Alf Studios
Before you invest in an antique, consider the superb violins, violas and cellos now being made by Gregg T. Alf.
Read about my instruments here, or visit my main site at www.alfstudios.com
A growing number of concert musicians, frustrated by the soaring costs of buying and maintaining antiques, are turning to the best contemporary violinmakers in their search for an ideal instrument.
I, in turn, have dedicated myself to making violins, violas, and cellos that satisfy the highest standards of both players and connoisseurs.
After many years of working in Cremona, Italy, as well as other centers of traditional violinmaking, I opened my studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Violinmakers in the Italian Tradition
Making fine violins today involves, inevitably, a look back to the great makers of the past. A commision to copy an old Italian violin provides an opportunity to do just that, and has always been a special occasion in my shop. But my main work goes beyond copying. Using models developed from these original instruments, I strive to make "mint condition" violins, violas, and cellos which still retain the softness, richness, and magic of the old ones.
Guarneri del Gesu, Cremona 1734
The "Ex Huberman" Guarneri del Gesu has for many years been the principal concert violin of Ruggiero Ricci. Joe Curtin and I spent the summer of 1985 making a bench copy of this instrument for its owner and have worked extensively with the model since then. Lovely proportions, easy power, and a unique and characteristic voice have made this one of my most sought after models.
J.B. Guadagnini, Milan 1750
Joe Curtin and I copied the 1758 "Ex Sevcik" Guadagnini, and applied what we learned to a model of larger proportions from his "Milan" period. Extraordinary for its fullness of sound, it speaks readily and is easy to play.
Carlo Bergonzi, Cremona 1732
With its magnificent sound and compact dimensions, this pristine example of Bergnozi's work provided me with a model that is perfectly suited to playes of smaller build.
Antonio Stradivari, Cremona 1714
The year 1987 marked the 250th anniversary of Stradivari's death. Following a return to Cremona to visit a major exhibition of his instruments, I began working on a model based upon the "Jackson" Stradivari, an outstanding violin from his Golden Period. With its classic proportions and its soaring, aristocratic sound, this instrument embodies Stradivari's noblest conception of what a violin should be.
Violas
The viola has come into its own in this century, and offers the violinmaker a chance to play a real part in its evolution as a solo instrument. I start with Brescian and Amatese models in a variety of sizes and string lengths to meet the challeng of getting true viola sound from an instrument of playable dimensions.
I also have...
...other models, including Venetian and Cremonese cellos, and always welcome the opportunity of copying an outstanding instrument.
The Architecture of Sound
To all our instruments we bring both years of experience in traditional violinmaking and an up-to-date awareness of the latest research.
This research will never turn up a "formula" for great instruments, or displace the sure instincts of an experienced craftsman. But, in a profession which has for two centuries been befuddled by broken traditions and "lost secrets," I find the clear header approach of the scientist to be a bracing and welcome change.
My involvement in this work has illuminated the physical basis for man of the traditions of Italian violinmaking, while at the same time suggesting workshop applications for some of the newer tools being developed in the research laboratory. The benefits have been direct and gratifying: I make consistently better sounding instruments.
The Varnish
Towards the end of the Eighteenth Century, the great Italian varnishes disappeared suddenly and somewhat mysteriously from common usage. Only recently have researchers, combining painstaking historical work with chemical analysis, begun to unravel the fascinating story of what happened. My wood and varnish preparation reflects this reconstruction of those traditions abandoned some two hundred years ago.
Baltic amber is a fossilized tree resin some 37 million years old. Starting with this semiprecious stone and the finest Florentine linseed oil, I use traditional methods and materials to prepare a varnish of luminous beauty. Adherence to these time tested procedures ensures that my instruments will age gracefully over the coming centuries.
The Depletion of a Legacy
Throughout history, artists have worked on commision, and many of their patrons are best remembered for the masterpieces made for them.
Andrea Amati's instruments for King Charles IX of France and Stradivari's quintet for Prince Ferdinand de' Medici are famous examples of the legacy of extravagant patrons.
Sadly, since the decline of Italian violinmaking in the late eighteenth century, the demand for new instruments has been filled largely by an endless stream of commercial instruments, made by no-one in particular for no-one in particular.
This, in recent years, has led to staggering increases in the price of antique instruments, often reflecting more their rarity and historical status than their remaining tonal potential. Inevitably, musicians have begun to direct their attention back to contemporary violinmakers.
Commissioning an Instrument
The vitality of the art of violinmaking depends, we believe, on direct contact between maker and player. To maintain this contact I work on commission, making individual instruments to meet the demands of individual musicians.
Acquiring a violin in this manner need not be a risky affair. Talk to me about our policy on trial periods.
For additional information contact me at:
Alf Studios
1221 Prospect Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104, U.S.A.
Tel: 734-665-2012
Fax: 734-665-4623
or email us music@alfstudios.com