Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Changes in China
Living in New Zealand, we see lots of Asia people around.
Being violin makers and repairers, we see some Asia people (especially young) playing violin family instruments.
We also see, what happens in a musical instruments market - more and more of them is produced in China.
So, it was not a surprise, when I read article from 13/5/2005 'Shanghai Daily news':
She began playing the violin before she was four and has won awards all over the world. Now Hilary Hahn has added Shanghai to her crowded concert schedule, writes Michelle Qiao.
"The young Menuin is back" was the reaction of Shanghai music critic Li Yanhuan when he first heard the playing of American violinist Hilary Hahn -- over the telephone -- in 1997. But this Sunday, a Shanghai audience will be able to hear the Grammy Award-winning musician in person when she gives her first recital in the city.
"I thought she was just another ordinary, if beautiful, violinist when I saw her innocent face on her first album," says Li, who is also council member of Shanghai Symphonic Music Lovers' Association...
Hilary Hahn also maintains a busy concert schedule with appearances in front of orchestras worldwide. They include the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony and the New Jersey Symphony. She was named "America's best young classical musician" by Time magazine in 2001...
These words appeared in a China newspaper.
this article, along with other, shows that Western classical art (aspecially music) becomes more and more popular in Asian countries.
Dr. Ces Kul, violin maker
www.kulviolins.com
Being violin makers and repairers, we see some Asia people (especially young) playing violin family instruments.
We also see, what happens in a musical instruments market - more and more of them is produced in China.
So, it was not a surprise, when I read article from 13/5/2005 'Shanghai Daily news':
She began playing the violin before she was four and has won awards all over the world. Now Hilary Hahn has added Shanghai to her crowded concert schedule, writes Michelle Qiao.
"The young Menuin is back" was the reaction of Shanghai music critic Li Yanhuan when he first heard the playing of American violinist Hilary Hahn -- over the telephone -- in 1997. But this Sunday, a Shanghai audience will be able to hear the Grammy Award-winning musician in person when she gives her first recital in the city.
"I thought she was just another ordinary, if beautiful, violinist when I saw her innocent face on her first album," says Li, who is also council member of Shanghai Symphonic Music Lovers' Association...
Hilary Hahn also maintains a busy concert schedule with appearances in front of orchestras worldwide. They include the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony and the New Jersey Symphony. She was named "America's best young classical musician" by Time magazine in 2001...
These words appeared in a China newspaper.
this article, along with other, shows that Western classical art (aspecially music) becomes more and more popular in Asian countries.
Dr. Ces Kul, violin maker
www.kulviolins.com
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Answer my question, please
Lots of good staff can be found on internet. Really.
Would you like to get a qualified answer to a question:
All my life I have heard that Strads and Amatis are the benchmark in terms of "being the best." All the great players seem to have at least one of those makes in their possession. Are there modern instruments that are the equal (or even better) than the ones those old masters made in Cremona?
Interested in answer? You can found the answer (along with some other violin related) in an article Ask the Experts.
Exploring the violin world - newer ending journey.
Good luck for everybody travelling.
Dr. Ces Kul, violin maker
www.kulviolins.com
Would you like to get a qualified answer to a question:
All my life I have heard that Strads and Amatis are the benchmark in terms of "being the best." All the great players seem to have at least one of those makes in their possession. Are there modern instruments that are the equal (or even better) than the ones those old masters made in Cremona?
Interested in answer? You can found the answer (along with some other violin related) in an article Ask the Experts.
Exploring the violin world - newer ending journey.
Good luck for everybody travelling.
Dr. Ces Kul, violin maker
www.kulviolins.com
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Re: Stradivarius sound
Searching articles about Stradivarius violins, I found an abstract of an Colin Gough from School of Physics and Astronomy University of Birmingham article "Science and the Stradivarius" in a journal "Australian Acoustics" Vol. 28, No. 2 pp 57-64 (2000):
ABSTRACT: Stradivarius violins are among the most sought-after musical instruments in the world. But is there a secret that makes a Stradivarius sound so good, and can modern violins match the wonderful tonal quality of this great Italian instrument?
Almost seems to be understndable. The only detail I can not agree with is Stradivarius sound.
Sradivarius lived long life and made over 1000 instruments, mainly violins. It is well known that he extensively experimented, changed violin dimensions, mould etc - to create better sound.
So, is it possible to speak about the only Stradivarius sound?
More details and my point of view - in my article Stradivarius violin sound
Dr. Ces Kul, violin maker
www.kulviolins.com
ABSTRACT: Stradivarius violins are among the most sought-after musical instruments in the world. But is there a secret that makes a Stradivarius sound so good, and can modern violins match the wonderful tonal quality of this great Italian instrument?
Almost seems to be understndable. The only detail I can not agree with is Stradivarius sound.
Sradivarius lived long life and made over 1000 instruments, mainly violins. It is well known that he extensively experimented, changed violin dimensions, mould etc - to create better sound.
So, is it possible to speak about the only Stradivarius sound?
More details and my point of view - in my article Stradivarius violin sound
Dr. Ces Kul, violin maker
www.kulviolins.com
Monday, May 02, 2005
Good news? Bad news?
This morning (2 May 2005) I looked for news in a violin world and I was somewhat surprised. Please take a look at an article: China's cheap instruments hit chord. Factories turn out thousands of violins, pianos, guitars each month for Western markets
That's understandable - China market is booming. I can see and feel it very well, living in New Zealand - part of Australasia.
However, my question remains - can chinese factories produce top quality (fine) violins? To my knowledge, it is absolutely impossible to do that in factories - the only possibility remains workshop of experienced violin maker.
Though our family resides in New Zealand for only 18 months, Wy both (my wife Birute and I) sold 5 fine instruments - 1 viola and 4 violins - to Asian players. So, we can see again and again - quality is much more important than quantity.
So, my thinking remains the same - is is absolutely essential to create fine violins. We usually create around 6 instruments a year, but these are appreciated by professional players.
I was thinking a lot what 'fine violin' means. Details - in my article: Fine violin
Dr. Ces Kul, violin maker
www.kulviolins.com
That's understandable - China market is booming. I can see and feel it very well, living in New Zealand - part of Australasia.
However, my question remains - can chinese factories produce top quality (fine) violins? To my knowledge, it is absolutely impossible to do that in factories - the only possibility remains workshop of experienced violin maker.
Though our family resides in New Zealand for only 18 months, Wy both (my wife Birute and I) sold 5 fine instruments - 1 viola and 4 violins - to Asian players. So, we can see again and again - quality is much more important than quantity.
So, my thinking remains the same - is is absolutely essential to create fine violins. We usually create around 6 instruments a year, but these are appreciated by professional players.
I was thinking a lot what 'fine violin' means. Details - in my article: Fine violin
Dr. Ces Kul, violin maker
www.kulviolins.com
