I know what you mean... In the end they are still just violins. So I treat it the same as most good repairs... and REALLY clean up my workspace before I start... My favourite instrument I worked on was a beautiful Guarnerius Del Gesu from 1743... Guarneri always had a beautiful flow to his work that the almost perfect Stradivarius violins lack. I am also so surprised how often those high level instruments are actually not set up to sound their best. Just a couple of changes like an acoustically engineered bridge and putting the soundpost in the right place could really lift the tone. Even soloists sometimes don't know how much better their violins could be.
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker I love Hilary Hahn's story about getting some adjustments made to her second Vuillaume before she bought it because she had a hunch it would open up more (and it did)
@@Sarah-ll2rg I remember listening to one of Ms. Hahn's first live (recorded) performances on her new Vuillaume. I knew it would be a big adjustment seeing as the Strad design is far different to the Del Gesu design. Her Strad model Vuillaume squeaked like hell!!! But yes, it *has* calmed down. I'm glad she has choices for her violins.
Two "brothers" more than 300 years ago were sitting in the same workshop. 300 years later, after many trips and different hands and probably not "seeing" each other all these years they meet again in Australia. How cool is that?
Hearing the history of both Strads from a luthier who is a respected craftsman was a great video. I enjoyed you going over each violin and giving your expert eyes on the repairs pointed out things I might had not noticed. Thank you for your reaction, your knowledge and your videos.
I m not even a viololinist but ever since I have watched twoset, I find myself clicking on these type of content. And wow it's great to learn new stuff from people who are so knowledgeable and passionate about it. I wish I could learn your craft. Seems so amazing to be able to produce an instrument that will later be used to produce beautiful music and an outlet to human expression. Keep up your good work. Who knows some day when I m your age, I might get to see people going crazy about olaf violins. 🙌🙌
It's always astounding to be an outsider watching a master at their craft. The way that Olaf can read the history of the violins in scars I can't even detect is a true sign of his skill and experience. I am overjoyed for Bret and Eddy to have this opportunity. Watching their video, I was surprised at just how distinctly differently the two violins' voices sound. They really have a unique character to them in the same way that living beings do; like the voices of brothers. Your analysis and explanation here really shows what creates that character and Bret and Eddy show how to bring that character to life.
Olaf, this is a great video with thoughtful and insightful detail into these two wonderful and historic Strad's. Tarisio brought these two Strad's and a few other violins to the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles, in September. It was a unique opportunity to examine and play these instruments, especially for a mere mortal and amateur violinist as I am. My first impression upon holding the violins was awe and admiration, true historic works of art. In my humble opinion, I was deeply impressed by the stunning varnish of the Regent, and more so by its sound! Deep and round in the low registers. One of the concertmasters of the LAPHIL showed up that day, and after she played the Regent she said "this thing has a boombox inside!" The Empress Caterina is a fantastic violin, with a completely different voice than the Regent. I find it fascinating how two violins from the same maker, the same year, having distinct voices. Kudos to Tarisio for their viewing events and the unique opportunity to experience the instruments.
Thanks for making this reaction video Olaf!! Always can learn a lot from your videos!! It's great to hear a professional luthier talking about these two Strads in so much detail!
Love your videos Olaf! But a small comment: those double-blind tests didn't show that 'sometimes' people can't tell the difference between a Strad and a contemporary high-quality violin, but that they CONSISTENTLY cannot tell the difference. In other words, when statistical inferences are applied (as with all science) to allow for random variance, there is zero evidence that Strads 'sound better'. Furthermore, one of your previous videos actually informed me about why that might be -- I had no idea that older violins were often covered in those patches to mend and secure cracks, etc., which you explained compromises their tonal quality. With that in mind, I would already have hypothesized (before any empirical testing) that a modern, well-made violin would sound better (or at least as good) as a Strad, which is confirmed by the double-blind tests. edit: In other words, if I was a better violin player, I would take one of your gorgeous violins over a Strad any day! :D Also, I guess later in the video with your 'Elvis's guitar' analogy, you essentially make the same point, that the value of these instruments is not (really) based on their tonal quality.
