Violin Forum/Message Board

[CT Dolan]

Out of curiosity, I have a 2-part question:

1. One thing I have noticed in the outline of the violins of del Gesu is a consisent asymmetry in the c-bout, and by consistent I mean the same asymmetric condition in a number of instruments. Have others noticed the same?

2. Which leads to my next question, did del Gesu use a common form throughout his career, or did his form vary? If so, how many different forms might he have had?

The instruments of del Gesu I have seen seem quite similar, at least much more so than those of Stradvari, but I lack measurements for almost all of the instruments for which I have photographs. Therefore, I am only able to view the outlines of the instruments of del Gesu, hence the reason for my questions.

Thanks!

[Michael Darnton]

There's no way to really tell, but I get the feeling from working with the outline that you can bend the ribs made off of one single form into any of the violins he made.

[CT Dolan]

Thank you. Your reply leads to a further question, but I'm running a bit behind this morning so I'll have to ask it later!

[CT Dolan]

So my question was, did del Gesu (and his contemporaries, perhaps) make up ribset/neck assemblies ahead of time, in quantity, and later join top and bottom plates to these assemblies? If so, might this teach us something about the nature of how they approached the making of plates (the shaping, thicknessing and tuning of such), having made both the top and bottom plates prior to joining them to the ribs?

All of this leads me toward a thought (or theory, perhaps) of mine that I am unable to articulate in a satisfactory manner, but is something I like to refer to as "dissonance of the plates". In better and seemingly more powerful violins (especially those of del Gesu), there appears to be a peculiar characteristic or trait to their sound, as if there is a dissonance, as if the top and bottom plates are not in full accord with one another and are rather made so as to be in disagreement to a certain extent (for lack of a better explanation). And, while I know my explanation is filled with ambiguiity, has anyone else had a similar thought, or written of a similar concept?

[violinarius]

[CT Dolan]

Maybe, or maybe he just made a dozen or so ahead of time, as his more productive contemporaries may have. Frankly, I am not aware of del Gesu's output - from year to year or in total, nor with regard to the level of consistency in his output from year to year.

[byacey]