J-G

Thanks for that, Dwight. A treasure trove of information about local builders here in B.C. way back in 1963, and their connections and horizons. By coincidence, I just went through the 1958 issue a few weeks ago researching a good local builder called Martha Kozak who was active then. These makers were serious about sharing and documenting their activities, a much more laborious process then than now.

Yes, a common usage in the letters of Pliny (and of Cicero and others). Sometimes called an "epistolary" imperfect, it reports in the imperfect what was happening in the present as the writer wrote. The tense then is that of the reading, not the writing. So: (Builder) was building at Cremona in (year).

Nice looking violin. Are we seeing an inlaid dot marking the octave?

What I don't get is how someone could own a violin for 10 years, or acquire one in the first place, without knowing whether it's a four-figure or a six-figure instrument. By the way, "Such rare!" is more Casablanca talk...

What does the label actually say?

On fretted instruments, the bridge saddle is usually slanted to give the thicker strings more length than the thinner ones. Also plain strings need to be a little longer than wound ones of the same diameter. The compensation isn't perfect, as the fret themselves aren't slanted, but it helps. I wonder if Stephen's problem might have something to do with going from all wound strings on viola to three wound and one plain on violin (assuming you use a plain E, Stephen). Seems to me that could take some getting used to.

I wonder if the "Willy Roth" bows we sometimes see have any connection to one of these two.

The Hudson bow mentioned above was made and marketed explicitly as a student bow. A shop that produces both professional bows and student bows doesn't seem like such a strange thing in the bow world. But this is a one-man shop, and I'd guess that some of the work apprentices might have done in the past is now being done by other professional shops that exist for that purpose.

A dealer in my town is offering new bows by good local maker Reid Hudson. Reid makes two levels of bow, differently stamped. The lower level is described as " A silver mounted violin bow by Reid Hudson, with a commercial frog and adjuster." Price is half that of his upper model. This may be a common practice, but it's the only time I've seen it spelled out clearly.

Very fine. Thank you, Carl. Performance was done on March 12th. Apparently the soloist was filling in for Joshua Bell.

OK, there are other variables. Still, one would like to hear something about the bow from its owner.

Its value will depend on the feel and sound experienced by the cellist using it. Are you a cellist? If so, how do you like it?

Good question. Sounds like you're playing the octave G#-G# with fingers 1 and 4, and want to roll (or flatten) finger 4 in order to get the D# without lifting. Makes sense, but for me the 4th finger won't quite work. I see in the Auer edition the upper G# is fingered with 3— i.e. extend back to reach the low G#, then continue in first position (instead of half-pos.), rolling on 3. That works much better for me... playing on mandolin. I can't tell what Uncle Duke is talking about.

Welcome to the forum, Derek. You'll probably get more help by giving the bar numbers where you're having trouble.

Probably: Millant: To (my) friend Ingigliardi, the informed amateur who has made the bow his second passion (?); hearty thanks for your support. (Paris, 17 July 2001) Raffin: For Monsieur Ingigliardi, great amateur (=lover) of bows; with all my thanks and my finest feelings. (Paris, 20 July 2001)