New CD release

June 12, 2006 at 01:45 AM · Rosin....Violinists breathe it in as they practice. It enters the bloodstream and passes the blood/brain barrier. It builds up in ever increasing concentrations over years of practicing. It alters the structure and functioning of the brain, causing a medical condition known as VBS, Violinist's Brain Syndrome. The symptoms: Mishegas, or in layman's terms, eccentric behavior.

But there is hope for the victims of VBS........If you buy my CD at:

Steiner CD

I shall donate 10% of the profits to the VBS Foundation.

Replies (5)

Jim W. Miller

June 12, 2006 at 09:57 AM · I see you taught at Eastman from 1972 to 1992. That is during the period I was rejected. Nice playing on your CD, but then what do I know :)

Oliver Steiner

June 12, 2006 at 04:33 PM · I forgot to mention that the selection of strings which I use (presently and also on the CD) may be of interest to violinists here:

Thick Eudoxa wound gut G, thick uncovered gut D & A, Wondertone Solo medium E. This is a setup which was typical of the early twentieth century, but I don't use it because it is of that era, I use it because in my experimenting with strings over the years, I find it by far the most pleasing to me.

It would take some getting used to if one is switching from synthetic strings. The art of bowing gut strings is more demanding of the player (especially regarding accuracy of contact point), more based on awareness of the string's inertia, both in setting it into motion and in sensitively "escorting" it out of motion. I find the sonority to be richer in complex overtones, more projecting, and more resembling the ideal model of violin tone: the human voice. Even more than the quality of tone, the enormous possibilities for expressive nuance, is what draws me to gut strings.