvvX-6VI1nYQvqE8ZCSLC7GwSyASoiBETOr/w334-h300/IMG_2777.jpeg" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 238); color: #0000ee; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline;" width="334"></p><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2023/05/the-time-to-get-your-instrument-ready.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-25381295610948347932023-05-22T12:49:00.000-05:002023-05-22T12:49:16.265-05:00These Are A Few Of Our Favorite Strings- Part IV, Cello<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">By Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="http://www.fineviolins.com">Fein Violins</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">with Kevin Berdine And Andrea Wallick</div><p>As we have shared in a previous blog post, <a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2015/03/these-are-few-of-our-favorite-strings.html" target="_blank">"These Are A Few Of Our Favorite Strings-Part III, Cello"</a> Larsen strings continue to be a favorite amongst students, teachers, and cellists in our shop. </p><div>Larsen's standard strings continue to be the strongest contender for most cellos and cellists, but our shop cellists have enjoyed each new string produced by Larsen. When Larsen introduced the Magnacore strings, we were all quite excited to try them out. They did not disappoint! We absolutely loved the warmth that Magnacores produced while maintaining the same playability and projection we have come to expect from Larsen. </div><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2023/05/these-are-few-of-our-favorite-strings.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-872914181880045582023-05-07T17:19:00.002-05:002023-05-21T13:16:10.945-05:00What's THE BEST Instrument Sound? <div>By Andrea Wallick, cellist and Andy Fein, violin maker at Fein Violins (<a href="https://fineviolins.com/">FineViolins.com</a>)</div><div><br></div><div>Have you ever heard an instrument's sound described with physical adjectives such as "dark", "bright", "rough", or "thin"? Sound doesn't produce light, and it's not a physical object, so what do these words actually mean? And more importantly, what kind of words describe a good instrument's sound? </div><div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KNxbRUSo2LQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="KNxbRUSo2LQ"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Rachel Barton Pine discusses the differences between Stradivaris and Guaneri del Gesus</span></div><div><div><br></div>These terms do not come out of nowhere. There are actually subtle differences in the sound composition that make terms like these universal! If two people play different violins with different bows at different volumes, obviously they will sound different. But what if the same person plays two violins with the same bow at the same volume with the same articulation? Will they still sound different? Yes, because of the instrument's timbre.<span></span></div><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2023/05/whats-best-instrument-sound.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-41765153480259710612022-11-08T15:07:00.003-06:002022-11-09T12:06:10.554-06:00Wolf Tones- Why is my cello howling?<p><br>By Kevin Berdine, cellist, and Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="http://fineviolins.com">Fein Violins</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK2m0V6nTe6Cu18muTSRSXf6HNg2JzsTSqamJpxopUyg5GZ2wgZw56FuPNvKog6koGpcOxqy-490-PitAJ-ImRfjFsfExywqdvDvum-3kiO4YkF54c9c-_BnSToOIOGlUN93O9O6nqBqcH-lc0hCOij6Hz2ik2po-vo_p5nLQn76ObbR-deyBywUKi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhK2m0V6nTe6Cu18muTSRSXf6HNg2JzsTSqamJpxopUyg5GZ2wgZw56FuPNvKog6koGpcOxqy-490-PitAJ-ImRfjFsfExywqdvDvum-3kiO4YkF54c9c-_BnSToOIOGlUN93O9O6nqBqcH-lc0hCOij6Hz2ik2po-vo_p5nLQn76ObbR-deyBywUKi" width="320"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Shop-Dog Zev and Andy discuss wolf tones. Did you know Zev is Hebrew for Wolf? Well, it is.</div><p></p><p>Have you ever heard your cello howl? For those of you who haven't heard it, this is a weird question, right? But for those who have experienced this phenomenon, you know exactly what we're talking about. A wolf tone is so-named because it sounds a bit like a wolf howling. Wolf note or wolf tone Is there a difference? No! It's two different names for the same phenomenon.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEix8ZSAX0zC-MlmDjga3n0JIsZNdwZs-4XnZfGOKY6wE8RlhX2Rjrt6vkRESEt3cpZb_hZNBtSsaa6t54TdmUesxOuffBI-trmupU8ON4DIKATB0CKx4K_TCQhMvWndHf61FifbfF2HW0E32hbAQMLrFdOZVluCUF3ES_bssdtS_fpuqDt655Bs9owN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="623" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEix8ZSAX0zC-MlmDjga3n0JIsZNdwZs-4XnZfGOKY6wE8RlhX2Rjrt6vkRESEt3cpZb_hZNBtSsaa6t54TdmUesxOuffBI-trmupU8ON4DIKATB0CKx4K_TCQhMvWndHf61FifbfF2HW0E32hbAQMLrFdOZVluCUF3ES_bssdtS_fpuqDt655Bs9owN=w168-h336" width="168"></a></div><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2022/11/wolf-tones-why-is-my-cello-howling.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-16625818906572140812022-07-12T17:14:00.006-05:002022-07-13T12:09:14.392-05:00The Everchanging Cello<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By Andy Fein, Luthier at Fein Violins</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">and Kevin Berdine</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH2JRaausxy0QZ_mUgYpEI6xv32P8ZuTfm_3sbmdO56h7mRqcXBncj3N5_dBNU_zH8G0-BjQhQAv9yvtg4hjYZEucbQ2_Mw9KvbyfyaMXKmpKqWTfG2Xc_erOfVloBPj7eJvbbh3HVEhzj4Ds0kEB61imDJ2zCWCna_fQD6nBwHUVhsg4hMRks6YW/s1174/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-03%20at%203.10.44%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1174" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH2JRaausxy0QZ_mUgYpEI6xv32P8ZuTfm_3sbmdO56h7mRqcXBncj3N5_dBNU_zH8G0-BjQhQAv9yvtg4hjYZEucbQ2_Mw9KvbyfyaMXKmpKqWTfG2Xc_erOfVloBPj7eJvbbh3HVEhzj4Ds0kEB61imDJ2zCWCna_fQD6nBwHUVhsg4hMRks6YW/s320/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-03%20at%203.10.44%20PM.png" width="123" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://fineviolins.com/shop/ols/products/patrizius-stradivarius-cello" target="_blank">Fein