Word: violinistic
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...Every violinist knows what a Stradivarius or a Guarnerius is, knows that these famed fiddles made in Cremona more than 200 years ago are considered the best in the world. Supposedly unrecapturable is the secret of the Cremona makers-whether it was construction, shape, wood or varnish. Professor Frederick Albert Saunders, Harvard physicist, has long been making a scientific analysis of the tone quality and playing performance of Stradivarius and Guarnerius violins in comparison with the best modern instruments. Last week, in the Journal of the Franklin Institute, he published his findings...
With a harmonic analyzer Dr. Saunders dissected the tones of old and new violins, plotted their ups & downs on a graph. These indicated that there was practically no difference between the tone quality of a Strad or Guarnerius and of a fine new instrument. The scientist then had a violinist play a Strad and two new violins behind a screen, asking an audience-many of whom were musically erudite-to tell which was which. Only about a third guessed right, and this number would be expected to guess correctly oft the basis of pure chance...
Many a music student or musical amateur has itched to play a part in a fine symphony orchestra or string quartet. To give such amateurs a chance to play in professional company, a Viennese violinist named Fritz Rothschild four years ago invented a new kind of phonograph record. With other able professionals, Rothschild recorded standard classical quartets and sonatas. Each record was made with one part missing. For violinists he made a violinless quartet, for cello players a cello-less one. By playing one of these records, the lone amateur violinist or cellist could dub in his part as best...
Meanwhile, on a visit to the U. S., Violinist Rothschild sold the idea, and a number of his old recordings, to Columbia. Columbia repressed some of the old Rothschild discs, made some new ones, last week issued a catalogue of "Add-a-Part" records, including pianoless and violinless sonatas for violin and piano, celloless and violaless string quartets. Columbia officials were bullish on their venture, foresaw Krupaless and Goodmanless hot records, possibly sololess "Sweet Adeline's" for lonely drinkers...
...lagging post from somewhere in France, Violinist Yehudi Menuhin last week got a fan letter from the Western Front. "Now that our life, which can be taken away at every instant, has become more sharpened," wrote a soldier in striving English, "I want to say my admiration for the ones who have enjoyed my civil time...