[討論] What Exalts Stradivarius? Not Varnish, Study Says

In a finding that is sure to add to one of the longest-running debates in music, a detailed analysis of the varnish on five instruments made by Antonio Stradivari reveals that he coated the wood with a rather humdrum mix of oil and resin. Those looking to the varnish as⋯⋯ the secret to the master Italian violin maker’s renown, the study suggests, had best look elsewhere.

“It’s a very basic recipe,” said Jean-Philippe Échard, a chemist at the Musée de la Musique in Paris, who, with other researchers in France and Germany, analyzed tiny samples of wood and varnish from the museum’s Stradivarius collection, four violins and a viola d’amore dating from 1692 to 1724.Their study, published online on Thursday by a German chemistry journal, Angewandte Chemie International Edition, found that a drying oil, linseed or walnut, was used as a first coat to seal the wood. That was followed by a coat of oil and pine, fir or larch resin, with red pigments added in all but the earliest instrument. The recipe was probably little different from that used by others in the town of Cremona. “The ingredients were simple, so probably the skill was in his hand and eye,” Mr. Échard said.In the centuries since Stradivari’s death, musicians, critics and luthiers — makers of stringed instruments — have debated what gives many of his 600 known instruments their brilliant tone. Perhaps it was the wood he used or the patterns he developed, which are widely copied today.

Or perhaps, some suggested, there was a secret ingredient in his varnish — egg or animal-hide proteins in the base coat, and amber, myrrh or some other more exotic substance in the top coat — that stiffened the wood just so.Earlier studies had found traces of minerals and proteins in the wood, fueling the debate. One group found evidence of volcanic ash; another suggested that bacteria or fungi played a role.In a study published in the spring in The Strad magazine, Stewart Pollens, a former conservator of musical instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, found evidence of proteins and gums, although, like the European group, he suggested the varnish was largely oil and resin.But studies of Stradivari’s varnish have been hampered by the lack of samples, which is understandable given the rarity, and value, of the instruments. Most researchers have relied on a single sample, or on surface measurements of an intact instrument, although Mr. Pollens’s studies included three samples of wood taken from instruments that were restored. Joseph Nagyvary, a retired professor at Texas A&M University who created an outcry several decades ago when he suggested that there were minerals in the varnish of old Italian instruments, used samples from cellos by other makers.

“We never had the privilege of getting a sample from a Strad,” he said. “I tried that for 30 years and got nothing but insults.”Dr. Nagyvary, who has experimented with varnishes of his own, using ingredients like shrimp shells to add protein, said the new findings were “something of great interest.”“We have to take them seriously, but there are many other claims,” he said.Mr. Échard’s group had access to the museum’s collection, but even so it took days to decide where on each instrument to take its samples. Often this was from an area under the tailpiece, which was both unobtrusive and less likely to have been retouched.“What we are sure is that what we have sampled from the violin are the best representative samples from Stradivari’s technique,” Mr. Échard said. “If we’ve missed things, it’s maybe because they are not there anymore, or they’ve never been there.”Douglas Cox, a violin maker in West Brattleboro, Vt., said he was not surprised by the findings. “The simplest explanation is most likely to be true,” he said. The recipe “is not all that different from varnishes found on fine furniture from the same area.”Mr. Échard said Stradivari took a painterly approach to finishing his instruments. The pigmented top coat, he said, may have been applied much the way Rembrandt or Titian applied glazes to soften flesh tones.Perhaps that, Mr. Échard suggested half-jokingly, is what makes some of Stradivari’s violins special.“Maybe a player, when seeing a beautiful instrument, he plays better,” he said. “Maybe this is the secret.”