Violin's Patrizius Stradivari Cello</a></div><p>The beloved cello that we know today as a relatively standardized instrument was not always so. Cellos can be traced back to <a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2018/07/amati-family-cellos.html" target="_blank">Amati</a> (1581-1632), Gaspar da Salo (1549-1609), and Paolo Maggini (1581-1632). Although still quite recognizable to a modern eye and ear, these proto-cellos were quite different in a number of ways; string material and tuning, neck length and angle, body dimensions, bridge dimensions, arching, bass-bar placement and dimensions, bow design, soundpost dimensions, and even the way in which players held the instrument and bow. For a brief primer, check out Emily Davidson's <i>emilyplayscello</i> Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CfUBeAfg19u/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" target="_blank">reel</a>. </p>The driving forces that propelled design changes, not surprisingly, were playability and sound projection. Simultaneously, while composers were demanding more virtuosity from cellists, performing venues were becoming larger as they shifted from churches to courts to concert halls. This compelled instrument makers to design instruments that allowed for greater agility and a bigger, more-projecting sound.<p></p><p>To achieve a more powerful sound, the high-<a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2012/02/arching-great-curves.html" target="_blank">arched</a> cellos of Amati and early-Stradivari turned into the lower-arched <a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2016/11/cellos-are-big-they-used-to-be-bigger.html" target="_blank">Stradivari "Forma B"</a> inspired instruments that we still play today. In 1710, during <a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2012/03/stradivarius-cellos.html" target="_blank">Stradivari's</a> golden period, he introduced the first Forma B, the "Gore-Booth" cello to the world. Dimensions: Length of the Back 75.6cm; Widest Width of the Upper Bout 34.2cm; Widest Width of the Lower Bout 43.8cm; Narrowest Width of the Middle Bout 22.9cm. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7divppbXoaXTo42n26npKgLmkFEiEkR2et8wrxwePfJu31dDafmRytydBRowDVgk-l6vAWFQtbZuNDpz-m2If7bAvy-t1xIAkosJ2Hx2GGcT-Gex3TC8Euu383fhso5oYRIhcv1p2wPc6iZX3X1exGEmLD0TGlykVf0sEjkW2KV7Y9SW1ZNrLaBg/s1312/Gore-Booth%20Strad%20Cello.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1312" data-original-width="1020" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7divppbXoaXTo42n26npKgLmkFEiEkR2et8wrxwePfJu31dDafmRytydBRowDVgk-l6vAWFQtbZuNDpz-m2If7bAvy-t1xIAkosJ2Hx2GGcT-Gex3TC8Euu383fhso5oYRIhcv1p2wPc6iZX3X1exGEmLD0TGlykVf0sEjkW2KV7Y9SW1ZNrLaBg/s320/Gore-Booth%20Strad%20Cello.png" width="249" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1710 Stradivari "Gore-Booth" Cello </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Today there are roughly 20 "Forma B" cellos in existence. In Stradivari's late-period, he continued on his quest to improve playability by making cellos narrower still. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">As one can imagine, a lower arch necessitated many other adjustments. Externally, while arching was being lowered neck angles were being increased. This combination required taller bridges to be designed to fit the increased string height. To further add pressure to the top and increase sound-projection of the instrument, metal strings were also added to the mix. In addition to adding tension to the strings by making the bridge taller and switching to metal strings, we also see the tuning raised about whole step. These factors led to important changes that most players do not see. Internally, the </span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2011/06/soundpost.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">soundpost</a><span style="text-align: left;"> dimensions changed as arching decreased. And the bass bar positioning and dimensions changed to add structural support. Additionally, to add more structural stability, Stradivari made these cellos with more substantial wood thicknesses. </span></div><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhj5MBt0APCxZZoenvLBtk--8arDtxINBFSUiwnZ-emKtKLanlL2mevDQYz6ObOw38jsWdUCtERa_Gdq48I_jthCr0000aVnQTLKX8UJa903mvhM45JLyG6NW0m4ZZlesy0TDfDnc9S0ikjT79H9xOc4RgPSzJ8cmNhBF1u4_11SUVkFxsrTSvrWR08" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="https://www.rickertmusicalinstruments.com/2018/03/comparison-of-the-two-new-violoncello-da-spalla-models-by-d-rickert.html" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="250" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhj5MBt0APCxZZoenvLBtk--8arDtxINBFSUiwnZ-emKtKLanlL2mevDQYz6ObOw38jsWdUCtERa_Gdq48I_jthCr0000aVnQTLKX8UJa903mvhM45JLyG6NW0m4ZZlesy0TDfDnc9S0ikjT79H9xOc4RgPSzJ8cmNhBF1u4_11SUVkFxsrTSvrWR08" width="197" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Photo from Donald Earl Rickert's <a href="https://www.rickertmusicalinstruments.com/2018/03/comparison-of-the-two-new-violoncello-da-spalla-models-by-d-rickert.html" target="_blank">"Comparison of the Two New Violoncello de Spalla."</a></div><p></p><p>Many great cellos that were made in the Baroque era have since been altered to match modern sensibilities. To achieve a more playable instrument, the overall size was reduced, the neck angle increased, and <a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2021/11/the-humble-endpin.html" target="_blank">endpins</a> were added. Additionally, composers began to write music that required more range. Thus neck lengths, too, were increased. Each of the changes allowed a player to navigate around the instrument with greater freedom. Check out this pic, from <span style="text-align: center;">Matthew Zeller's "Deconstructing the Andrea Amati 'King' Cello</span>," to see how the midsection was removed along the center seam, and the bouts were reduced to cut down the Amati King Cello to modern dimensions. </p><p>For those measuring at home, here is a list of the original dimensions versus cut-down dimensions: Length of the Back 78.2cm cut to 75.5cm; Widest Width of the Upper Bout 39.1cm cut to 34.3xm; Widest Width of the Lower Bout 48.9cm cut to 44.2cm; and Narrowest Width of the Middle Bout 27.7cm cut to 23.6cm. