GearBits

Stradivarius Secret Revealed?

Why are violins from the 17th-18th centuries generally considered superior in sound quality to modern instruments?

Theories range from the craftsman's skill, to special varnishes, to the storage or drying of the wood, or the use of wood from old structures.

Now, researchers from Columbia University have a new theory - climate.

The study, published in the journal Dendrochronologia, proposes that the superior tonality of instruments from this era can be explained by the climate in Europe in the 70 years from 1645-1715 AD.

This period - known as the Maunder Minimum - was characterized by less intense solar radiation and a sharp decline in temperature. The long winters and cool summers produced wood with a slow, even growth - properties ideal for producing high-quality boards. Additionally, narrow tree rings from slow growth tend to increase wood density and thus the strength of instruments.

Antonio Stradivari, the famous violinmaker, was born one year before the Maunder Minimum. The only wood available to Stradivari and other violinmakers of the era were from trees that grew during the Maunder Minimum...providing one more critical difference to the tone and brilliance of the famous violins.