The Violin Shop

The Piedmont Region and its violin makers

2013-06-13T14:56:00.001-05:00

Here in America, we tend to think that we have the monopoly on the idea of 'the great melting pot.' When the rest of the world began their exodus to 'the new world,' New York became an amalgamation of peoples and cultures from everywhere else. We can not, however, lay claim to this phenomenon. In fact, the Piedmont region of Italy was a melting pot of nationalities and cultures long before this happened on our own soil.

The Piedmont region of Italy includes Turin at its hub, along with Alessandria, Alba, Cuneo, and Torre Pellice forming part of its perimeter. Geographically, it is part of Italy. Its proximity to France, Switzerland, and to some extent Austria, made it a prime spot for aggression from outside forces.

Originally, this region was ruled by the Duke of Savoy, who would later become the King of Sardinia. The reign of the Savoy dynasty had begun in 1562 and, during its time, had created a society that was home to some of the greatest musicians and orchestras there were. There were two court orchestras: the Capella Regia (the Royal Chapel Orchestra) and the Capella del Duomo (the Cathedral Chapel Orchestra). The Savoy sovereigns went in search of the finest and best musicians, brought them to their orchestras, and paid them handsomely. There was also a rich tradition of violin pedagogy, with a school headed by Giovanni Battista Somis, a student of Corelli. In fact, Somis would later be the connecting link between Turin and Paris, having tought Jean-Marie Leclair, who would go on to found the French violin school, bringing the Italian musical sensibility to France. (Interesting side note: After moving to Paris post break-up from his second wife, he died when he was stabbed in the back......this murder was unsolved..)


Giovanni Battista Somis

The culture of fine art was strong in the Piedmont. Giovanni Battista Guadagnini himself lived and worked there for the last 15 years of his life. It is said that this was his most creative period, with most of the instruments he made during this time being considered to be his best work. But the area itself was on the cusp of dramatic changes - socially, economically, and politically - and things were probably not easy for him. The sovereigns were becoming more and more ineffective, the people were suffering, and the economic climate was quite severe. In fact, the French Revolution in 1789 had caused a great deal of unrest in the region. The spirit of revolution had spread throughout Europe, but the Kingdom of Sardinia and Piedmont (its monarchs) remained firm in the belief that they would return to the old order of things. To this end, they allied with Austria and declared war on France, offering amnesty to any French national fleeing France for political reasons.

After much continued upheaval and war, France, in 1798, drove out the current monarch and took control. Then, in 1799, the French were driven out by the Austro-Russian military. Then, in 1800, the French returned and, after more difficulty and debate, finally annexed Piedmont to France (whew!). Thankfully, military action stopped at this point - but not before leaving the entire area in a dismal state. It was during this time especially, when the people had no money and not enough food, that the violin making (and, indeed, music making) trade stopped nearly entirely. There were still a few luthiers present, but the demand for violins had all but disappeared, and most were spending their time fixing up old instruments or crafting guitars.

www.FineViolins.com

Why a Frog? Why Are There Frogs on Bows?

2013-05-13T13:21:00.001-05:00

Written by Matt Lammers

It's one of those curiosities that disappeared with age and experience, one of those elephants in the room you asked about as a beginner, and your teacher shrugged it off with a puzzled expression telling you it wasn't worth losing sleep over. It became a part of your vocabulary and was never given a second thought, but in the back of your head you've always wondered: "Why on earth do we call this the frog?" Here at Fein Violins we embrace and resurrect our own childish curiosity and hope to relax the furled brows of confused, [used-to-be] young musicians everywhere.

The frog of a bow is a simple, yet intricate thing

Fein Violins Customer Comments and Reviews

2013-04-24T13:30:00.001-05:00

Here's our running blog with comments and reviews from our customers:

Andy Fein, Violin & Bow Maker, Fein Violins

Got the violin. It was set up very nicely. Lots and lots of extras with it. Very nice and thank you! It is easier for me to play the fast bluegrass songs. Big difference. It has the sound I was looking for. You all really knew what I was looking for. So nice. Thank you all! This is just incredible, I don't know what to say except thank you!

