HISTORICAL VIOLINS Faq Five questions for Pio Montanari Assistant to the maintenance of the Historical Violins of the Municipality of Genoa 1 Q: Guarneri and Stradivari, two generations of violin-makers from Cremona. What are the differences? A: Stradivari's work could be seen as a continuous and impassioned study of the sound, always "dressed" with care and formal elegance and developed through decades of "steps" over more than sixty years. Giuseppe Bartolomeo's violins, which survived until the present day, were built in the short space of fifteen years; the study of the sound is passionate but dramatically wrapped up in annual phases, or, in certain cases, in "couples" of instruments in which we can find the same aim. Of course, in some respects this is shown through the features of his work. 2 Q: What kind of wood is the "Cannone" made of? Which are the replaced and therefore more recent parts of it? A: As all the instruments of the classical quartet, apart from a few exceptions, the "Cannone" is made of spruce in the belly while the back, the ribs and the neck are made of flamed maple. The "Cannone" keeps all its original parts, except for the bass bar. The neck is the original one, but it was slightly "fitted" in keeping with the evolution of new requirements and instrumental technique's from the beginning of the XIX century. The fingerboard, the tailpiece, the pegs, the bridge, the sound post, parts of the final violin’s fitting up, have all been replaced during the years. 3 Q: To what is the sound quality of a violin, especially of the "Cannone", due? A: It is due to the great deal of information gathered from the experience of two generations and to the ability to think over, to use, to understand and to develop all that information. 4 Q: Is it true that Guarneri's wife took part in the violin head's working? A: Beginning with the evidence that confirms the existence of a label "Cattarina Guarneri" (Caterina Roda), authoritative experts of Giuseppe Bartolomeo's work believe that this and some other violin heads of that period could be made by an unskilled hand, maybe Caterina's hand, which left more wood than necessary. 5 Q: The "Sivori" is a copy of the "Cannone" that the French violin-maker Vuillaume made for Paganini. Why? And why did Paganini decided to give it to his pupil Sivori? A: It is likely that Vuillaume made a copy of the "Cannone" on his own initiative, since it was in his workshop for some repairs. He gave it to Paganini as a mark of admiration or for interest, but the violinist wasn't particularly smitten by this present because even today this beautiful instrument compared with the "Guarneri" is like the moon to the sun. Five questions for Alberto Giordano Assistant to the maintenance of the Historical Violins 1 Q: How long have you been taking care of the "Cannone"? A: Since spring 1994: I remember that afternoon very well. Mr. Mario Trabucco and Ms. Laura Tagliaferro (at that time Head of the Unit of Monuments and Fine Arts) called me for an opinion. Since then I have had the honour of looking after the "Cannone". The intensifying instrument's engagements of the last few years have given birth to a very deep relationship between me and the violin, which have allowed me to know it thoroughly. Or maybe not: I still have to study and discover so much about this unique violin, I believe that part of its charm comes from its mystery. 2 Q: Why is the "Cannone" so unique compared to other historical violins? A: : For two reasons in particular. The first one consists of its close relationship to Niccolò Paganini: no other musician has ever been so attached to his instrument as he was. The second one concerns its state of preservation: during the last century the majority of the best models of Italian classical violin construction were irreparably damaged through use, restoration, and by the market's "care". The professional career of the "Cannone" was interrupted in 1840 when Niccolò Paganini passed away. Since then, the instrument has been handled with great care and intelligence that has enabled us to continue to admire its perfect purity and wonderful simplicity today. I believe that this heritage has to be kept at all costs. 3 Q: Does the "Cannone" need special care? A: It depends. As violin-makers, we usually have to do common things, like setting a chin rest or changing the strings, even if working on such a precious instrument means that every single operation must be made using the highest concentration. The situation may change according to the musician and the engagement that the "Cannone" has to meet. It is sometimes necessary to take quick and effective action, in order to protect it from dangerous circumstances. Two frequent problems are represented by the perspiration of the violinist, which can damage the varnish, and by the use of the instrument without shoulder rest, which could compromise the integrity of the violin. We must also consider all the problems concerning the movement of such a precious instrument: the transport safety, the effort of making it easy to get to the stage and avoiding that people press around it during the breaks etc. Considering the excellent state of preservation of the "Cannone" the line we have decided to follow is to minimize the number of operations that are not strictly necessary. Even in case of cleaning we don't want to use polish or similar products, since we prefer the simple and light motion of a soft cloth. If the current state of preservation of the "Cannone" is so good we also have to thank the violin-makers who preceded us, practising for a century and a half a great caution and I dare say "abstinence!" 4 Q: You certainly have had the opportunity to meet and hear the playing of many young winners of Paganini Competition. Which one has particularly struck you and why? A: I can remember many of them, both for human or musical reasons. The newly first laureate Mengla Huang is one of last years' winners who showed an exceptional technical mastery. He has an impetuous and creative talent. I think that he may become a great violinist if he will study in depth some aspects of interpretation. 5 Q: Is it true that the "Cannone" is played by the winner of the competition only on October 12th, on the occasion of the Christopher Columbus Celebrations? A: No, not at all. In the last few years attention particular attention was paid (and wisely so) to the sound quality of the "Cannone". For this reason the instrument is played by Mr. Trabucco for two hours almost every month (public rehearsal) and it often faces additional engagements during the year. Everybody knows that while on the one hand the professional use is damaging for any historical instrument, on the other hand some sporadic training hours can be healthy and a useful way to constantly check its general conditions.