Violin tone and violin makers

by Hidalgo Moya; Towry Piper

It has always seemed to me remarkable that dealers in old violins, especially instruments ranging in price from fifty to two hundred pounds, do not give some sort of tone guarantee; especially when the purchaser intends to use the violin for the production of musical sounds. Why should the player be asked to accept a document which does not guarantee the thing for which he is making the purchase, but something entirely different? As a curio the fiddle may be genuine enough, and as most of its value lies in the fact that it is a curio, it is only right that this part should be fully guaranteed. Tone, however, is the thing of most value to the player, and he should have for that equal protection against mistakes of judgment.

I have always, in common with all lovers of the fiddle, paid my ungrudging tribute to the masterpieces of past times, but if all old violins are really better in tone than some of the new ones, as some would have us believe, those who hold this opinion should not only be willing, but anxious, to back their view. If they have so much confidence in the tonal superiority of the old instrument, a tone guarantee could be issued that would challenge comparison with any new instrument. This would be more convincing than the present habit of simply saying that the tone is “grand,” or even that it is “magnificent,” as such expressions have no tangible value, and are allowed to a dealer just as poetic license is allowed to a poet.

The dealer could remedy this state of affairs, should he choose to do so. He could, for instance, issue a guarantee with old violins, other than those by the known great creators of tone, stating that the tone of the instrument is warranted superior, or even equal, to any new violin at the same, or a lower, purchase price. By some such means could the question as to whether the instrument is bought for its age or its tone be more clearly defined. If this cannot be done then let the dealer clearly intimate that the old violin is sold mainly as a curiosity and as such is fully guaranteed as to value. The present system by which some dealers (not all, be it understood) make their sales should be discouraged. Mere statements regarding tone, if not backed by a guarantee, are too elastic when issued as a verbal opinion. Even dealers are not infallible, being as prone to mistakes as the rest of us.

An independent expert in tone is sadly needed. Some of the most reputable of experts are not dealers at all; they do not buy or sell old fiddles, but, for a reasonable fee, will pass judgment upon the maker, age, and curio value of the instrument. Among them are many who are skilful performers on the violin, and, although tone is not the point of view from which they approach a valuation of the old violin, they are thoroughly competent judges of tone as well as of fiddles. They have a wide experience of fine old violins by the greatest makers, and an opinion from them as to tone could be relied upon with confidence. Troubled owners are constantly sending their old instruments to these experts for curio valuation and judgment and receive what they ask for. Why cannot one of these experts let it be known he will also impartially judge tone; that he will, from that standpoint, value any and all fiddles, new as well as old? I believe I express the wish of most tone-lovers when I ask for such an expert. The difficulties in the way are, of course, considerable, and (as usual!) would come from those receiving the most benefit. But I think my readers will agree that something should be done. For the sake of clearness, let me review the present situation.

At a rough estimate there are some fifty thousand genuine old violins in existence,[M] including a large number of clever forgeries of the old masters, most of which are also ancient. Of factory fiddles there is no end, and handmade new violins are numerous enough. All these instruments are accurately classified; the old and the old forgeries (or close copies) according to their makers, or, if the makers are unknown, according to their “school,” country, or age to which they belong. The imitation-old (save in the few cases where famous makers “aged” their violins), and the factory-made instruments are brushed aside by the experts as unworthy of notice. The hand-made new violin occupies a position so extraordinary that we may be pardoned a short digression in order to indicate more clearly the attitude assumed by experts towards the modern violin builder.

It is freely admitted by all makers and connoisseurs of the instrument that certain of the ancient makers developed the body of the violin to a standard of excellence beyond which no improvement is possible, as a base upon which may be built, regulated, and developed a grand tone. Now observe. If the modern maker employs any of these models he is an “imitator.” This term carries with it an air of reproach, indicating that the modern fiddle-maker is content to pose as a mere copyist and let tone take care of itself; a supposition very far from fact. On the other hand, should he try to avoid this reproach; should he endeavour to placate the captious, and, perhaps against his better judgment, devise a model upon original lines, he is again condemned, this time not without reason. In either case it is not tone which counts with the expert, but fiddle.

So far as tone is concerned, the player is left to his own devices. He has plenty of guides to the instrument, but none to tone. He may seek the advice of some fiddling friend who, being also without any guide or standard, expresses merely his own opinion. Should he fall back upon his own resources he cannot but hesitate. The new violin he views with suspicion. It is an “imitation,” so the experts have said, and who would have an imitation when the “genuine” is available! Should the tone of this “imitation” happen to be of exquisite quality, he is unconvinced. He is apt to think there is a mistake somewhere, or that his judgment is at fault. He will come at last to the “genuine” (or to the imitation) old instrument, in both of which he finds something tangible, something he can see. Here is something the experts have bothered themselves about; something with an ancient name and much history; something the mere possession of which is an inspiration! When all this is wedded to a grand tone he has, indeed, found a prize. But the tone is not always there. Often it is but a pale reflection of a former glory. In any case he has no guide to it, and usually accepts its visible and historical features and takes his chance on the tone.

With no existing Standard of Tone recognised by experts or dealers there is no violin, old or new, which the player can accept without question. Each, therefore, sets up a standard of his own, together with endless ways and means of “trying” a fiddle, in the process of which it is usually forgotten that a strange violin, even though it be a master instrument, will present (ofttimes in its most desirable tone-elements) an uncomfortable feeling when first tried, merely because these elements are foreign to the player’s idea of tone and “touch.” Dealers and experts are continually, and rightly, warning purchasers against any reliance upon their own judgment regarding the genuineness of a violin, but no one warns them against possible mistakes in tone. If they are not a judge of the one, why should they be considered a judge of the other? Nine players out of ten are not a judge of either, and are guided by the name, fame, or appearance of the instrument rather than by any confidence in their ability to judge tone for themselves.

Any really good player with a wide experience of all sorts of fiddles is a good judge of tone. The great soloists and those experts who are also players are excellent judges.[N] The thoroughly competent judge is one who regularly plays upon many violins, possessing tone of all sorts, and is specially informed and experienced with the tone of the masters. He is then equipped with what may be termed an “Average Standard” and not bound to any one type.

The worst possible judge of tone is the player whose experience extends to one violin only. Whatever the tone of this instrument may be, it certainly does not embrace all the virtues and faults of tone. Such as it has, however, it transmits to its owner, with the result that the violin to be tested is not judged on its merits, but according to its agreement with a preconceived notion. Again, violins are rarely alike in the arrangement of their equipment. The curvature of the bridge differs. The strings are spaced differently. The “stop” is not the same. It may also possess important tonal elements which, if not understood, may be ignored, or even condemned. It is partly for these reasons that players so seldom admit a strange violin is equal to their own. They are accustomed to their own violin and its tone. Its use has become second nature and, without meaning to be so, they are prejudiced in its favour. In the next chapter I indicate a method of testing tone.