Francis

(A. Cremone violin outfit)

Thank you for your patience and time with all of my questions over these past few weeks! You are all truly amazing just as I have been reading from everyone you have helped. I am the financial secretary in an elementary school, and this year when the strings teacher started his kindergarten class I told him how I have always dreamed of playing the violin. I was invited to take lessons with the kindergarteners. Now in his absence I teach the class, very awesome. At 58 years old you can still learn new things. Thank you! It is a dream coming true!

Nancy

(D. Albert violin outfit)

Just wanted to let Fein Violins know that my mother called me to tell me that the package arrived safely at home! I'm excited to get home (thank goodness it's nearing the end of the day) and try it out for my practice time today! I can't explain how happy this makes me. Thank you so much for your help! I honestly cannot thank you enough! It's such a pleasure to be able to do business with people like you guys! It makes me wish I lived around that area and could be a regular customer!

Katherine

(Costa violin outfit)

Andy & Amy,
Thank you for everything. the violin is wonderful and so is your service. My son loves it and so does his instructor. She requested your contact info, so you'll probably hear from her.
Thank you,
Terry E.
(Costa violin outfit)

Dear Andy Fein,
My beautiful violin arrived on Wednesday as expected. I am overjoyed with it, and have played it at home and in public. Besides being a beautifully made instrument, it produces a clarity and warmth of tone which is most pleasing to me. I look forward to exploring all of it's potential, and am very glad that I bought a violin through your company. The craftsmanship, the care and the cooperation are all important. I have recommended you highly to several other musician friends.
Thank you so very much! I wish you light, love and laughter.
Emily
(D Albert violin outfit)

Let me say what a great pleasure it was to deal with the Fein company. Your knowledge of the instrument and your pleasing professional manner is a great credit to you and your profession. As for the violin, my wife still is in shock! The instrument you sold me is the finest she has ever played (Her words).
Once again, sincere thanks,
Bill L.
(Atelier Cremone violin outfit)

Dear Mr. Fein,
Thank you so much for the viola you sent to my son, Jason. Jason was amazed with the sound that came from this instrument. He played it for hours after receiving it and smiles broadly whenever he puts bow to string. He is very hard to please and we had other visits to luthiers lined up before this instrument came. My son played instruments that cost thousands, and they did not seem to have the sound that came from your instrument. We appreciate the time and effort you put into providing us with an instrument within our means that sounds this wonderful. This is an instrument that he will be proud to play for years to come.
Sincerely,
Steve B
(Atelier Cremone viola outfit)

Dear Andy,
I want to let you know that the new cello arrived at my home safely yesterday evening. The cello and bow are so beautiful and so much better than in photos. The sound comes out brightly and powerfully even right out of the shipping box. After just playing a few strokes, my daughter Jeanna said she loved it. She will surely enjoy them for many years to come. I really appreciate your effort to make our online shopping experiment for such a fragile and delicate musical instrument a wonderful experience. By doing so, you get loyal customers. My older daughter is talking about upgrading her full size violin from you some time later this year.
Zeyuan
(Atelier Cremone violin outfit)

Dear Mr. Fein and staff,
Thank you so much for the great cello! It is so pretty and I LOVE IT!!! The sound is so big and grand! Thank you for taking the time to make such a good cello for me! I would also like to thank you for the beautiful bow. It is so much easier to do spiccato! I am so grateful for all of your hard work. Even from Minnesota, you guys did your best to give me a good cello! Thank you so much!
Love,
Jeanna
(Atelier Cremone cello outfit)

Hi Diane n Andy,
Love the violin! It sounds like the music is coming from heaven when I play.
Len
(Costa violin outfit)

Why Scrolls?

