Violin’s inner mold, an essential factor in developing the idea of violin

Violin inner mould, an essential factor in developing the idea of violin
RZW

A part of the secrets of the masterpieces from the golden era lies in the special design of the instruments, as a result of a profound insight to and awareness of the significance of the precise calculation of the various components of the object of arts being created, such as making a violin or a bow.
Golden age luthiers, such as Amati, Stradivari & Guarneri, each had their own gold standard method to develop the geometric pattern of their instruments.


Today, especially in the case of the remaining golden age instruments, we are faced with the fact that extracting the correct pattern from the standpoint of science, geometry and aesthetics is more difficult than ever due to aging, certain inaccuracies in craftsmanship of instruments, and the distortions which deliberately or inadvertently affected the available resources.


Then again this ‘piece de resistance’ can also be made since the creator artist applies his/her scientific and empirical potencies to analyze these brilliant instances of artistry, together with practice and diligence to gain the real and authentic knowledge, far from hidden prejudices and dogmatism.
An important question is that: Which factors had purified the intuition of Golden age masters, and allowed them to create such eternal pieces of art? What kept them safe from aberration, and what gave them the power to follow up on their efforts tirelessly?
Due to the specific circumstances of our era, now any attempt to answer such questions by referring to available resources will lead to serious contradictions. The fact which regrettably represents the incapacitation and imperfection of our modern approaches…
Considering the main characteristic principles of the phenomenon called violin, we realize that aesthetics along with knowledge and experience have provided the foundations for creating a magnificent work of art. As the cornerstone of this action, referring to reliable resources for extracting the correct pattern is always necessary. In Reza Ziaei Workshop, we have collected and evaluated many Golden age patterns due to the scientific and empirical potentials that are available, and extracted the optimal geometric design off each, due to the principles of physics and mathematics. Henceforth, an exact geometric output can be extracted using high-tech computer-aided design tools (CAD), which itself requires another field of technical ability. This special service is appropriate for professional violin makers and other makers who would like to apply their artistic skills on an exact and correct pattern.
But when it comes to applying the pattern on a new instrument, then the artist’s abilities to implement his/her idea becomes particularly important. For the maker who has chosen the correct pattern, the prior step must be taken by providing a mediate tool, called mould.
An ideal mould, particularly “Inner Mould”, makes it possible to attain the compliance of circumferential forms and proportion of different parts of the structure, based on the applied pattern, and also to assemble the various components of the ribs’ structure with high accuracy.
In the meantime, for making an inner mould based on a particular pattern, both empirical knowledge and proficient skill, and also well-understanding of the concept of mould is required to create a delicate and accurate piece. The mould actually defines the primary quiddity of the instrument and also, it is the substantial element on which the geometric qualities of the instrument depend directly. So, it must be done with a masterful precision, together with high technical level and great understanding of the process to attain a final product which can properly guide the further steps ahead.



Main properties of an ideal mould are as follows:
1- Correct circumferential form, based on the geometric design, with a maximum acceptable error of 0.1(mm).
2- Symmetry in circumferential form of the mould, exclusively for moulds which are based on symmetric patterns.
3- Exact reliable symmetry line to refer in the steps ahead.
4- Accurate thickness of the mould to refer in the steps ahead, with a maximum acceptable error of 0.1(mm)
5- Correct right angles of the circumferential span for complete compliance with the ribs’ surface.
6- High quality of material, due to the aesthetic characteristics and also the least amount of deformation over time.
7- Exact devising of the various components, including the placement of blocks, etc.

Post a Comment

Required fields are marked *
*
*
Your email is never shared.

Leading the Charge in Censorship

Davoud Pirnia, writer and musicologist was the founder of “Golha” (Flowers of Persian Song and Music) programs on Tehran Radio (1956-1966). He received his early education from his father, Hassan Pirnia (Moshir al-Douleh), and several tutors of the time (Taraghi, interview, July 1989) and continued his studies at Saint Louis School in Tehran and then in Switzerland and graduated in law. While studying law, Pirnia got acquainted with European classical music. Upon returning to Iran, he was employed by the Ministry of Justice and founded the Lawyers’ Guild. Then he was transferred to the Ministry of Finance and established the Department of Statistics in this ministry. Later, he became the head of the state inspection office at the Prime Ministry; he was, then, promoted to the position of the Deputy Prime Minister (Navab Safa, interview, August 1999)