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/ChiangLung

文章出處？


這一篇應該是講*漆*

NYTimes.com

一個絕對該被加在音樂領域中所謂的＂長久爭議＂裡的新發現，在Antonio Stradivari所製作的五支樂器上的漆被拿來做了個仔細的分析後，結果顯示出他所塗制過的木頭上面所用的不過是十分簡單的油與樹脂的混合物。而那些把頭栽進漆的研究中－把它當作秘密在看的那些義大利知名的小提琴制琴者，從這個研究看來，他們最好轉移目標了。
＂這是個十分簡單的配方＂Jean-Phillippe Échard說，一位在法國的Musée de la Musique的化學家，和其他在法國和德國的研究員，從博物館中Stradivarius收藏品裡，在１６９２年到１７２４年時期的四把小提琴還有一個中提琴d’amore 所得到的十分微小的一個微小的木頭樣品中，他們做了分析。他們的發現在星期四於德國一個化學雜誌的網站上發表了，Angewandte Chemie International Edition，發現乾掉的油、亞麻子或胡桃被用來當作封住木頭的第一層。接下來是油跟松木、冷杉或是落葉松的樹脂，除了最早的樂器之外，幾乎都加上了紅色的顏料。這個配方可能跟其他在克雷莫納的小鎮所使用的不太一樣，＂這些材料十分簡單，所以大概那個技術是在於他的手跟眼睛。＂，Mr. Échard說。
在Stradivari死後的幾世紀，音樂家們、評論家們還有修琴與制琴者辯論著關於他所製造的那有名的600隻樂器所發出的明亮聲音。也許是因為他所用的木頭、或是他所發現的那些特殊紋路，目前這些在今天已經被普遍的仿效。也或許，有些人說，在他漆的配方中隱藏著一些秘密－蛋或是動物保暖用的皮當做基本塗層，還有琥珀、沒藥或是些更加奇特的物質當作最上面的塗層－那些都會使木頭更加的強硬。更早的研究發現在木頭中存有礦物質還有蛋白質的痕跡，更刺激了這個爭論。還有一個團隊發現了火山灰；另外有人說是細菌或是真菌類造成的。一個在春天發表的發現，在The Strad的雜誌，一個名叫Stewart Pollens，在Metropolitan　Museum of Art負責管理樂器，發現了蛋白質還有樹脂的跡象，儘管如此，就如同歐洲團隊所說的，他也表示漆裡有著大量的油跟樹脂。
但對於Stradivari所用的漆的研究因為樣品的不足而出現阻礙，對於這樣稀少性也是理所當然的，還有樂器本身的價值。大部分的研究員靠的可能只是單一的樣本，或是一個原封不動的樂器測量結果上，雖然說Mr. Pollen的發現使用了三個被收藏的樂器上所取得的木頭樣本。Joseph Nagyvary，一位從Texas A&M University退休的教授，他曾經在幾十年之前，從其他制琴者的大提琴上取了樣本並發現古老的義大利樂器所用的漆裡面有著礦物質，而這個發言引起了很大的反對聲浪。
＂我們從來沒能夠被給予權力去得到任何從Strad上面的採樣＂他說，＂我嘗試了30年，除了被羞辱之外什麼也沒能拿到＂Dr. Nagyvary，曾經使用過他自己的漆來做過實驗，他把蝦殼來做材料，當作蛋白質的原料，然後說了＂有些有趣的發現＂，＂我們應該嚴肅的看待這件事情，但卻有著很多的阻礙＂他說。Mr. Échard的團隊之前有過使用博物館裡收藏品的機會，但光是要決定取下每個樂器上哪個部份就花了很多天。大部分時候是Tailpiece後面的一塊區域，因為不引人注意的地方相對來說也比較少機會會被碰到。
＂我們唯一確定的是我們取下了從Stradivari的技術下產出的小提琴裡最具代表性的樣本。＂Mr. Échard說。＂假如我們忽略了某些東西，那也許是因為他們早就不在那裡了，又或是他們從來沒在那邊過。＂Douglas Cox，一個在Brattleboro的制琴師表示，他並不對這些發現感到驚訝。＂最簡單的解釋都是最真實的＂他說。配方這東西＂跟在同個區域所產的家具上的漆其實都大同小異＂Mr. Échard說Stradivari使用了畫家式的方式完成了他的樂器。他說最上面的那層塗層可能跟林布蘭特或是提香所使用的，那種可柔化玻璃肉色的色調。Mr. Échard表示也許看似玩笑想法就是讓Stradivari小提琴特別的地方。＂也許只是因為當一個演奏家看到一個美麗的樂器時，他能夠演奏的更棒＂他說＂也許這才是那個秘密＂

terry 你翻的壓? 你好閒唷

怎麼這麼說呢
我其實是因為昨天晚上胃脹氣整個痛到沒辦法睡覺
想說來做點事情轉移目標
硬是把他翻完
不過也超累又超不舒服的

嗯嗯，感謝一下胃脹氣

讓我終於看懂了這一篇文章XD

呀~這是件好事嗎
不過後來回去看就發現有些地方不是翻的很通順,小失敗