2013-04-14T13:36:00.000-05:00

By Violin Maker Andy Fein, Fein Violins, Ltd.

Scroll of a Gasparo da Salo viola, Brescia circa 1609

In my role as a violin maker and shop owner, I often hear string players searching for an instrument say, "I don't really care what it looks like, I'm only interested in the sound." To which I usually reply, "If looks didn't count, we could paint them all black and use a square block for the scroll." Obviously, in violin family instruments, looks count. We're all interested in the color and beauty of the varnish, the beauty of the wood, and the artistic details such as the f holes, the arching, and the scroll. The scroll is the top part of the instrument with the completely useless detail of being shaped in expanding concentric circles. Yes, completely useless. A square block would work just as well. But a square block wouldn't look nearly as nice. Or have so much power in its beauty.

Scroll of an Andrea Amati violin, Cremona circa 1577

Why f Holes?

2013-04-06T22:10:00.002-05:00

f holes, The 'Harrison' Stradivarius circa 1693

By Andy Fein, Violin Maker & Owner, Fein Violins, Ltd.

It's pretty hard to miss the very distinctive feature of the violin family's sound holes. The f hole. They are almost like a violin maker's fingerprints. Very distinctive and a true sign of a maker's skill.

Stradivarius' f holes, The Royal Spanish violin circa 1700

But why f holes? There are many other sound hole patterns that would probably work as well.

The BEST Student Violins, Violas and Cellos

2013-03-16T22:07:00.000-05:00

Written by Andy Fein, Violin Maker, Fein Violins, Ltd.

I bet you thought you'd click on this blog post, find out that brand name YamaSuzEastKnilAmatPfretz was the best, and away you would go in ten seconds with all the information you would need for your star student to excel in strings. Sorry, not quite so fast.

Orch. Dork Vacation, Part 3. The Chi Mei Collection

2013-03-02T22:22:00.001-06:00

By Andy Fein, Violin Maker & Owner, Fein Violins, Ltd.

Where is the world's largest collection of violin family instruments? Not the U.S., not Europe, not China, not Japan. Tainan, Taiwan hosts The Chi Mei Museum, showcasing the instrument collection of stringed instrument lover extraordinaire Shi Wen-Long.

Shi Wen-Long with one of his beloved violins

Summertime's Coming - Music Camps and Festivals

2013-02-11T17:09:00.002-06:00

Written by: Amy Tobin, violinist and manager, Fein Violins

For a lot of people, summer is a time for lazing by the pool, taking it easy, and being away from all of the more 'intellectual' activities of school, study, or work. Even if you still work, there is something different about summer that makes you take things a little more easy and be a little more laid back.

For a lot of musicians, however, the summer can be a bit treacherous. When it comes to playing an instrument, taking 3 months off can be a real hinderance to progress, if not set you back a bit entirely. For that reason, many younger musicians tend to take advantage of the opportunity to focus entirely on their instrument, without having to split time between practicing and studying and the other things that can compete for time and attention.

If you are new to the idea of summer music camps or festivals, I am going to outline some of the different options for you. Some of these I have been to, some of these I have had other colleagues attend, and others I have only a passing knowledge of. It's certainly not an exhaustive list, but hopefully it will open you up for discovery of different options for the summer months. Whatever your interests, however, there should be something here to catch your eye!

1. Interlochen National Music Camp

Interlochen Music School's Kresge Auditorium

I have to start with Interlochen since it is so near and dear to me. I attended the summer program here for two years, and it was AMAZING! The program itself

Orch. Dork Vacations, Part II - Europe: Strads, Guarneris, Amatis, Oh My!

2013-01-06T10:21:00.001-06:00

Royal Spanish Stradivarius violin

Written by Andy Fein, Violin Maker, Fein Violins, Ltd.

The back of the 'Messiah' Stradivarius violin

If you think of anywhere in Europe associated with violins, you probably think of Cremona, Italy. You might assume that would be my recommendation for the first place to stop on our Orch Dork tour. But it's not.