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLVEthxsX864S2BC1H01RjUBlx1hilAEPWxUTVlyQbUJlvVisK59VhTKIThhI0VeVnZ3jiUBGWyp9GF9D7NXf7Ejy9k0UPMrB_8M5WLwd-tFYlB6E3FHbqE5L19qegf5sHqFFl_zNv4ooky12kzCgONyc2x81l6d3TQ0g7fRLTlwfpUgTc-cDbSQfT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLVEthxsX864S2BC1H01RjUBlx1hilAEPWxUTVlyQbUJlvVisK59VhTKIThhI0VeVnZ3jiUBGWyp9GF9D7NXf7Ejy9k0UPMrB_8M5WLwd-tFYlB6E3FHbqE5L19qegf5sHqFFl_zNv4ooky12kzCgONyc2x81l6d3TQ0g7fRLTlwfpUgTc-cDbSQfT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggIwDfm5TxExnvAqmBLMEt07YqcaGhFEDmkjrcw076h7z9b_3ro71z7_BCLFVYRFtUzwcBcN8bj8f-q3_N4i7Gq6ig8Ngl1ouMs4BasPYgJq98jZjoRTkQeyecvf7okaZCxBHWcnEx2TrA5Q115_olqLyoZaXHYMJAfS21MxVh0h_3ZQ4SC1pQS9Pf" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="784" data-original-width="480" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggIwDfm5TxExnvAqmBLMEt07YqcaGhFEDmkjrcw076h7z9b_3ro71z7_BCLFVYRFtUzwcBcN8bj8f-q3_N4i7Gq6ig8Ngl1ouMs4BasPYgJq98jZjoRTkQeyecvf7okaZCxBHWcnEx2TrA5Q115_olqLyoZaXHYMJAfS21MxVh0h_3ZQ4SC1pQS9Pf=w235-h383" title="https://www.thestrad.com/lutherie/deconstructing-the-andrea-amati-king-cello/10386.article" width="235" /></a></div> Photo from Matthew Zeller's <a href="https://www.thestrad.com/lutherie/deconstructing-the-andrea-amati-king-cello/10386.article">"Deconstructing the Andrea Amati 'King' Cello."</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>While the instrument itself was undergoing dramatic transformations, so too, was the way in which players held the bow. One will see examples of cellists holding the bow underhand (some bassists still play with "German" bows), overhand above frog (modern hold), and overhand higher up the stick.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMx8vXB-6zd1h5zyfsT11cxwrSOHkGbqur3LNiOcVWWBCQkM66aMejPV6uRAc2qQjZ0rTpf-msfl3BaBu7niecp6BRqXKbpm2psOmn2ViuRaGqvs8HGJX0NvggDlaeaGwL-MC1YbxkilyVj6P9eIUhnasRGLmTMsc8QF9x7n21Nx21F-SWBRiqTTvs/s406/portrait-of-a-gentleman-full-length-seated-playing-a-cello-a-spinet-behind-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="406" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMx8vXB-6zd1h5zyfsT11cxwrSOHkGbqur3LNiOcVWWBCQkM66aMejPV6uRAc2qQjZ0rTpf-msfl3BaBu7niecp6BRqXKbpm2psOmn2ViuRaGqvs8HGJX0NvggDlaeaGwL-MC1YbxkilyVj6P9eIUhnasRGLmTMsc8QF9x7n21Nx21F-SWBRiqTTvs/s320/portrait-of-a-gentleman-full-length-seated-playing-a-cello-a-spinet-behind-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"<a href="https://www.jsbachcellosuites.com/bowhold.html#9Yjzs5To" target="_blank">Portrait of a Gentleman Seated Playing Cello</a>," by Charles Phillips, 1720</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Although cellos have remained quite standardized since Stradivari's "Forma B," there continue to be many experiments; carbon fiber instruments and bows, endpin material and angle, tuning pegs material and mechanics, string composition, varnish formulas, interior grounds, artificial aging treatments of wood, neck angles, tailpiece materials and shape, and many other interesting tweaks. What will come next? Nobody knows for sure, but it will surely be playability and sound projection that drive future experiments. <div><br /></div><div>Although playability and sound projection propel most changes, one modern transformation, in honor of comfort and ease, that we have embraced whole-heartedly at Fein Violins, is mechanical pegs. The majority of our instruments leave the shop with these installed. Our clients have absolutely loved the <a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2011/12/wittner-finetune-pegs.html" target="_blank">Wittner Finetune Geared Pegs</a>. They make tuning so much easier! I suppose we could say comfort and ease relate to playability-if it hurts to tune, one does not play their instrument! Traditionalists, too, have appreciated the fact that these pegs still look like ebony friction-fitted pegs. You really have to try them out to see just how easy they are to use. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDlZiYQHd5F5sopMVbYg33vBu3yZFJftmJ75_G6yMUiEhlgSz3-qmFqic3OBxgC_vDSF2-RXTDJF_1imIs_vKVrEBpUMEJnnrd5G6N-wuGDjZwK99Km2G55Ysrtm45-hxSYk8ar9MDgQaD8KU9E3eRRE6m20yPaPWK6068YPa8K6T0IM9AGe_fB5hv" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="800" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDlZiYQHd5F5sopMVbYg33vBu3yZFJftmJ75_G6yMUiEhlgSz3-qmFqic3OBxgC_vDSF2-RXTDJF_1imIs_vKVrEBpUMEJnnrd5G6N-wuGDjZwK99Km2G55Ysrtm45-hxSYk8ar9MDgQaD8KU9E3eRRE6m20yPaPWK6068YPa8K6T0IM9AGe_fB5hv" width="320" /></a></div><br />Are you a cellist or interested in becoming one? Take a look at our <a href="https://fineviolins.com/shop/ols/categories/fine-cellos" target="_blank">Fine Cellos</a> modeled after Stradivari's instruments.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11px;">Vanscheeuwijck, Marc (1996) "The Baroque Cello and Its Performance," </span><em style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Performance Practice Review</em><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11px;">: Vol. 9: No. 1, Article 7. DOI: 10.5642/perfpr.199609.01.07</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;" /><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11px;">Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/ppr/vol9/iss1/7</span></p><p><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-13589929114275626892021-11-16T10:37:00.005-06:002021-11-29T10:22:35.714-06:00Cello Endpins- The Long, The Short, and The None<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGAU8TfDf1OoXdlIpp0DEIwpxcE8VCiEY8mkhYFXzXZ7mbNMqQVwJM7B7H4m1QBjkMT3DEj9wLR0gLYDw-2Z3obw8iE5z90csyBcvJjelySdgQHF-0T-bjo8Zryzw9Ceyh-FbqqvIBPg/s2048/736D4260-0816-4957-9263-B7AF16C54D81.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGAU8TfDf1OoXdlIpp0DEIwpxcE8VCiEY8mkhYFXzXZ7mbNMqQVwJM7B7H4m1QBjkMT3DEj9wLR0gLYDw-2Z3obw8iE5z90csyBcvJjelySdgQHF-0T-bjo8Zryzw9Ceyh-FbqqvIBPg/s2048/736D4260-0816-4957-9263-B7AF16C54D81.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2048" height="495" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGAU8TfDf1OoXdlIpp0DEIwpxcE8VCiEY8mkhYFXzXZ7mbNMqQVwJM7B7H4m1QBjkMT3DEj9wLR0gLYDw-2Z3obw8iE5z90csyBcvJjelySdgQHF-0T-bjo8Zryzw9Ceyh-FbqqvIBPg/w663-h495/736D4260-0816-4957-9263-B7AF16C54D81.jpeg" width="663"></a></div><div>By Kevin Berdine, cellist, and Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="http://fineviolins.com">Fein Violins</a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><br>Although the endpin is, seemingly, the least interesting
