Rue Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 I was reading the December 2020 Strad, and noticed the violin that Christian Ferras was playing circa 1957 (page 53). The flames look artificial. However, one would think that he wouldn't be playing a violin with painted flames...or would he? I didn't find the exact same photo on-line, but this is close. But it's also an old photograph...so maybe one can't tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Televet Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 That's some pretty extreme mood lighting and likely some push processing of the original film, and then the printing, likely with some burning in in places and dodging in others. Look at the density of the shadow under the rib and the burned out lack of detail in the scroll. Lets just say photographic evidence is almost as unreliable as eye witness evidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Luthier Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 No idea what instrument he played but from the photo it looks like a stunning one piece back cut in-between the quarter and slab. Even from this small photo one can see aspects that have the appearance of historical Cremonese violins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane88 Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 I've got a Joseph Gagliano here, complete with painted flames. Usually it si a sign of a lower quality instrument, but not always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron MacDonald Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 I met Ferras after a concert. He was playing a Strad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 The flames in the picture in The Strad are much more pronounced. They don't look real. But the photo I posted must be the same violin, from the same photo shoot/concert. Was there a brief period where painted flames was a trend on expensive instruments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scordatura Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Had the pleasure of studying with him one summer. He had a really nice Strad. Did not notice any painted on flames. What I did notice was that he was not in that great of health. Sadly he passed away shortly after. Fantastic player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scordatura Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geigenbauer Posted February 17, 2021 Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Rue, I found your picture here: https://www.akg-images.com/archive/-2UMDHU8IX0AD.html The description says "Christian Ferras playing on his Stradivari “Le Président” from 1721". I could not find the instrument on Tarisio though. Not sure if it also known under a different name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 Thanks! Your Googling is much better than my Googling! Now we need a picture of the back of that Strad! Topher is no 1721 violin listed on Wikipedia either. Hmm. BTW...did Tony ever paint flames...like Gagliano did? (Thanks Duane! Pictures?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 17, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2021 1 hour ago, scordatura said: Had the pleasure of studying with him one summer. He had a really nice Strad. Did not notice any painted on flames. What I did notice was that he was not in that great of health. Sadly he passed away shortly after. Fantastic player. So cool that you got to study with him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 Here's the photo from The Strad: ...and I was wrong...not the same day/concert/whatever... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deans Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 This is before the days of photoshop. But maybe they were still "enhanced" in some way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 ...it does look painted, doesn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Preuss Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 1 hour ago, Rue said: ...it does look painted, doesn't it? Strad NEVER painted flames. It is rather the ground (under the varnish) which enhanced the contrast of flames making it look like painted on a B&W photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 Maybe that's not the Strad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three13 Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 Those are two different violins - the first is a one-piece and the second is a two-piece back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Roop Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 It's not painted... it's the reflections from the stripes of his suit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Cramer Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 scordatura, those are really lovely photos you posted. I really like the intensity of his face and body. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirteenthsteph Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 They don't look painted to me at all, perfectly normal, as @Urban Luthiersaid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violinjon Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 12 hours ago, Rue said: Here's the photo from The Strad: ...and I was wrong...not the same day/concert/whatever... Sorry to say that it's not even Ferras. That's (a young) Nathan Milstein! https://www.thestrad.com/playing-and-teaching/i-just-try-not-to-spoil-it-nathan-milstein-on-bach/11547.article Here's a later photo of him with a similar angle. His Strad sure has strong flaming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 Lol! Well! Serves me right for not reading carefully! But the two of them sure look very much the same, when they were young! At least in the old photos. Off to unconfuse myself... I still think the flames look painted, even if they're not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 Christian Ferras 1933-1982 Nathan Milstein 1904 - 1992 Photos when each was 30 years old: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avandesande Posted February 18, 2021 Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 Photographers have been chasing shadow detail since it's invention. It's still an issue with digital cameras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted February 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2021 Now that I have the violinists straight in my head...I'm hunting down violins again. Although I don't understand why Christian Ferras' 1721 Strad "Le President" isn't listed with the other Strads, the one I was actually wondering about is this one (I think): Milstein acquired the 1716 "Goldman" Stradivarius in 1945 which he used for the remainder of his life. He then renamed it the "Maria Teresa" (in honour of his daughter Maria and his wife Therese). He also played on the 1710 ex-"Dancla" Stradivarius for a bit (paraphrased from Wikipedia). More info: http://www.archiviodellaliuteriacremonese.it/en/strumenti/1761_violino_milstein_maria_teresa_goldman.aspx?f=457975 It does have very broad stripes!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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