Orch. Dork Vacations - Where to Travel to See Stradivaris, Guarneris & Amatis. Part 1- U.S.

2012-12-28T17:08:00.001-06:00

A violin by Nicola Amati, Cremona 1669, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Written by Andy Fein, Violin Maker, Fein Violins, Ltd.

For hundreds of years, the best violins makers have been making exquisite works of art, and Music Geeks around the world can fully appreciate every detail of these fine masterpieces. But where are the best places in the world for us Orch. Dorks to gather and learn more about the finest violins ever made? There are fantastic violin museums all over the world.

The first place I would recommend is the The National Music Museum in Vermillion, South Dakota.

A viola by Andrea Amati, made in Cremona circa 1560

Why Do Instruments Have Names?

2012-12-02T11:22:00.002-06:00

By Ben Schuneman with Andy Fein

Sometime in the year 1827, Luigi Tarisio acquired a violin from the late Count Cozio di Salabue and added it to his private collection. Both men were avid collectors of prized violins, and Salabue was well known for buying a large quantity of Stradivarius instruments.

The back of 'The Messiah' 1716 Stradivarius violin

In fact, the instrument was in such good repair and such high quality, that Tarisio would refuse to bring it out of his collection to show anyone, and instead just preferred to boast about it whenever given the chance. In fact, Tarisio was so well known for this perplexing habit, and he played the game for so long, that the famous French violinist Delphin Alard had joked, "Your violin is like the Messiah...One always waits for him, but he never appears!"

Stanley Steamers, X-Rays, and Violins! Huh?

2012-11-21T11:38:00.001-06:00

Written by Andy Fein and Kevin Berdine

A long time ago, an elderly woman brought in a violin she wanted to sell. Like many old violins, this one had a story. When she was a girl, her family had owned movie theaters during the silent movie era. They hired musicians to play music during the movie. One musician, a violinist, stayed with her family until about 1933. One day in 1933, he just disappeared. He took almost all his belongings, but he left this violin under his bed. Since that day, no one had played the violin. I opened up the case and there was a beautifully made violin with a wonderful varnish. It was made by F.O. Stanley in Newton, Massachusetts in the year 1889. The top was made from Spruce that looked very similar to Spruce on Cremonese instruments from the same era. The Maple on the back, though, reminded me of European Maple I had seen on the dashboard of an early automobile, a "Stanley Steamer". Strange, but this is a strange business.

A Stanley Steamer Automobile

Kreutzer (?) Sonata: An Inspirational Work

2012-11-17T21:47:00.000-06:00

Written by Andy Fein and Kevin Berdine

The birthday of the great French violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer is on November 15. This year, his birthday inspired a discussion in the shop about the Kreutzer Sonata, The Kreutzer Sonata, The Kreutzer Sonata, the Kreutzer Sonata, and a few more 'Kreutzer Sonata's. Of course, we mean, the sonata, the novella, the painting, the string quartet, a ballet, and several movies and plays. Too bad Rodolphe Kreutzer never played Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata.

Title Bout: Guarneri del Gesu versus Stradivari. Which is Best?

2012-11-13T17:04:00.000-06:00

Written by Kevin Berdine, with Andy Fein

Be careful what you ask for. This morning, while taking photos (to send to a customer) of an Atelier Cremone del Gesu model, I asked Andy "what's the difference between the models of del Gesu and Stradivari?" And, in Andy's usual fashion he exclaimed "Great idea! You have figured out your next blog posting!" Then he showed me some resources and sent me on my way.