part of a cello, have you ever seen a cello without one? Well, the humble
endpin was not always a fixture of the cello. In fact, when we look
throughout history, we can see that its use evolved quite a bit (and is still evolving)! <span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2021/11/the-humble-endpin.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-6928281215031467682021-07-18T12:40:00.002-05:002021-07-19T09:56:04.253-05:00Supporting Black Creatives and Performers Through ROSIN! Really Cool and Fun Rosin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3Bkqg52g4G7FupiPNBMdh-rWpPfWbvZVQe1oy2JxZqOlM9jRQ20xUD_jUz_CLz5uYVyGzNch1uG0RMYVQ04hePzKtFH4LUKYlYltld-9a217I0RGzRhGy6Nv7YUSFP2bnl7tIzjyBHI/s798/Screen+Shot+2021-07-18+at+12.21.32+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="798" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho3Bkqg52g4G7FupiPNBMdh-rWpPfWbvZVQe1oy2JxZqOlM9jRQ20xUD_jUz_CLz5uYVyGzNch1uG0RMYVQ04hePzKtFH4LUKYlYltld-9a217I0RGzRhGy6Nv7YUSFP2bnl7tIzjyBHI/s320/Screen+Shot+2021-07-18+at+12.21.32+PM.png" width="320"></a></div><p> I, along with many people, celebrated the idea of making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Juneteenth has traditionally been celebrated on June 19 and marks the day in the year 1865 when Union Army General George Granger read out General Order No.3 in Galveston, Texas. That proclamation announced the end of chattel institutional slavery in Texas, the last state to have "legal" slavery. Of course, it took the point of the guns of the United States Army for slaveholders in Texas to release their slaves. There have been many horrific twists and turns on the march towards freedom for all Americans, but Juneteenth has been a traditionally celebrated Black holiday to commemorate the ending of slavery as a legal institution in all and in each of the United States of America. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Up5eHwYN02s" width="320" youtube-src-id="Up5eHwYN02s"></iframe></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ted Ellis, Scholar in Residence at Old Dominion University talks about Juneteenth</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2021/07/supporting-black-creatives-and.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-38910689702634392182021-06-14T17:35:00.000-05:002021-06-14T17:35:15.033-05:00Cello Stands- Show Off Your Cello!<p> By Andy Fein, luthier at <a href="https://fineviolins.com">Fein Violins</a> and Ivana Truong</p><p>Keeping a cello out and more readily playable can encourage more frequent, shorter practice sessions. In fact, with the right set up and care, storing a cello on a stand can be relatively safe and easy! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqHIGJo5A6SB4fd6-KkFKWZwAHQWP40UMm1u2lc0iP2ZLfb_Rj7DeID0PZ5a600eRgOxVhWOTPo1xofuLxnLz81oo9O0dTtbRsYWT5zbKoYCa65RihVTzlrnm_PCoBQE7LNNZGmJL69M/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqHIGJo5A6SB4fd6-KkFKWZwAHQWP40UMm1u2lc0iP2ZLfb_Rj7DeID0PZ5a600eRgOxVhWOTPo1xofuLxnLz81oo9O0dTtbRsYWT5zbKoYCa65RihVTzlrnm_PCoBQE7LNNZGmJL69M/w400-h300/20210607_132625.JPG" width="400"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three of our cellos on <a href="https://fineviolins.com/shop/ols/products/cello-stand-deluxe">König & Meyer rubber/cork cello stands</a></td></tr></tbody></table><span></span><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2021/06/cello-stands-show-off-your-cello.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-90509407318395911822021-04-27T17:21:00.018-05:002021-05-10T14:21:42.720-05:00The 'Hochstein' Stradivarius Violin of 1715 - An Excellent Model<p></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">By Andy Fein<i> (Luthier at <a href="https://fineviolins.com">Fein Violins</a>)</i> and Mikaela Marget </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">In 1978 I (Andy) was a young guy with black hair, a passion for violin making, an intense curiosity about Antonius Stradivarius and Guarnerius del Gesu, and an apprentice violin maker in Chicago. I had even made a trip (read "pilgrimage") to the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England specifically to study the </span><span><a href="https://www.ashmolean.org/messiah-violin-stradivari#/" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">Messiah Stradivarius violin</a><span style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;">. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><br></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1saK6h0sCE9CUFSA-hGcIHlnL2qHSVJW7dqphnKmm3Y3o8_8i2hcjzGS73QmAoT30W4-3Fx6s8mNfsBHpXMIySL2ZLr2rt_FJE9o-_rn01TJPosO7aKFrdFpxnyHh8lmjuaoyCk3VDIk/s604/n673324910_1073616_5829.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="479" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1saK6h0sCE9CUFSA-hGcIHlnL2qHSVJW7dqphnKmm3Y3o8_8i2hcjzGS73QmAoT30W4-3Fx6s8mNfsBHpXMIySL2ZLr2rt_FJE9o-_rn01TJPosO7aKFrdFpxnyHh8lmjuaoyCk3VDIk/s320/n673324910_1073616_5829.jpeg"></a></div><br><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">At that time, the </span><a href="https://www.csvm.org" style="font-weight: normal;"><span>Chicago School of Violin Making</span></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"> was owned by the venerable violin shop of Kenneth Warren and Son. Once a week Kenneth Warren Sr. would bring wonderful instruments to the school for the apprentices to study. One cold Chicago day, Mr Warren came in, carefully opened a beautiful case, and pulled out an exquisite violin. He held the violin up and asked, "Any guesses?" I impulsively said "Looks like a Golden Period Strad. Looks like the Messiah, but it's not. Ummm, 1715? 