VIOLINS

My first consideration when making a violin is to choose a model which will produce the sound I am looking for, and which suits my style of working. I like an instrument to be not only free, responsive, and easy to play, but also interesting to listen to - an instrument you want to play. The instrument should speak easily and the sound should have character.

In some ways the violin can be seen as the ideal instrument, though viola and cello players might well disagree! There is relatively little variation in dimension between instruments, the overall size having remained the same for over 250 years and there are plenty of good instruments to use as models. Although I very much like instruments made by Andrea Guarneri, Ruggeri, and Pietro Guarneri, and in the past I have used them as models, they tend not to give the depth of sound I am looking for. The relatively narrow waist and steep archings, although visually interesting, give a sweet sound rather than a sound which you can dig into. I have a good Gofriller model and have made violins based on instruments made by Guisseppe Guarneri [del Gesu], usually the 'Politzer' of 1736, which I saw whilst on work experience at Hills, and the 'Soil' of 1734, which I worked on and measured when I was in Germany.

Most of my recent violins, however, have been copies of a violin made by the Venetian maker, Anselmo Belosio, a model which works extremely well. A recent example is played by Karin Leishmann of the Alberni Quartet. Another belongs to David Angel, of the Maggini Quartet, who wrote to me, 'Earlier this month I played a recital on it; easily the most I've ever enjoyed solo playing, partly owing to the confidence I had that the 'Castle' would come through, whatever the piano did.'