Your (Violin) Neck Used To Be Shorter

By Andy Fein, luthier at Fein Violins
 and Martha McDermott

Have you ever experienced this phenomena?- You or an orchestra friend gets some new string that's just hit the market, or a shoulder rest, or some other doodad AND it makes that violin sound GREAT! Next thing you know, every violinist in the orchestra has one! In the early nineteenth century there were huge changes going on in the violin world. First Paganini made some changes and it made his violin sound GREAT! Then next thing you knew, EVERYONE needed those changes.

It's hard to imagine an instrument as staid as the violin going through any evolutionary changes. Most of our modern violins are so standardized that if the string length is off by just a couple of millimeters, an experienced player will notice it. But early violins were not made to such standardized measurements. And one huge change that happened in the early 1800s is that the length of neck (and thus the string length) became longer! Almost no violins made before about 1830 retain their original necks. That includes Stradivaris, Guarneris, and Amatis.

Violino Piccolo in its Original Set Up by Girolamo Amati, Cremona, 1613 at the National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota

Orch. Dork Vacations, Part II - Europe: Strads, Guarneris, Amatis, Oh My!

Royal Spanish Stradivarius violin

Written by Andy Fein, luthier at Fein Violins

The back of the 'Messiah' Stradivarius violin

 If you think of anywhere in Europe associated with violins, you probably think of Cremona, Italy. You might assume that would be my recommendation for the first place to stop on our Orch Dork tour. But it's not.

Bernard Greenhouse and the auctioning of the Countess of Stainlein / Paganini Stradivarius Cello

By Stefan Aune

The famous "Countess of Stainlein, ex-Paganini of 1707" Stradivarius cello that was owned by the late Bernard Greenhouse has been sold at auction for more than $6 million to an anonymous patron of the arts in Montreal. This auction most likely sets a new record for the sale of a cello, the previous record being about $5 million. The cello, which was made by Stradivarius during his prolific "golden period," has been played on by Bernard Greenhouse since the 1950's. Greenhouse passed away in May of 2011, and his family arranged to sell his cello via sealed auction through Reuning & Sons Violins in Boston. The "anonymous patron" plans to loan the cello to 18 year old Stéphane Tétreault, a student studying cello and conducting at the University of Montreal.

The Countess of Stainlein, ex-Paganini Stradivarius (allthingsstrings.com)

The Countess of Stainlein, Paganini Stradivarius cello, Cremona, 1707

Mirecourt, France. Where the Seeds of French Bow Making Were Sown.

By Andy Fein and Angie Newgren

In the twenty-first century, violin makers (luthiers) and bow makers (archetiers) are usually two separate people with skill sets that are very rarely combined. It would seem that a luthier would be interested in making the bows that go with their instruments, but bow making is entirely its own occupation.

Violin bow attributed to Francois Jude Gaulard, Mirecourt, ca. 1845-1850

Guarnerius del Gesu: Outlier Violin Maker

By Andy Fein, luthier at Fein Violins

In my earlier blog post, The Guarnerius Family of Violin Makers, we look at the history of the Guarnerius family, starting with Andreas Guarnerius. A couple of Pietros and a few Giuseppe's later, we arrive at Bartolomeo "Giuseppe" Guarnerius 'del Gesu'.

The 'del Gesu' was attached to his name, to distinguish him from his father, Giuseppe filius (son of) Andreas, and because 'del Gesu' put the initials "I.H.S." (a Latin abbreviation for Jesus' name) and a Christian Cross on all of his instruments' labels. He used 'Joseph,' the Latinization of 'Giuseppe,' on his labels.

A label from a Joseph Guarnerius 'del Gesu' violin

Paganini's Violin: Il Cannone

Written by Andy Fein, luthier at Fein Violins
 and Angie Newgren, edited by Amy Tobin

There is a triangular relationship between a violinist, their instrument and their bow. Often times, we think of a certain "sound" when we think of a particular player. Much of that sound is defined by the instrument they play.

Niccolo Paganini & his  Guarnerius del Gesu violin,  "Il Cannone"

Paganini and his violin, a Guarnerius del Gesu named "Il Cannone" (the Cannon!), defined each other. Paganini was one of the first soloists to play a del Gesu. Its huge sound and fast response became Paganini's "sound". Made in 1742 (the Hills' attribution, others say 1743), late in del Gesu's life, the violin is preserved, as it was when Paganini played it, by the city of Genoa, Italy.

Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume. Luthier, Bow Maker & Dealer Extraordinaire

By Fein Violin Staff

Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume is an extremely important figure in the world of violins. Vuillaume had a shop in Paris from 1822 until his death in 1875. He was admired by and friends with Paganini, Ole Bull, and a host of other great soloists.

Label of an 1841 Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume cello

He was three steps removed from Stradivarius' workshop. After Antonius Stradivarius died, his entire workshop and remaining instruments were purchased by Count Cozio. Luigi Tarisio, an itinerant violin dealer purchased many instruments from Count Cozio and brought them to Paris. Vuillaume purchased many Stradivarius instruments from Tarisio. When Tarisio died, Vuillaume traveled directly to Italy to purchase his remaining collection of Stradivarius instruments. And other Cremonese instruments as well. Guaneris, Amatis, Bergonzis, Ruggieris, Rogeris and many more. Just about every Stradivarius and Guarnerius del Gesu passed through Vuillaume's shop at some point.

Ole Bull, the Original Andre Rieu

 Written by: Amy Tobin of Fein Violins

Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome consummate violinist, composer, advocate, and all around electrifying personality........

OLE BULL!!!!

Ole Bull

Born in Bergen, Norway, in 1810, he was the original rebellious child.
His father had plans for him to become a minister, but after showing talent at a very young age (soloing with the Bergen Philharmonic at age 9!), it was clear there was only one path for Ole. In fact, when he went to take the entrance exams for Theology school, he failed. Yep. Question is, did he really fail or did he throw it?

In an apparent attempt to have his father think that he was making something of himself, he went to Germany, where he pretended to study law. 'Yes, Dad. Everything's great! School? Oh, school is going just fine.....' Shortly thereafter, he moved to Paris, Europe's famed haven for all artistes.

Glitz, Celebrity & Sex Appeal in Classical Music

Written by: Andy Fein, luthier at Fein Violins

One of my musical heroes, Gidon Kremer, recently cancelled out of playing in the Verbier Festival in Switzerland. In a, public letter to the director Mr. Kremer decries a classical music world "in which 'stars' count more than creativity, ratings more than genuine talent, numbers more than...sounds." He also points out a "misguided fixation with glamour and sex appeal."