1716?" </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">It was the 'Hochstein' Stradivarius violin, made circa 1715. </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Thus I acquired the </span><span style="font-weight: normal;">amused dislike of every other student at the school. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1555" height="441" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhK7AC0O-rlrEWT59qnHWT34hu6wMgMtXniWg2UQGFDhpZXuiOl3P75Dy3jNS_g5MNakG7zckpLupJiSLcdbe-12UaRSqKd-AZNIvv6gLbDUTAChFuzkymsCizfenSNLj0VlkM6uUcJg/w335-h441/20210302_111935.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Hochstein 1715 Stradivarius" width="335"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Original Hochstein Stradivarius, photo from Andy's collection</span><br></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAC8ckd04P-2K3M-zq06R623KbI9NiBZfuHgpUGmW6vYspRVzsRKre0fm8qCHAFU6fdKySbvGj7pRP0AkyST9KBq9CJFbstwtL7BBYunekJNVgQsK-bWjecjKhxd_oHAHL8Hu3rTobJE/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAC8ckd04P-2K3M-zq06R623KbI9NiBZfuHgpUGmW6vYspRVzsRKre0fm8qCHAFU6fdKySbvGj7pRP0AkyST9KBq9CJFbstwtL7BBYunekJNVgQsK-bWjecjKhxd_oHAHL8Hu3rTobJE/w321-h428/20210427_142958.jpg" width="321"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our 'Hochstein' Stradivarius model Violin </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div><span></span></h1><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2021/04/the-hochstein-stradivarius-violin-of.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-89082427809473589152021-02-28T17:46:00.000-06:002021-02-28T17:46:35.799-06:00Cellist Singer/Songwriters- Sometimes, a Cello is Just Plucked<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>By Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="https://fineviolins.com/">Fein Violins</a> and Mikaela Marget </b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In orchestra settings, cello sections move fluidly between holding down baselines, playing a rich harmony texture, or jumping to the forefront to play an entrancing melody. In folk music, the cello is used as a chordal, melodic, or even rhythmic instrument (ever heard of "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvSdj2Qmh74">the chop</a>"?). </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1Ce7JPV4fZjUQcZFgooRbAwxU5tJyiEgmrE6MYqZW9Xlk90CiUUtKw4f8o4N1QimSoYP5eNOgT8vSC0yrXHPLutDBYauOsHDH-z9WsihbOqxVRKFBRnjWI-5ceLcLuF_RlKiydo4yi8/s1440/2311FF43-DCB4-4A82-9933-AEC814E7C543.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge1Ce7JPV4fZjUQcZFgooRbAwxU5tJyiEgmrE6MYqZW9Xlk90CiUUtKw4f8o4N1QimSoYP5eNOgT8vSC0yrXHPLutDBYauOsHDH-z9WsihbOqxVRKFBRnjWI-5ceLcLuF_RlKiydo4yi8/s320/2311FF43-DCB4-4A82-9933-AEC814E7C543.jpeg"></a></div><br><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ok, so the cello can play many roles in a variety of traditional contexts, but how does it function as a songwriting partner? Turns out there are Singer-songwriters who utilize the cello as a chordal accompaniment instrument. These musicians may convince you that it is time to ditch the guitar for something deeper... </span></p><p><span></span></p><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2021/02/cellist-singersongwriters-sometimes.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-15048075488344789302020-11-19T18:43:00.415-06:002020-12-02T17:57:28.171-06:00Why Do Strings Break?<p>By Andy Fein, Luthier <a href="fineviolins.com">at Fein Violins</a></p><p>and Ivana Truong</p><p><br></p><p>Most string players have had the awful experience of getting all set for a lesson, concert, or recital and BAM a string breaks. It seems like the bigger the occasion, the more likelihood of a string breaking.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSqa7iJVkfYOqS-jOhoLNDG4AcXd8u-JD8_Qdli4b8jzQksXQ_j2HR92gf712lh8zlfv9LZyOS_uyeO5j3jLMqzTxnQvYkpTJnyRxnbS4abH3IAsislVzzG7CZXKKMpagz_PFzAcThzM/s2048/4D4188EE-4421-483B-A3E7-3800E5AA2FC4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSqa7iJVkfYOqS-jOhoLNDG4AcXd8u-JD8_Qdli4b8jzQksXQ_j2HR92gf712lh8zlfv9LZyOS_uyeO5j3jLMqzTxnQvYkpTJnyRxnbS4abH3IAsislVzzG7CZXKKMpagz_PFzAcThzM/s320/4D4188EE-4421-483B-A3E7-3800E5AA2FC4.jpeg"></a></div><br><p>Why do strings break? What can you do to prevent a string breaking at the WORST POSSIBLE MOMENT?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rkp8YSuePPM" width="320" youtube-src-id="Rkp8YSuePPM"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">Violinist Midori Goto, age 14, breaks two strings during her debut performance, </div><div style="text-align: center;">and didn't even flinch! </div><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/11/why-do-strings-break.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-67840069871590312042020-10-29T16:56:00.005-05:002021-02-27T17:00:07.125-06:00Environmentalism and Violin-making<p><i>By Andy Fein Luthier, at Fein Violins & Mikaela Marget</i></p><h3><b><u>Environmental Sustainability in Violin Making </u></b></h3><div>Spruce, Maple, Basswood, Ebony, Pernambuco, Tetul, Rosewood, and Boxwood. What are these? All of these are types of wood that are used in your stringed instrument or bow. They are wood from trees that grew for decades or centuries before they were cut down to make your viola, viola, cello, or bow. After being cut down and milled, they are carefully stored to air dry for decades more. </div><div><div><span> </span></div><div>Like trees? Like the environmental benefits of trees? You know stuff like oxygen to breathe, carbon storing to slow climate change, soil to stabilize and nurture, shade to sit under, fruit and nuts to eat, birds and animals that live in the forest, and sap to make into syrup. If you do, be a good steward and know that your instrument comes from the health of forests.