Jump to content
Maestronet Forums

Recommended Posts

Posted (edited)

Anybody know about fractional violins -- when were they introduced, who first made them, what years they started to be readily available. Are there any antique examples?  I thought I heard somewhere that, possibly in Bach's time, children did not start playing the violin until at least 10 years old because smaller child-sized violins were not popular, or that they weren't usually made. Can anyone clear this up for me?

1.  Mozart played on a fractional @ age 5?
2.  Suzuki was the one who made fractional instruments popular because of his method starting off with very young players. Plus his father owned a violin making factory which is where a lot of the first fractional instruments came from.
3. Contemporary players and teachers reporting playing on 1/2-size instruments made c. 1700-1880.
4.  Stefan Milenkovich played on a fractional Stradivari in front of Bush in 1987?
5.  From the National Music History Museum: fractionals existed, but only as specialty commissions, usually by royalty. See graphic.
6. Sarah Chang had a 1700s 1/4 size as a kid.
7. Vivaldi taught younger girls at the orphanage, so there must have been smaller instruments (?).  [ http://www.users.cloud9.net/~recross/why-not/Vivaldi.html ]

 

24301022_759521891364_6624333971620710448_n.jpg

Edited by JohnGould556
Posted

I do not know if this is much help, but Chris Reunigs father had at one time a collection of fractional size instruments by known makers.  He was my string pedagogy Prof. at Ithaca College a million years ago.

 

DLB

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.


×
×
  • Create New...