V.com weekend vote: Who is older, you, or your violin?
The older the violin, the sweeter the sound.
It's an old proverb, often said to help older people feel better - but there is truth in it - for both instruments and people!
Of course, there are many sweet-sounding new violins (and sweet young people!), but the point here is that age is not something that is a deal-breaker for violins and other stringed instruments. Even a new violin starts to sound better after it's been "played in" - the vibrations from all that music tend to bring out and enhance the instrument's natural resonance.
Thinking about age and violins brought me to an interesting question: How many of us our playing on instruments that are "older" than us, and how many are playing on instruments that are "younger" than us?
The instrument I play most often is an Italian fiddle that is some 200+ years older than me - the exact date is not known. Of all my instruments, this violin certainly has the sweetest voice! But I do have other instruments. I inherited an attic violin from my grandmother, and while its label gives it an unlikely maker and date ("Stradivarius, 1721"!) it is a German factory violin that is about 150 years old. And then, there are the youngsters. My Hiroshi Kono violin was made this century, in 2010. It is actually younger than both of my children! Likewise, I have an even younger fiddle, my Yamaha Electric Violin, vintage 2017.
For the vote, I'd like you to concentrate on your main instrument - the one that you play most often. But then please feel free to add more, in the comments, about any other instruments that you might own. And of course, you are welcome to vote if you play viola, cello or bass!
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Replies
I am older than 3 of my violins (2004, 2019 Robert Zielinski, Perth, 2024, Paul Davies, Spur Violins, Melbourne), and younger than 1 (~1715, maker unknown and restored as a Baroque violin by Andre Ozturk, Perth). The one pictured in my profile is the 2004 Christian Pedersen from Robertson & Sons, Albuquerque.
I'm less than 10 years younger than my violin (made in 1995), but older than my viola (made in 2021). I voted based on my violin, not my viola, because this is a violin website, even though I'm functionally about equally both a violinist and violist (though violin and piano was what I took lessons on, not viola).
I'm older than both my violin (2006) and my viola (2013).
There are three things in my apartment that are older than me, and they include both my viola (1979) and my violin (early 1950s).
The other thing that's older than me is my half-century-old toaster oven.
I am older than my violin. When I was in college, my violin teacher was Myron Kartman (a wonderful teacher and violinist, now long retired). He had a wonderful Guarnerius. A friend of his was the violin maker William Walls. Walls made a copy of the Guarnerius, and I got a chance to play it a few times, and it was terrific. And I got the second Guarnerius copy in 1964, when I graduated from college, And I've had that violin to this day.
My primary instrument, built in 1869, is now 155 years old - WAY older than I am. The second and third fiddles, built in 1883 and 1921, have likewise been around far longer than I have. I trace my preference for older instruments to my first teacher. Her early 19th century instrument had a dark viola-type sound that made an immediate and lasting impression on me. With the right string combos, I can get that kind of sound with my 1869 and 1883 fiddles.
I recently switched from a 1997 Italian violin to an English violin 200 years older - definitely sweeter although lacking a certain penetrative power.
My main violin is 109 years older than me, It was made in 1850 by Jules Grandjon in Mirecourt Paris. It won the Silver medal at the Paris of 1855 ( I believe). My second Violin was made in 2016 by myself.
Like Laurie and many others, the violin I am currently guardian for came out of one of those German violin factories in the mid to late 1800's. It made its way to the USA via my wife's great grandfather. I found it in my mother-in-law's attic had it restored and also allowed Richard Menzel to "Tune the Plates." So, it is a lot older than me and has a predictable future beyond my guardianship.
Interestingly both my violin and viola were made in the same year - 1976.
192_ Roth
Next year my Garimberti will be 100.Ive owned it since 1996 and have aged along with it.Its been a good run for both of us andI look forward to handing it to the next generation soon
I'm sorry, I just don't buy the vibrations/playing in idea. Been disproved many times.
In any case, 2 of my main instruments give totally opposite answers to the poll: one is from 2012, and one is from 1739. Guess which one is clearly better, not withstanding price or quality of craftsmanship, wood etc.?
My current instruments are older than me, but during my teens my father had a "Tertis" model viola made for me by Ernest Nunn. I think it was pretty good, I learned the Elgar and could get its high notes on it - When I went to Uni, he took it over and lent me his "Gagliano". When he could no longer handle it, it was sold to one of one of his either actual or adopted pupils.
I currently have more than a dozen violins ranging in age from less than a year to about 100 years. My overall favorite especially for solo concert work is one of my four Wang Zhiguo violins. It’s a couple of years old so it’s safe to say that it’s a bit (ok, a lot!) younger than me.
So how old am I? Well, I don’t want to say exactly but I’ll give this hint: when I began music lessons as a child, I had to start on a gamba - because the violin hadn’t been invented yet! :-D
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July 21, 2024 at 09:52 PM · My violin was born in 2006 so I'm slightly (waaaaay) older.