</div></div><div><br></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYx6USa52qXyqqfzpXRE69uVzdtKt6mbzuUjjH38988OU_0NQsTjlntZAfKTxvSAeHIyehJfMKyaPR-rg1okmRx7qDdmGQUv252rL0_6Z6R71qhq8u_S83Np4ljW81POqPr6faS1SGW0/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYx6USa52qXyqqfzpXRE69uVzdtKt6mbzuUjjH38988OU_0NQsTjlntZAfKTxvSAeHIyehJfMKyaPR-rg1okmRx7qDdmGQUv252rL0_6Z6R71qhq8u_S83Np4ljW81POqPr6faS1SGW0/w306-h203/brazil-mata-atlantica-rainforest-brazil-nature-jungle-flora-serra-dos-orgaos-national-park-mata-atlantica-atlantic-rainforest-195818084.jpg" width="306"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mata Atlantica, Brazil</span><br></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-fuS9aGHbfITppbvPDl4Sxy3FU2uLW5At7MHZc3dlpOsA0iX4tjbTzIeFm2WTYIdoUHK5I7aA-vnOqAnQK-tG-PP88Yb_g4xM5jiI_fqgDrlJ45SbFu64a3wGg6U_gaWvta_j5PKBvI/" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="817" data-original-width="1096" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-fuS9aGHbfITppbvPDl4Sxy3FU2uLW5At7MHZc3dlpOsA0iX4tjbTzIeFm2WTYIdoUHK5I7aA-vnOqAnQK-tG-PP88Yb_g4xM5jiI_fqgDrlJ45SbFu64a3wGg6U_gaWvta_j5PKBvI/w291-h202/IMG_3112.jpg" width="291"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">A. Fein & Atelier Cremone Seraph Cello</span></i></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><span></span><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/10/environmentalism-and-violin-making.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-45945724842642291672020-09-13T17:25:00.008-05:002023-08-07T13:11:50.013-05:00Bow Bugs- Little Bugs That LOVE Bow HairBy Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/2/#">Fein Violins</a>,<br><br>and Ivana Truong<p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkgblpdqxlK4FTuA5mT00rL_8zFuK5KJ6gvQE5MkCjebdKfvJt-4kb_f1jbCw1O92JB2CDWC2cDO7TWubT1pmdw5M39lelfnjrwCuG1gRAlhlzCpNrDnHIalcXD4yGtOGbLFWf_v3pEM/s320/IMG_4433.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: small;"> If you open up your case and you see this- You Have BOW BUGS</div><div><br></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br><br>"What??? Bugs are eating my bow?" <br><br>No! Just the bow hair. (Fans of Schitts Creek are now hearing Alexis say "EW!")<p style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span></p><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/09/bow-bugs-ew.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-37361726703755975282020-07-27T17:37:00.003-05:002020-09-08T16:15:43.975-05:00Tips & Tricks for Surviving the Online Lesson World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By Andy Fein, <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Fineviolins.com">Luthier at Fein Violins</a> and Mikaela Marget<br>
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"A little too sharp... not quite... now it's too flat! Go the other way... Nope, too far..." Bam! Oops. Now you need a new string. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzyQN-nf3uTnAgfiorghO6xTu4x5M7CIyx1VVGJw1GXRjsMqJ2e_53zj15L58lvAsQPeYYMVvXWIqHdCK2JoEjw91vYc4ZixBI3rwCgFq1uAd6N68GHoXn1cTcoPjJqEc3waG4wZSrgU/s601/Screen+Shot+2020-07-24+at+4.32.06+PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzyQN-nf3uTnAgfiorghO6xTu4x5M7CIyx1VVGJw1GXRjsMqJ2e_53zj15L58lvAsQPeYYMVvXWIqHdCK2JoEjw91vYc4ZixBI3rwCgFq1uAd6N68GHoXn1cTcoPjJqEc3waG4wZSrgU/s320/Screen+Shot+2020-07-24+at+4.32.06+PM.png" width="320"></a></div>
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If you're a student who has recently had to start taking online-lessons, you know this struggle: learning to <i>tune</i>. There can be a bit of a learning curve to this, but don't get discouraged--we are here to help! </div>
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We've made some helpful videos to help you as students (or parents) learn how to tune, change a string, and reset a bridge without teacher help during the times of video lessons. This way, even though you can't see your teacher in-person, you can keep up with the daily maintenance of your instrument.<br>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Andy Fein, Luthier at </span><a href="http://fineviolins.com/" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fein Violins</a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">and Mikaela Marget</span><br>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Who made the first violin? </span></div>
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With a cursory internet search, you may be convinced that the mastermind behind all modern violin making was Andrea Amati of Cremona; many give him credit for the oldest existent violin, a 1546 instrument that is now lost. The truth, though, is more complicated than that; first of all, we don’t even know if he was responsible for the <i>very first</i> modern violin. Even if he was, Amati didn’t just come up with a great idea out of nowhere! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0x4W8IwYdxZvKVhhk9SPDig_bd0KeFIjV2rWS47H3STwnb36iN9fZjkRW9GoYLkRS5rM4k4FEKK-suNQ5pAMe4MDG-0S6DUd4TAYzWuwBnAgbVgaHren-uftBokAUw1ViWZVgy9wIMM/s1600/302px-Andrea_Amati_violin_-_Met_Museum_NY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-0x4W8IwYdxZvKVhhk9SPDig_bd0KeFIjV2rWS47H3STwnb36iN9fZjkRW9GoYLkRS5rM4k4FEKK-suNQ5pAMe4MDG-0S6DUd4TAYzWuwBnAgbVgaHren-uftBokAUw1ViWZVgy9wIMM/s640/302px-Andrea_Amati_violin_-_Met_Museum_NY.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>ex-Kurtz violin by Andrea Amati</i></span></td></tr>
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</div></div></div><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/06/who-invented-violin-sephardic-jews-and.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-33753853856676124252020-06-02T10:35:00.001-05:002020-06-08T17:32:50.968-05:00Stage Fright/ Performance Anxiety- Got Yours?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2acY49F3V9-pe0UB-kT-tiHf970s3hdBEgX5DYo4pAeBOoOMtosYjhAu1x8NXIDe99DlsVt5CfgiKiKsxn0oJfWosqwNIj-7dk2otO2x36z3v7rRFlkUUWywrHt7nJPj77y54xW7_CM/s1600/Yehudi+Menuhin+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="357" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn2acY49F3V9-pe0UB-kT-tiHf970s3hdBEgX5DYo4pAeBOoOMtosYjhAu1x8NXIDe99DlsVt5CfgiKiKsxn0oJfWosqwNIj-7dk2otO2x36z3v7rRFlkUUWywrHt7nJPj77y54xW7_CM/s320/Yehudi+Menuhin+2.jpeg" width="212"></a></div>