I have a violin that was made more than a hundred years ago. I'm not a professional but play as often as is possible. I just had it to the luthier for new strings and he found 2 places where the seams were letting go. What a difference the repair and new strings made in how it sounds! Hearing about all the repairs on those two violins makes me appreciate mine even more. I have heard so often that cracks in the top plate or the back destroy the sound and value of a violin. I feel that either we have no real idea of how wonderful the straps were or we are quite wrong about how much good repairs damage violins. Thank you for this video. I know I don't have a stradivarius but I feel that I am more of a caretaker than an owner of my instrument.
Catherine the Great’s husband, Peter III, played the violin “pretty well,” we are told. That in itself was no reason for her to have had him strangled. She had plenty of other reasons.
Include non-players too! A bit like the TwoSet audience I imagine: mixed. They also have a lot of non-musician subscribers... and many of those later become musicians (like myself)... The variety of musicians prob encouraged by their producing vids with a wide appeal...
Would love to know how these two violins were transported. Did someone accompany them or were they just put in a box and sent by overnight delivery? Thanks for the wonderful videos!
I wonder if the piece will influence the selrction of which Strad Breet will use for the Mendelsohn. Both he and Eddy both like the feel of the Empress but also love the bold sound of the Consort/ Maybe after the concert you can ask why they chose the instrument. I am finding this so interesting.
You and twoset hade made me listen really careful to violins when I go to a concert. Despite being a crappy musician myself I always recognise difference in sound from different instruments. But now I listen so much more. I recently have been to a concert with Sokolov and another concert with Maria Duenas. And that was a big difference in sound. Without you.Brett and Eddie I would not have been so attentive. Thank you.
G’day Olaf, yes I am not a violin player but enjoy all of your works. I have both learnt to appreciate all; instruments, technical skill, playing, listening and the community. Thankyou all. 🤟🇦🇺☮️😎👍 Joel
I love it when Eddie cups his hands behind his ear listening to Brett play in the concert hall. If you've never done this yourself it makes a massive difference in the amount of sound information coming into your ears. This is so fun!
Great video, really interesting to hear about the history of these violins. It would be a quite nice topic for a series of videos; talk about the history and the characteristics of the violins played by the great masters
Thanks for the expert discussion of the role of winter and summer grain lines in a violin top plate. A lot of amateurs don't have a clue about how master makers choose tone wood. Btw, Catherine the Great was not Russian. She came from what is present-day Saxony and spoke Russian with a heavy German accent.
What’s a bushing? This was very informative, really enjoyed the video! I wished that twoset had told us a bit more about the history of the strads in their video, but I guess they were just leaving that job to you! 😂
A peg bushing is used when the pegs have worn through the walls of the pegbox and don’t sit properly anymore, so you drill the holes wider, fill them with the bushing material, then can re drill/reem the holes to appropriate size and position for the pegs.
Thanks so much for sharing the information about the Strads! I always learn a lot from your videos. Hope the Brett and Eddy do well at the concert; I'm looking forward to it, even though it will be 4:30am my time.
I think I have good news for you! If I'm not mistaken the live stream will be around 1:30 or 2:30pm in Europe (Singapore only being 8 hours ahead of us rn). Well, of course, that poses a whole set of other issues, like being at work or in school at that time. So don't really know which one ist better🙈
Thank you for this deep dive on the instruments! So interesting to learn more about the violins with the input of a professional. Schöne Grüße aus Köln! 👋
Thanks for the deep dive into the background and state of these instruments. I’m glad whenever his violins are used for concerts because since his name is a household word it just raises the interest and awareness. I love that even given their age these instruments still do an amazing job at their original purpose. That’s so rare for anything in our lives today.
