Secrets of the Stradivarius

No modern violin maker or ‘Luthier’ has been able to match the qualities of the classical Cremonese violin-making families of Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri who flourished from c. 1600 to 1750. Only about seven hundred Stradivarius violins still exist from these times and they are the most sought after musical instruments in the world.  

Enthusiasm for these instruments is not merely for the instrument’s antique or novelty value; the sound of these violins is universally accepted as far superior to modern violins, in terms of quality of expressiveness and projection.

A new study by Berend C. Stoel and Terry M. Borman of Leiden University Medical Center in the The Netherlands & Borman Violins, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, has found that one of the key factors may be original raw material properties of the Maple and Spruce woods that were used.  In particular, the density, or more specifically the variability of wood density at the growth ring level throughout the violin.

The consistency of growth ring density is related to consistency of the tree growth rates from the Spring through Autumn and modern woods do not seem to match the evenness of growth found in the 17^th century wood.

If the density consistency is a major factor, then the reason for it, is as yet, not fully explained; variation in density may reflect differences in stiffness distributions, which could impact vibrational efficacy or may modify sound radiation via altered sound damping properties of the wood.

A part of the mystery of the Cremonese masterpieces may have revealed itself but don’t expect modern violin makers to be reproducing this effect any time soon.  The climatic reasons for subtle variations in growth ring density are not properly understood and would be practically impossible to replicate.

See Original Paper

Found at Yahoo News