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Great Violinist Yehudi Menuhin was a Proponent of Yoga</div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-fecdeb62-7fff-ea6a-301d-423f9eadd3a2"></span><br>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-fecdeb62-7fff-ea6a-301d-423f9eadd3a2"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="http://fineviolins.com/">Fein Violins</a>,</span></span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-fecdeb62-7fff-ea6a-301d-423f9eadd3a2"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and Ivana Truong</span></span><br>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Relax. RELAX. JUST RELAX, YOU'LL PLAY SOOOO MUCH BETTER?" Ever had such sage advice thrown your way? Yes, most musicians have. And it doesn't help. But learning to relax and focus on your performance truly will help you play better. But how do you do it when every part of your being is telling you just the opposite?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though perhaps to different extents, every musician understands the stomach-turning restlessness that precedes a performance, not to mention the heart-racing blur of the performance itself. For some musicians, the feeling becomes manageable with time, as confidence in their technique grows and the player gains more experience with public performances. For others, performance anxiety can become a serious issue preventing them from pursuing music more seriously. </span></div>
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<span id="docs-internal-guid-fecdeb62-7fff-ea6a-301d-423f9eadd3a2"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 416px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="416" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/46AYuBc6CU_AhvsdOHDmNSYkdnA0FVRMGgY42AhJcvoCyAKyrOe-qrHyDY9WnElr3nX25E0F87DdwsAjlWhbRfn8480abSmzxfL9JZ3KkptmfTE8WWUS-dtuwZfh54Qy4iKsZVgL" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624"></span></span></span></div>
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</div><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/06/stage-fright.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-77628038814060366812020-05-18T14:36:00.000-05:002020-05-18T18:03:59.491-05:00Coffee and Composers <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By Andy Fein, luthier at <a href="http://fineviolins.com/">Fein Violins</a>, and chief coffee taster at <a href="http://stradivariuscoffee.com/">Stradivarius Coffee</a><br>
and Ivana Truong<br>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="417" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/Ug4V5pSi88lbHoLsJl92B82XdTlJSlLq_oN6yOib_HkzeKdVAU9DU6FyYa9r-aqiA6973ejQWm5H9aFOkTcakiq-ivkJvKFM2kd9Ujtw0r7_g0GxH_1guQIqwi8bIx7eotwywB-q" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="624"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><a href="https://www.lavena.it/en/the-cafe-of-wagner-musicians-and-writers/">Wagner’s table at Caffe Lavena </a></td></tr>
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Today, getting a cup of coffee from your local cafe can be a great way to get your daily dose of<br>
caffeine while getting some work done or chatting with some of your neighbors. (At least, it has<br>
been in the recent past and we hope will be again shortly!)<br>
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<img alt="" height="417" src="https://www.teatrolafenice.it/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/verdi-wagner.jpeg" style="background-color: white; border-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: "Work Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; outline: 0px !important; text-align: -webkit-center; vertical-align: middle;" width="542"><br>
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But in the past, cafes, or coffee houses served more as a meeting place for intellectual and political debate. Beginning in the 16th century Ottoman Empire and spreading to Europe through Venetian merchants by the early 17th century, coffee houses provided an accessible place for patrons to openly exchange their ideas. Coffee houses were actually key meeting places for the founders of the American and French Revolutions! [1]<br>
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</div></div></div><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/05/coffee-and-composers.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-90250548440006981582020-04-29T11:49:00.001-05:002020-04-29T13:40:42.360-05:00Pernambuco Wood or Carbon Bows- Which Are Better? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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By Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="https://fineviolins.com/">Fein Violins</a>,<br>
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and Ivana Truong</div>
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Your bow is half of your sound.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq2XKlCyH7It-2Q3Ci3P5MVdPrWbjKHV_c4jSqMtZSKyuVjtUcoG4jjZfv2HxInXXpY-i-YTHbeSE9rUykyx3vxnmN4RLal56nkYc-t-_863sLUcfML-COmzWSNXxXQf3-6F6nhU44LQ/s1600/IMG_0597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvq2XKlCyH7It-2Q3Ci3P5MVdPrWbjKHV_c4jSqMtZSKyuVjtUcoG4jjZfv2HxInXXpY-i-YTHbeSE9rUykyx3vxnmN4RLal56nkYc-t-_863sLUcfML-COmzWSNXxXQf3-6F6nhU44LQ/s320/IMG_0597.JPG" width="320"></a></div>
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A seemingly surprising statement, but very true.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7Z1mCROBkNW7R-2ETinzoPcx30-gKAZcoEd9iN_7sXs1WS3-aIX2pbinOErdqhaEBWgFcsbdiDTbyTuC3uMHg2FkTwKajY9pVuZbHYSG3-vVCjmFSNE2TButucRhDFI4RQZaKIvi4Pk/s1600/IMG_7005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="737" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7Z1mCROBkNW7R-2ETinzoPcx30-gKAZcoEd9iN_7sXs1WS3-aIX2pbinOErdqhaEBWgFcsbdiDTbyTuC3uMHg2FkTwKajY9pVuZbHYSG3-vVCjmFSNE2TButucRhDFI4RQZaKIvi4Pk/s320/IMG_7005.jpg" width="188"></a></div>
Most professional and advanced string players have more than one bow. That's why a lot of bow cases have four bow holders! Different bows give different sounds to the same instrument and work better or worse with different styles of music. And then there's the venue. It's a good idea to have a Carbon bow for outdoor and bar gigs!<br>
