Stradivarius violins produce elegant music with a level of clarity that is unparalleled by modern instruments, according to some musicians. And it's the finishing touches—mysterious treatments applied hundreds of years ...
Dendrochronologists, Paolo Cherubini with the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, has published a Perspective piece in the journal Science outlining the use of dendrochronology to determine the ...
Physics researchers at the University of Bath in the UK discover a new physical effect relating to the interactions between light and twisted materials—an effect that is likely to have implications for emerging new nanotechnologies ...
New research 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 produced their unique sound, and several of ...
Music historians have long suspected that the inventors of the violin wanted to imitate the human voice, and a study out Monday shows how 16th to 18th century luthiers in Italy did it.
Despite the lofty reputation of old violins by Italian masters such as Antonio Stradivari, blindfolded listeners in concert halls in New York and Paris say they preferred the sound of newer instruments.
Stradivarius violins are renowned for their supposedly superior sound when compared to other instruments. This has resulted in numerous studies hunting for a scientific reason for why Strads sound so good. A number of these ...
Varnishes protect works of art and wooden instruments from environmental damage. However, until recently, little research had been carried out into the effects of varnish on the sound of violins. Empa researchers have now ...
What could the natural diversity and beauty of plant leaves have in common with one of mankind's greatest creative inventions, the violin? Much more than you might imagine.
A new study, by Marco Malagodi from the Università degli Studi di Pavia in Italy and colleagues, uses a range of analytical methods to identify the techniques used by violin master Antonio Stradivari in the 17th century, ...