The Legacy of Khosrow Jafarzadeh

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the passing of Khosrow Jafarzadeh (Khosrow Djafar-Zadeh), a distinguished architect and pioneering researcher of Iranian music, whose contributions to the magazine “Harmony Talk” have left an indelible mark on the field. The absence of this remarkable individual has significantly impacted the expansion and advancement of his theories, which are heralded as some of the most progressive in the history of Iranian music

From Past Days…

Polyphony in Iranian Music (II)

With regard to each polyphonic form, only one specific and distinguished example is analyzed. These polyphonic forms are as follows:

Ashoura Opera

Ashura Opera was composed by Behzad Abdi, the Iranian composer, in 2008 based on librettos compiled by Behrouz Gharib. The main source for the libretto is poems by Mohtasham Kashani, a sixteenth century Iranian poet.

Qanun, a feminized instrument?

In the world music culture, there are instruments which were traditionally associated with a certain gender. It remains disputable to what extent these gender-based perceptions have been logical and scientific. For example, as playing wind instruments need more breath strength and the public opinion believe that men have stronger breath compared to women, these instruments are predominantly a male domain. Harp is also considered a female instrument as the public opinion believe that women have finer fingers and can therefore better perform nuances and delicate techniques on the instrument.

Ruggero Chiesa’s Legacy

Written by Peyman Shirali Translated by Mahta Mottaghi Since many years ago, I had the intention of writing an article on the Italian maestro Ruggero Chiesa and his musical life; but his ingenuity and the immense legacy, which is impressive for not only me, but also almost everyone who knows him properly, made it hard for me…
Read More »

Mohammad Esmaili passes away

Master Mohammad Ismaili, a prominent musician and renowned tombak player, passed away on August 13, 2023, after battling an illness in the ICU of Rasoul Akram Hospital. His funeral will take place on Thursday, August 17, at 10 am in front of Vahdat Hall, and he will be laid to rest in the Artists’ Section of Behesht Zahra Cemetery.

A Persian Nocturne for Piano

A Night in a Persian Garden is the name of a Nocturne composed by the Persian (Iranian) contemporary composer Behzad Ranjbaran. This Nocturne, published recently by the Theodore Presser Company in the US, was performed for the first time in 2002 in New York City by the young Persian pianist Soheil Nasseri and has enjoyed many performances by other pianists.

The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (V)

ehrouz Mohammadi, “Daf and its feasts in Ghaderieh’s Tekyeh” mentions that the outer thickness of arch where studs are located, [is] between one to one and a half centimeters (Mohammadi, 2001: 12). The thickness of arch should be gradually reduced from the installation place of rings to skin (Avazeh of Daf) to create a high volume, clear sound from Daf; also, the connection of arch to skin should not be less than one millimeter, because in this case the skin will be torn due to the sharpness of the wood (Mogharab Samadi, 2009: 79-78). The thickness of wood on the skin side is about two to three millimeters (Tohidi, 2002: 79).

Quality Decline in Regional Music Festivals

Regional music festivals are organized to, firstly, introduce the music of different regions and, secondly, to support its performers. Regional music festivals are held in large cities for various reasons, including the availability of financial and executive facilities and the presence of an audience. However, the organization of these festivals has always been one of the challenging issues of ethnomusicology. The reason is that the presence of regional music performers in large cities places them in a context other than the context they would normally perform in their homes; consequently this change in situation leads to changes in the quality of their performance.

The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (IV)

Researcher: Mohammad Tarighat Translator: Fatemeh Alimohammadi Daf Structure The Structure of Daf in different cities of Iran has a great variety in terms of dimensions, components and even appearance; some of which are as follows: – Square Daf, on which the skin was stretched either on one or both sides, with strings installed inside it…
Read More »

Ali Rahbari & Recording Iranian Symphonic Compositions

In the few days prior to the New Iranian year (March 2015), the news of the revival of Tehran Symphony Orchestra under Ali (Alexander) Rahbari’s conductorship was announced. Ali Rahbari, who served as assistant to Herbert von Karajan in Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at a very young age, was also invited to conduct Tehran Symphony Orchestra in 2005; however, the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s government put an end to his collaboration with this Orchestra. Recently, it was announced that Rahbari is invited to conduct an orchestra in the U.S.