Violins, not Violence

Recently, I've been getting back into playing the violin a bit more, and it's made me realize how much I miss the warm, golden tones of my instrument. It's truly a pleasure to play.

Back when I purchased it, I didn't have the greatest internet access to research my violin's origins, nor were there the most available resources out there to learn anything about it. I learned the most from my heavily accented German violin teacher.

Even in 1919, "Copy of Antonius Stradivarius" was common

My violin is a 1919 Ernst Reinhold Schmidt, crafted in the village of Markneukirchen (a town known only for the production of fine German concert violins). I am proud to only have been the third owner of this magnificent instrument, the previous owner having died of old age some time ago. The previous owner played a unique hybrid of Appalachian-Creole fiddle (how Herr Schmidt must have been rolling in his grave about that), and from what I have been told, he was pretty darn good at it.

I spent months trying to find the perfect violin, and from the first time I laid bow to this one, I knew it was the one for me. The first thing you'll notice about a string instrument built by a master of their art is how loud it is. Particularly so on older violins, since it wasn't until after the turn of the century that orchestra halls were big enough to need a particularly resonant instrument, and it took hundreds of years to figure out the fine technique of positioning bass bar to sound post, to bridge, etc.

After getting over the sheer volume of what was to become my violin, I noticed how warm the tone was. Many modern violins follow a path of bright, joyus, brilliant and clear tones. They lacked the deep, warm resonant notes that mine has. Don't get me wrong, she can still get up and do the tango, but it takes a special sort to also do the blues.

It's size is also perfectly suited to me, with a 36.5 cm back, and a 60 cm overall length, it's about a 9/8 size violin (if such a thing was ever officially made). Plenty of room for my fingers to stretch out on the fingerboard. It has taken me many places, in different orchestras, pit orchestras, pops orchestras, bluegrass bands, and a touch of jazz.

I'm still not able to learn the most about Ernst Reinhold Schmidt, or how many violins he made (I've seen some from as early as 1910, and as late as 1925, mine is #831), but they are definitely known for their quality. He also performed for 4 years as the principle violinist with my favorite Orchestra, the Boston Pops. He even conducted there for half a season, when Karl Muck (the conductor at the time) was controversially arrested backstage before a performance days after refusing to perform the Stars and Stripes (it was the height of World War I at the time).

Anyways, enough of that bit of history, and a slice of my life, I've got some playing to do. I'll leave you with this bit, from another Violin maker of the Markneukirchen valley:

Viel falsches nachgemacht  

Sich da an dort schleicht ein,  

Drum sieh mein Petschaft an  

Willst nicht betrogen seyn.