When violins are outlawed

[Ken Pollard]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/2549401/The-instrum...-force-a-violin

[Tim McTigue]

I thought that was going to be about the law in England banning the practicing of violins at home. There is indeed a lot of sentiment these days about violins in the home, and in fact domestic violins have been called one of the biggest crime problems of our time. Nearly every city has a domestic violins hotline these days...

[chronos]

I thought that was going to be about the law in England banning the practicing of violins at home.

Seriously? References, please.

[Tim McTigue]

Might not have been an actual law, but perhaps one of those public nuisance things (there was a recent case of a woman who was jailed because she was under one of those orders, and made too much noise during lovemaking in her own home). Anyway, I'm sure I read about it within the past couple of years, where folks weren't allowed to practice violin in their own home.

However, the rest of the puns about "domestic violins" were meant firmly tongue-in-cheek...

[D.Fenestrate]

Oh dear, I expected banjos to be outlawed long before violins

Might not have been an actual law, but perhaps one of those public nuisance things (there was a recent case of a woman who was jailed because she was under one of those orders, and made too much noise during lovemaking in her own home). Anyway, I'm sure I read about it within the past couple of years, where folks weren't allowed to practice violin in their own home.

However, the rest of the puns about "domestic violins" were meant firmly tongue-in-cheek...

[Craig Tucker]

Oh dear, I expected banjos to be outlawed long before violins

And what about violas?

Come on, let's at least put the blame where the blame is due.

Then too, there are the viola players - without the players, ther'd be no violas.

Ban the lot of 'em, I say.

[stradofear]

Sax and violins: the scourge of the morals of our era.

[sonnichs]

I don't have time to check but I recall that in his book "The Romance of the Fiddle" van der Straeten makes reference to the banning in London of the "Playing of ye Fyddles" in "Publick Places". This was in the early 18th century. At that time the "fyddle" was an instrument carried by itinerants to the local pubs, where dancing and drinking ensued, usually followed by fits of brawling. People just had a lot more fun in those days.

The violin was held in the same low regard as electric guitars sometimes were here in the US during the 50's and 60's. The gentlefolk of that time played only the Gamba. Time was to wait for the Italians such as Tartini to raise the regard of the violin to a more revered status.

Regarding the incident cited in this post-if handguns and violins were all "registered" these types of things wouldn't happen. I wonder if the players in this crime were "all strung out?"

Fritz

[Johnmasters]

And what about violas?

Come on, let's at least put the blame where the blame is due.

Then too, there are the viola players - without the players, ther'd be no violas.

Ban the lot of 'em, I say.

It should not be against the law to own a viola, but it should be a felony to play one in public.

[robedney]

Well, if you read the actual news story (linked) you'll note that it has to do with the use of a violin as a weapon. This, in my view, is a compelling argument for having at least one carbon-fiber instrument. Much more effective in close combat situations.

Robert

[TimRobinson]

It should not be against the law to own a viola, but it should be a felony to play one in public.

Which reminds me of the definition of a gentleman - one who knows how to play the piano accordian, but chooses not to.

Tim

[TimRobinson]

I don't have time to check but I recall that in his book "The Romance of the Fiddle" van der Straeten makes reference to the banning in London of the "Playing of ye Fyddles" in "Publick Places". This was in the early 18th century. At that time the "fyddle" was an instrument carried by itinerants to the local pubs, where dancing and drinking ensued, usually followed by fits of brawling. People just had a lot more fun in those days.

Is that a pochette in your pocket, or....

[IanW]

Of course there's always those that take the law into their own hands. Check this chilling story from Australia's deep north....

Man snaps after three years of bad violin playing

[Tim McTigue]

Of course there's always those that take the law into their own hands.

Oh, Rochester... Rochester... Now, cut that out!

[Ken Pollard]

Oh, Rochester... Rochester... Now, cut that out!

I seem to remember that once Jack Benny was asked if his violin was a real Stradivarius. He replied: if it's not, I've been cheated out of $12.95.

Or something to that extent. I did an unsuccessful search to find the quote, but found these two instead.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/makeemlaugh/episod...-his-violin/16/

http://www.tv.com/the-jack-benny-program/t...39/summary.html

[sweetmusicstudio]

LOL :)