1703 "Lady Harmsworth" Stradivari

1743 "Il Cannone" Guarneri del Gesu

The violins of del Gesu and Stradivari are at the utmost pinnacle of violin making. Each innovated violin making and broke away from the highly arched traditional forms of Stainer and Amati. Interestingly, however, the strides that both makers achieved were completely different from one another. Stradivari is known to have executed his violins with extreme physical elegance. Because of their extreme beauty, Stradivari's violins were immediately sought out by the courts and nobility of Europe. A Desiderio Arisi manuscript, written in 1720, lists many nobility, from princes and dukes, among those who purchased instruments from Stradivari. In contrast, del Gesu's instruments were rougher and much more unique. Each instrument left the shop with a much more adventurous design. Although rougher in design and workmanship, his instruments yielded a wonderful tonal palette that was both beautiful and powerful. His instruments, unlike Stradivari, were used by the the common musician who required a great sound without the high price tag.

Beethoven and Bonaparte. The Eroica Was Almost the Bonaparte

2012-11-11T11:26:00.001-06:00

Written by: Andy Fein and Kevin Berdine

What does a cantankerous musical genius and a man of short stature with plans of taking over the whole of Europe have in common?

Can't kick the tires of a violin-What to look for when buying an instrument.

2012-10-29T17:35:00.000-05:00

Written by Kevin Berdine, Andy Fein, and Amy Tobin

Looking for a "new-to-you" instrument is a daunting, but exciting task. There are many items that must be factored in before taking the leap. Cost, quality, warranty, trade-in, condition, and playability all contribute to the overall impression an instrument makes upon you, but we believe the most important factor has to be sound. Sometimes, however, cost is a very important limitation. Below, I delve into cost's contributing factors.

Many things contribute to the cost of an instrument; maker's reputation, wood quality, workmanship, condition, location, and yes, even appearance.

All in the Family

2012-10-26T16:37:00.002-05:00

Written by Andy Fein and Kevin Berdine

Yo Yo Ma, in PBS's Face of America with Henry Louis Gates, states "It takes three generations to make a musician: the first to leave poverty, the second to go to school, and the third to master an instrument." This quote inspired us to delve into musician families and to see just how many famous musicians have become successful, in some part, due to their upbringing. The results are a wonderful testament to the power of family.

What viola do they play?

2012-10-19T13:49:00.000-05:00

Written by Andy Fein and Kevin Berdine

When you hear a violist, ever wonder "what viola are they playing?" We have compiled a small list of violas that famous musicians have played or continue to play.

Violists

William Primrose

1735 Nicolo Gagliano Violin
"ex-Primrose" Amati, now played by Roberto Diaz

1697 "ex-Lord Harrington" Guarneri, now called "ex-Primrose"

1950 William Moennig Jr. now played by Peter Pas

Violin Making in Germany

2012-10-10T18:49:00.000-05:00

Written by: Kevin Berdine and Andy Fein

Lion's Head Scroll Carving by Jacobus Stainer, 1674

German violin making all began in Fussen, Germany. The German school of violin making, however, managed to infiltrate all areas of Europe: George Epp, the Hollmayrs, and the Fichtls took on Vienna, Andreas Ott and Bathasar Kogl were the founders of the the Prague cohort, Caspar Tieffenbrucker introduced violin making to Lyon, and Naples was home to Georgio Bairhoff and Eberle, while Michael Platner and David Tecchler lived and worked in Rome. The most famous of all German makers, to this day, remains Jacobus Stainer. His instruments became the model of excellence before Stradivari's instruments became the ultimate.

Maestro Rodolfo Cazares - Kidnapped

2012-10-06T23:36:00.000-05:00

Written by Andy Fein & Kevin Berdine

Maestro Rodolfo Cazares

In the sophisticated world of classical music, we often feel immune to the chaos and violence that grips much of our world. Unfortunately, no one is immune to the violence and brutality of the gangs and organized crime of northern Mexico. A member of our musical world, Maestro Rodolfo Cazares was kidnapped more than one year ago and is still being held for ransom.

What Violin Are They Playing? Is That A Strad?

2012-10-02T17:20:00.000-05:00

Written by: Andy Fein & Kevin Berdine

When you hear a great performer, do you ever wonder, "What violin are they playing? Is that a Strad?" A common assumption is that all violin soloists are playing on the violins of Antonius Stradivarius. Many are, but not all.

