March 21, 2006

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               ODYSSEY - FROM TONEWOODS TO THE DRUMKIT
  
                                  Saltwater and Stradivarius

  Talking about string instruments, D mentioned something about how some luthiers now believe that Stradivari violins owe their exquisite sound to the fact that the wood was soaked in brine for a long time before it was cured and used to make his violins and cellos.  

  Tracking that down I came across the work of a biochemist from Texas A&M University, Dr. Joseph Nagyvary, who believes a Strad's unique sound is a result of the chemicals used on the woods Stradivarius chose for his instruments, including soaking the wood in brine until it was saturated, in combination with his innate craftsmanship

             

  "One of the key factors in the vibrant tonal quality of the instruments made by Stradivari and others is that the wood they used was soaked in brine. Unlike naturally seasoned wood the soaked material used by Stradivari had very open pores – a fact that would be critical in the application of chemical finishes allowing aqueous solutions to penetrate much deeper into the material. In addition, the soaked the wood guaranteed mellowness."

  There is more - with no woodworm damage evident, Nagyvary concluded that there must have been an insecticide in use.  He narrowed it down to borax, a natural polymer cross-linker.  Its application would make the wood tighter and harder and the sound more brilliant.  The brittle dried out gum from fruit gum trees worked as an antifungicide.  Mixed with crystaline powders, it created "a very shiny outer surface: extremely brilliant, very hard and very brittle."

  A fuller explanation of Nagyvary's work is here. A discussion of the implications of these findings for the art of violin making is found here.

  All of this is new to me, discovered since I stopped playing some 15 years ago. 

  I start Googling and following links.  

  I'm hooked. 

   

  pearlbamboo

  copyright    e.p. hodges 

   

  • 2:31 pm
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