Tracking Down Your Perfect Antique Violin in the Workshop of a Modern Master V

[Todd Donnell]

Having trouble tracking down your perfect violin? You're not alone.
Many have found that getting a great sounding violin that fits their
playing style can be confusing and frustrating, especially for
students and beginners. No matter where you look there doesn't seem to
be any definitive guidelines that work for everyone when it comes to
selecting a violin. This has contributed to both professional and
amateur musicians relying on the misconception that the oldest and
most expensive instrument that you can afford is what you need. While
violin experts continue to assert that old violins are worth the small
fortunes it takes to obtain them, a growing number of musicians are
beginning to realize that they can equal the sound of an antique
violin with a good new instrument, crafted by an accomplished modern
luthier. After all, violin makers today follow the same process as the
old masters by constantly experimenting with size, proportion, and
other variables to achieve the best sounding instruments possible.
They also have the advantage of the centuries of experience by the
numerous great masters before them to study and use for inspiration.
A trustworthy and experienced modern violin maker takes pride in his
creations and can offer you solid information on the products that he
offers. From his workshops in Reghin, Romania, master violin maker
Vasile Gliga crafts high quality handmade violins and other stringed
instruments in a time proven Romanian family tradition, which utilizes
sophisticated and time-tested finishing techniques along with modern
tools. Near the "Italian Valley" of the Transylvanian forests, the
Gliga Group fashions their instruments from the same Carpathian spruce
and flamed maple that ancient Italian masters used for their now
highly-prized antique violins. In such close proximity to these
forests, Gliga's knowledge in violin construction has grown up around
the characteristics of these woods. Like the accomplished luthiers of
the past, Gliga transmits the soul of these unique woods into every
violin, cello, viola, and double bass that he produces, making each
instrument a one-of-a-kind personal expression of his passion for the
craft. But unlike antique violins that command over-inflated prices,
the full range of Gliga's instruments from beginner and student
versions to maestro and special versions are available to anyone who
desires a highly-resonant and aesthetically beautiful instrument at
down to earth prices.
When they pick up an instrument, experienced musicians intuitively
know how to find that sweet spot that will make a violin sing. But a
good violin that has benefited from the perfect combination of high-
quality wood and its violin-maker's careful and precise workmanship
can sound absolutely spectacular. Professional players such as Yehudi
Menuhin, who are blessed enough to be able to play original Cremonese
masterpieces, have acknowledged and praised the fine craftsmanship of
Gliga violins. Despite all the evidence to the contrary though, some
musicians continue to insist that only antique violins can achieve
that magical sound which results from an instrument surviving the test
of time. In reality, often what these musicians truly value is
aesthetic beauty and the connection one feels to the masters of the
past when playing an instrument marked by a long history. You don't
have to own an authentic Guarneri or Stradivari violin in order to
feel in touch with the roots of an world that you decided to be part
of.
Satisfying the desire for an antique violin is often a risky venture,
dependent upon large sums of money and an arduous search for the
perfect unaltered specimen in the hands of questionable individuals.
On the contrary, it can also be very spiritually gratifying to finally
come upon the violin that fatefully seems as if it were meant to be in
your possession, and makes you a part of its story. For those to whom
their destined instrument has not revealed itself and for others who
simply cannot afford the extravagance but enjoy the aesthetic beauty
of an aged instrument, Gliga offers the antiqued violin as an
alternative. These antiqued violins feature an exquisite manipulation
of color and finish that expertly replicates the aesthetic beauty of
an antique violin without devaluating the high standards of Gliga
sound quality. A Gliga antiqued violin can fulfill the need to play an
instrument with a body that has survived a battle with time while
beginning your own musical tradition to be passed down through the
generations. In addition to beautiful high-quality violins, the Gliga
Group also offers specially designed stringed instruments as well as
premium accessories such as bows, cases, strings, and much more. As
Christmas is just around the corner, this is the perfect time to
satisfy your special someone's love of music with a gift that they
will cherish for a lifetime.