Then there are those lucky few that own and play on more than one great instrument. Two Stradivaris or a Stradivarius and a Guarnerius. Hmm, what should I play tonight?

Violinists

Anne Sophie Mutter

1710 Lord Dunn-Raven Stradivari

Playing the 1703 Emiliani Stradivarius

What Cello Are They Playing? Is That A Strad?

2012-09-28T15:00:00.000-05:00

Written by: Andy Fein & Kevin Berdine

When you hear a great performer, ever wonder "What instrument are they playing? Is it a Strad?"

If you hear a great solist on violin, chances are good that they will be playing on a Stradivarius or a Guarnerius del Gesu. Not so much with great cellists. Sadly, the great Guarnerius del Gesu never made a cello. And many of Stradivarius' cellos, particularly the cellos he made before 1700, were very large and not particularly well suited to the demands of a modern soloist. All but two of those large pattern Stradivarius cellos have been "cut down" and reworked into easier playing modern instruments. Luckily, two great Venetians, Montagnana and Gofriller, made great cellos that meet the demands of today's great cellists.

Here is a list of some wonderful cellists and the instruments they play.

Cellists:

Yo Yo Ma

1733 Domenico Montagnana-Nicknamed "Petunia" by a student in Salt lake City, Utah.

1712 Antonio Stradivari, "Davidoff"-formerly Jacqueline du Pre's cello

1722 Gofriller-Being played by Valentin Erben
1673 "ex-du Pre/ex-Harrell" Stradivari

Orchestral Etiquette -- An Uphill Battle Worth Fighting

2012-08-28T17:47:00.000-05:00

Written by: Matt Lammers

Having spent a summer and nine orchestral performances with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra this year, I was dropped headfirst into a culture of high standards and professional level playing. Eager to study orchestral playing technique and musicianship, I was not expecting to make any modifications to how I went about acting during and around rehearsals on a non-musical level. This, however, can come between a job and unemployment for even the most competent orchestral players. Getting on the wrong person's nerves--or your entire section for that matter--may have devastating consequences when tenure, or being hired in the first place, is on the line, and in a festival situation it can be what separates you from being an asset to the ensemble and the object of collective hatred. It seems to me that this is something worth paying attention to.

While a great deal of the do's and don't's are either intuitive or were told to us as we sat down in elementary school string orchestra, many of them require experience and the inside line to recognize, and are generally unnoticeable to the outsider. It would be an oversight to not mention these that are seemingly obvious, so here we go: don't eat during rehearsal, don't talk back to your conductor or principal, don't smell bad, know your part, don't talk during rehearsal, be on time (EARLY) to rehearsal, and turn the pages on time. With that out of the way it's time to dive into the finer points of playing in an orchestra that I noticed during my time with the faculty of the BMCO.

The Parker Quartet. Playing Their Hearts Out!

2012-08-12T13:32:00.001-05:00

Written by: Andy Fein & Ben Schuneman

3/4 of The Parker Quartet with their GRAMMYs

GRAMMY! A fair number of people are nominated for GRAMMYs. Not that many people win one. Even fewer GRAMMY winners are from or are based in Minnesota. (Well, OK, Bob Dylan has a few under his belt.) In Classical Music, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra was awarded a GRAMMY in 1980. And in 2011, the dynamic Parker Quartet was awarded the GRAMMY for Best Chamber Music Performance!

Archetier, or in England-Bowmaker

2012-08-05T17:43:00.000-05:00

Written by: Andy Fein

Predecessor to Cramer and Tourte Bows

The English have as old a love for stringed instruments as anyone else in Europe. English musicians have patronized and cultivated some of the finest violin and bow makers the world has seen. We previously looked at Early English Violin Makers. But without bows, these fine stringed instruments would just be plucked!

c.1800 School of Dodd Ivory Mounted Cello Bow