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Showing results for tags 'metropolitan museum of art'.
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This past June I took my baby to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to give her a look at the amazing items on display. Much to my delight, there was an exhibit of rare Italian violins (and a Viola) which claimed to be one "of the most important collections of bowed Italian stringed instruments ever assembled by a private individual." So I went about photographing each instrument in the collection. Is this in fact one "of the most important collections of bowed Italian stringed instruments ever assembled by a private individual?" I'm interested in your thoughts on the instruments. Do instruments like these ever get played or are they doomed to showcases for eternity? Pardon the quality of the photos, the lighting was very soft and some angles were entirely in the shadows. Are these violins accurately described and attributed? Are they well-known instruments? A few weeks back I made my first thread/post on MN: http://www.maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/329003-took-the-plunge-first-ebay-violin-toughts/. The discussion has evolved way beyond eBay. I understand that the Auction Scroll is probably considered a three ring circus compared to the Pegbox, but if you're willing to wade through the muck, I'd be surprised if even the most expert of MN readers didn't learn some valuable information from reading it. You will probably cringe here and there, but it's guaranteed a grin or two. I am sharing these photos with you guys in thanks to all those on MN who continue to participate in that thread with helpful and sometimes brilliant information and opinion ranging from the undistinguished origins of the OP Violin "the Heidegger" to very distinguished history lessons on issues related to old Viennese master violins and dark varnish, including Jacob Saunders, Martin Swan, Viola D'Amore, Jeffrey Holmes, victordriver, Blank face, etc.... one current discussion involves how corner blocks and the volume of air inside an instrument affect its sound, harmonics, and timbre. You want to know the secret ingredient that made the "black" "Viennese" varnish so dark? What varnish colors were mixed before adding the ingredient? How to distinguish typical Mark/Schoen violins from typical Mittenwalds? Take the plunge.
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After my visit to the Reed-Yeboah Contemporary Violin & Bow Makers Exhibition 2019 I walked over to the MET Museum to look at their bowed string instruments. I was very impressed by the museum and can highly recommend a visit. Most of the instruments are displayed beautifully and can be viewed from the front and back. Below are pictures of some of the instruments that I hope you will enjoy. Higher resolution images (and some additional ones) are available here: https://rauchtonewood.com/blogs/news I was very interested in the varnish on these instruments and the comparison to the modern instruments I had looked at earlier the same day. I had never seen a J. Stainer and seeing his viola side by side with some of the Amatis and Strads was great. I got a lot of inspiration on one day. A. Stradivari "Batta-Piatigorksy" cello A. Stradivari "The Antonius" violin
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Musical Instruments closed its doors on February 22, 2016 for renovations. Rumored to reopen in the spring of 2017, the wing and the instruments contained therein are on lock down. Well, after much detective work, I located a hidden display case that museum staff and curators don't want anyone to see. It contains three important violins of Amati, Amati and Strad. The security units noticed me snooping around the showcase but before they could do anything about it I popped off a series of iPhone images. I'm sure these legendary instruments have been presented in a much better light and lens countless times over, but maybe through the glass, with a standard phone camera, in poor lighting, with glare, and under pressure from approaching security, these images might be interesting to a couple of you. And if you're visiting before spring 2017, you'll have to try to find these for yourself. This week they were in room 500 (I didn't tell you that) but after the incident with my iPhone, I think these are likely being moved or put back into storage.
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Metropolitan Museum of Art Violins Amati Strad
BassClef posted a gallery image in Authenticated Instruments
From the album: Amati & Strad Violins at the NY Met Museum
© Owned and Enforced by Martin Swan Esquire. Any reference to these images in any way will be met with a law suit. (Don't even look at them)
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The first instrument is a "Bowed Lute, Philippines" located in the Hall of Pacific Peoples in the American Museum of Natural History. The second just arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in a new temporary exhibit titled Sultans of Deccan India, 1500-1700 And here's a link to 14 good photos of this instrument from the museum's website: LINK There are other such oddities that I can post if anyone's interested. I'll take pics next time I see them.
