The secret of the unique sound of the Stradivarius violin is revealed

Antonio Stradivari and others treated their instruments with chemicals that gave them a unique sound. (CREDIT: Creative Commons)

A new study co-authored by a Texas A&M University scientist has confirmed that renowned violin maker Antonio Stradivari and others treated their instruments with chemicals that gave them their unique sound, and some of those chemicals have been identified for the first time.

Joseph Nagyvari, professor emeritus of biochemistry at Texas A&M University, who first proposed the theory that the chemicals used in making violins, and not so much the craftsmanship of making the instrument itself, was the reason Stradivari and others such as Guarneri del Gesú made tools. whose sound has been unrivaled for over 200 years.

An international team of scientists led by National Taiwan University Chemistry Professor Hwang-Chin Tai published their findings in the international journal Angewandte Chemie.

About 40 years ago at Texas A&M, Nagyvari was the first to prove a theory he had spent years researching: that the main cause of the pristine sound, in addition to high craftsmanship, was the chemicals that Stradivari and other manufacturers used to treat their instruments due to contamination. helminths at that time.

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“All my research over the years has been based on the assumption that the woods of the great masters were subjected to aggressive chemical treatments, and this played a direct role in creating the great sound of Stradivari and Guarneri,” said Nagyvari.

His findings were confirmed in a review by the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific organization.

The research team’s current findings show that borax, zinc, copper and alum – along with lime water – have been used to treat wood used in tools.

“Borax has a long history as a preservative going back to the ancient Egyptians, who used it for mummification and later as an insecticide,” Nagyvari said.

Materials used in the creation of the Stradivarius violin. (CREDIT: Development of materials for the soundboard of the Stradivari and Guarneri violin – Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

“The presence of these chemicals indicates a collaboration between violin makers, a local pharmacy and a pharmacist at the time. Both Stradivari and Guarneri would like to treat their violins to prevent worms from eating the wood, because worm infestation was very widespread at the time. that time.”

He said that each violin maker probably used his own homegrown woodworking methods.

“This new study shows that Stradivari and Guarneri had their own patented woodworking method that they could attach great importance to,” he said. “They could conclude that the special salts they impregnated the wood with also gave it some useful mechanical strength and acoustic benefits. These methods were kept secret. At that time there were no patents. the chemicals were impossible to guess from a visual inspection of the finished product.”

He said that the lacquer recipes were not a secret, because the lacquer itself is not the decisive factor in determining the quality of the tone. In contrast, the process of treating fresh spruce boards with various water-based chemicals is critical to the sound of the finished violin.

According to him, such knowledge was necessary to obtain a “competitive advantage” over other instrument manufacturers.

Nagyvari added that the team found that the chemicals used were found throughout and inside the wood, not just on its surface, and this directly affected the sound quality of the instruments.

Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737) made about 1,200 violins in his lifetime and only sold them to the very wealthy, including royalty. Today, about 600 Stradivari violins remain.

Stradivari’s lesser-known contemporary, Guarneri del Gesu, had trouble selling his work, but his instruments are now considered equal in quality and price to Stradivari violins.

“Their violins have been unmatched in sound and quality for 220 years now,” Nagyvari said, noting that today a Stradivari violin can cost $10 million, while a Guarneri violin can cost even more.

He said further research is needed to elucidate other details of how chemicals and wood provide pristine sound quality.

“Firstly, we need several dozen samples not only of Stradivari and Guarneri, but also of other masters of the Golden Period (1660-1750) of Cremona, Italy,” he said. “There is a need to establish cooperation between master restorers of ancient musical instruments, the best craftsmen of our time, and scientists who conduct experiments often at no cost in their spare time.”

Nagyvari has been a violin researcher for most of his 87 years. He first learned to play in Switzerland on an instrument that once belonged to Albert Einstein.

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Note. Materials provided by Texas A&M University. Content can be edited for style and length.

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