This was interesting. Love that you mentioned the double blind tests on sounds of violins and how ppl really can't tell difference between them and moders. The superiority of the sound is a self-perpetuating myth
Thank you for making this reaction video from the perspective of a master violin maker. It really helped learning more about Stradivarius Violins. But I still have a little question about the tailpiece and the chin rest of the Regent, Superb. As you said it has the boxwood tailpiece and chin rest in this video. But I believe these are not the original chin rest when they receive it from their Ins story and also from their previous video visiting Tarisio in NY. It seems has black chin rest as well. I have a guess that this boxwood chin rest is THE chin rest from Brett's widenhouse violin. I am just very curious if it is common changing the chin rest by oneself to make it suits one better? (as I am only playing the piano not the violin) I would be very grateful if you could answer my questions. Have a nice rest of your day. 🥰
Thanks for sharing your expertise with us. I really enjoyed watching. I love 2set because of them I first learned of Janine Jansen and found classical music in my early 70’s. I now listen at least an hour every day. A whole new world has been opened for me. I love chamber music as well as full orchestra. I love Beethoven Op61 and have favorite conductors as well. All because of those two goofballs. ❤
I wonder how those two decided who got which violin. Does anyone know how Stradivarius' total instrument production was arrived at? Did he possibly keep detailed records that are extant?
Whoaaa... Glad you did a follow up, Olaf. What fascinating insights into the history and 'wear and tear' of these instruments. I didn't actually know about the strengths of the summer/winter grains and have been giving my own (rented) violin the once over. Mine has a single piece back. Is that better for sound quality without the join in the middle? Edit: And I'd never even have considered how the quality of steel of the tools would affect the making of violins!
Man, the stories these instruments could tell. Blows my mind that THE Catherine the Great owned that one. You make a good point about the value being tied to history... JB Vuillame made violins 150 after Stradivarius, which is a similar distance to Vuillame and now. Could be you next ,Olaf 😉
I am so happy for them, they deserve them so much. I am also quite sure, that they will be lend two Stradivarius violins for a longer period in future and that would be so amazing. Thanks Olaf for talking us through these two instruments, I enjoyed it very much. Could you explain, how violins, that have multiple repairs even on the topplate can still have a beautiful sound? I always wonder how this is possible. ❤
I'm so glad you showed us the close ups & pointed out repairs & cracks! It really shows how fragile they are. What are the black marks under the tailpiece on the Caterina? It looks like scratches. 10:44
Thank you for another entertaining and informative video. I found the obervation of instrument choice based on personality (e.g. introverts preferring deeper sonorous sounds, less projection) really interesting. As a non-string player (flautist), I'd never considered this connection but it definitely echoes the preference in instrument sound I developed while looking for my current instrument.
I was thinking about researching a bit of information/history of those Strads out of curiosity as soon as I was able and the next moment I find your video! It was really enjoyable. Thanks Olaf!
OK I'm going to shoot down a lot of misconceptions with Stradivarius violins: First of all, if Stradivarius were alive today, he would not recognize most any of his instruments if you handed him one today. This is not just because of the effects of aging... or the fact that they had been worked over by scores of master luthiers repairing them over the centuries.... Most of them have had their necks elongated in order to play higher up on the register. A new piece of wood has often been grafted at the base of the neck to completely change the scale length of the instrument...which of course changes the string tension and load on the violin. Combine this with the fact that strings have changed over the centuries from soft gut strings to metal, and you can hardly assume that Stradivarius was molding and shaping these instruments in any way to how they are being used today. So why do they sound so great? Some of this is a happy accident that his violins were overbuilt. When tastes changed to higher tension string loads and a longer scale length, his violins were able to shine. Also by being overbuilt, they were able to weather the ravages of time and were easier to repair. As wood ages and dries out, it definitely sounds better...but again this is something Strad as a maker had little to do with and couldn't have predicted. He was building violins in an effort for them to sound good NOW. He wasn't thinking about how they would age. I could go on and on. Some of this is definitely a bias and a healthy dosing of "The Emperor's New Clothes" ...but suffice it to say that centuries of master luthiers repairing and modifying these instruments has also played a role. Pick up a Strad today and you are holding an instrument built by a committee of master craftsmen....not just one man. It's interesting to not that in Stradivarius' time his violins weren't very popular. Perhaps they sounded dull and lifeless because they weren't built to sound great when new with gut strings. What violin was getting all the virtuoso players back in those days? A violin maker named "Stainer" was all the rage.
Great points. I should do a video about Jacobus Stainer... I have to say that Strad probably would recognise his and his workers work... Even after 300 years... Each instrument is different and to me they're like characters. Strad definitely knew his stuff and tuned his instrument just as Stainer and quite a few other makers did... But yes they've changed a lot over the years... That's why the Messiah violin is so interesting 🤔
No currently existing, playing Stradivarius still has its original neck on it. They were all made in the Baroque style, as that was the style of the time, and the necks on nearly all of them were replaced when the modern style back-angled neck came into fashion later, as a response to the increasing tension brought about by ever-higher reference tunings. (A-403 being standard in the Baroque period.)