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So which is better- Pernambuco or Carbon?<br>
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</div></div><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/04/pernambuco-wood-or-carbon-bows-which.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-12909167751040828582020-03-18T13:18:00.000-05:002020-03-18T16:29:26.761-05:00Women at the Workbench <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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By Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="http://www.fineviolins.com/">Fein Violins</a>,</div>
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Mikaela Marget, and Ivana Truong</div>
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<u><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Do female violinmakers even exist?? </span></u></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4M1MbxY4AzJyD90B4gAGpHdsnOleX46z9ax7rCUYJmY8Cit-Af1tnNSyD7effFkAJ7gWr20ujWNkNXTUJlSegZKD4DRbL1BM6k7TTHijyUJNc5QUv_2-cjjaODwRFTzFb-Uye4DqW4mg/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4M1MbxY4AzJyD90B4gAGpHdsnOleX46z9ax7rCUYJmY8Cit-Af1tnNSyD7effFkAJ7gWr20ujWNkNXTUJlSegZKD4DRbL1BM6k7TTHijyUJNc5QUv_2-cjjaODwRFTzFb-Uye4DqW4mg/s400/download.jpg" width="285"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><i>del Gesu scroll</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxPmIeWGobSuw2u0yD2ERjfm7S0jfArEM8J2V8A-R8IjYseRT5ZlseqlX7b6WaCZsXUwgxN4DNJDNOVkz9t2NpkxIWM87Fo2InG4BMtLx9gxB6QtscDOKmUhxssAO7LKtwGqBcMtALdM/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxPmIeWGobSuw2u0yD2ERjfm7S0jfArEM8J2V8A-R8IjYseRT5ZlseqlX7b6WaCZsXUwgxN4DNJDNOVkz9t2NpkxIWM87Fo2InG4BMtLx9gxB6QtscDOKmUhxssAO7LKtwGqBcMtALdM/s400/download.jpg" width="400"></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: start;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orazio_Gentileschi_-_Young_Woman_with_a_Violin_(Saint_Cecilia)_-_68.47_-_Detroit_Institute_of_Arts.jpg">Young Woman with a violin, Orzazio Gentileschi</a></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">One difficult aspect of researching female violin makers pre-20th century is that there were strict laws across Europe that forbade women from owning individual property or having control of their own income. In addition, pre-20th century stigmas about what instruments were considered "proper" for women to study may have made women uncomfortable about publicly working on or playing violins, violas, or cellos. In many places, it wasn't even acceptable for women to carry a stringed instrument in public! </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br>
</div></div></div><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/03/women-at-workbench.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-21661240687080666742020-03-09T16:51:00.005-05:002020-07-22T13:24:32.202-05:00Round or Octagonal Bows- Which Are Better? The Definitive Answer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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By Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="http://www.fineviolins/">Fein Violins</a> and<br>
Ivana Truong<br>
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A round bow or an octagonal bow- Which is better???? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAyU0C9G7rSDQpqpKqvxQDc6s58zZhzLJ4Zbcv7VqSP5v9d1X5uNrZfEPPevtwgm1pK_wy_o-0ZK6MVy9phxC553cYY5KxaOz3Z63K2KOntzamA55y5GuDovyJmwZvCNrUESh2n9znsU/s1600/IMG_7026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKAyU0C9G7rSDQpqpKqvxQDc6s58zZhzLJ4Zbcv7VqSP5v9d1X5uNrZfEPPevtwgm1pK_wy_o-0ZK6MVy9phxC553cYY5KxaOz3Z63K2KOntzamA55y5GuDovyJmwZvCNrUESh2n9znsU/s320/IMG_7026.jpg" width="240"></a></div>
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The absolute, definitive, very, very correct answer is...<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47yUM5nX4P_wgKFel75LTP8R8KGEsZC-Or_SqSF0EUyncyeq39zZeplTN57QG-EnmY8QvsufCJPA33nXVHg6ph9Z9YUzka0nQl3NhAnx0hQS-0ccpp-5jG4psCFp3s84MX7fw2EYjHZ0/s1600/Tourte+bows.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="509" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47yUM5nX4P_wgKFel75LTP8R8KGEsZC-Or_SqSF0EUyncyeq39zZeplTN57QG-EnmY8QvsufCJPA33nXVHg6ph9Z9YUzka0nQl3NhAnx0hQS-0ccpp-5jG4psCFp3s84MX7fw2EYjHZ0/s320/Tourte+bows.jpg" width="225"></a></div>
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</div></div><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/03/round-or-octagonal-bows-which-are.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-288097430196262248.post-69557881778009922212020-02-16T16:35:00.000-06:002020-03-18T16:31:09.962-05:00Stradivaris, Amatis, Guarneris, and more at the Smithsonian<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
By Andy Fein, Luthier at <a href="https://fineviolins.com/">Fein Violins</a><br>
Ivana Truong<br>
<br>
This is Presidents weekend and maybe a few people have Washington, D.C. on their minds. Do you know the American people own a tremendous number of historic instruments? The collections of the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian are treasures of the United States and belong to each and every American.<br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DBlPsz_B-cniWU6vYNYytUP37jBGrviBfShk0hQmMx2No3-ovst1kARiiTqEvPhlcXG7dnSrYdq6YTJUFSxPB3fY2Z_56s-rmWf172eDHfPxUd-EbApen73sXzfljiW7GVW9-yZg9us/s1600/Greffuhlescroll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="543" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DBlPsz_B-cniWU6vYNYytUP37jBGrviBfShk0hQmMx2No3-ovst1kARiiTqEvPhlcXG7dnSrYdq6YTJUFSxPB3fY2Z_56s-rmWf172eDHfPxUd-EbApen73sXzfljiW7GVW9-yZg9us/s640/Greffuhlescroll.jpg" width="346"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 16px;">The inlay on the Side of the Scroll of the Greffuhle Stradivarius violin<br>
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</div><a href="http://blog.feinviolins.com/2020/02/smithsonianlibrary-of-congress.html#more">Read more »</a>The Violin Shophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17828233461679065727noreply@blogger.com0