I found your comment about the personality of the player matching that of the instrument interesting. Like your client, I’m an introverted cellist who prefers the darker, more reserved I instruments. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us 😊
I love the violin! I cannot play one, ( the only thing I can play is the radio,🤣), but to me it’s woodworking at its finest! I have restored several that had extreme damage done to them. Working on them has given me a greater respect for the luthier. Love your videos, please keep them coming. Brad
Aaaah!! Olaf! Your camera mount is wiggly and wobbly! It's making me motion sick!! But yes, those are two spectacular violins, and those two do a great job. Two set have a lot of fun.
@@AskOlaftheViolinmaker Oh, I know. I watch your videos and am in awe at your level of skill. Hey I just ran across this video. Look at the BOW this guy is using! It's really fun to see such an old style coming back ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-k6lmRD4FgKQ.html
@@dannymoonie3914 Is this a serious question? Motion sickness doesn't require that the individual be in motion. The camera is moving (at some points), which can trigger motion sickness in some people. Hence why some people can't play some video games, or can't use VR headsets. They may also have problems with movies, such as the Bourne series, due to the use of shaky cam.
Hi Olaf, thanks for making this video! It was great, seeing an analysis of these two instruments. I learned a lot. One thing I was wondering: the Superb had a grafted pegbox (which would be expected in an old instrument like this) but I didn't notice this in the Empress. Is the graft well hidden or was the entire neck replaced?
Thank you, Olaf. This has been another truly fascinating video. I am one of the non-string players subscribed to you (though my very first instrument was viola). I love getting all this insight on these beautiful instruments.
11:33 "Something weird happening here.." Are you sure it's not just an imperfection in the wood where perhaps a bit of water got into the tree? I've seen this on many fine violins. Yes, there's "bear claw" but also slight "warping of the grain in just a small spot". I don't think it's a repair. It just seems to be a natural anomaly. I could be wrong! It seems to be an odd choice to put unmatched grain into such a fine violin when repairing it though. Thoughts? Edit: I personally think it WAS there when he made it. Again, could be wrong. Strad was generally picking the best timbre based on sound and not always good looks. Although I *do* realise that it doesn't match the treble side - we would see the same "imperfection" on the treble side if the spruce did match and come from the same tree. A possibility that Strad used a different piece of spruce which perhaps matched the other tonewood tonally?
WOW! This is fascinating. I've never seen a Strad up close, but your keen eye I am getting a deep dive into what makes a Stradivarius such a wonderful and valued instrument. A++++ for all your knowledge and for sharing with us! Brett & Eddy got really fine instruments for sure! Thank you good sir! Bravo!
Ask Ibanez guitars where they get their curly maple. I had an electric guitar by them with curly maple neck. It was really nice maple. The Canucks have extra leftovers that's too big.
11:00 "Something's happened.." Hi Olaf, wouldn't this just be because they often didn't play with chinrests once upon a time? Most Strads have that. I think that would be worth mentioning.
Why is the grain (curl) running at a slight diagonal on the "back plate" of those violins? I've noticed this on a number of other violins. I'm looking for the technical reasons, if they are known.
"I find that introverts like..." ...hmm I wonder if he's gonna say darker or deeper, cause that's what I like "...darker or deeper sound" ....yep that checks out lol
I have a cheap Violin but don't play anymore...every time I watch one of your videos, I learn something new. Thank you for sharing Olaf. I just love looking at Violins. Cheers
I always wonder if this bright/sweet characteristic that is so noticeable in the video can be mostly attributed to the sound post positioning preference from a luthier/player that was responsible for the instrument than to an actually characteristic of the violin itself.
Hey Olaf. Have you read that an American Professor of Biochemistry named Dr. Joseph Nagyvary has come closer to cracking the secret of the Stradavarius sound? I hope we can crack it and standardize the sound of the Stradavarius sound across all of the major Luthiers of the world and enhance the sound of our symphonies!
