ViolinOctet New Voices for the 21st Century Volume 2 Number 7 March 2007
Hutchins Consort Playing the Big Bass Escapes California Wildfires Scope of Disaster “Stunning” her earliest writings on her The instruments of the Hutchins creation, Carleen Hutchins Consort, two full octets comprising noted that the size of the bass half of the world’s performing octets restricted its range and made (the other, non-performing half are it tiring to play for long periods, in museums and university collec- but that the effort was reward- tions around the world), safely came ed by the powerful low reso- through the Southern California wild- nances never heard from the fires of October 2007. These fires, bass before. The latest ver- rated as the worst since records have sions of the contrabass tend been kept, were driven by fierce Santa to be smaller than the original Anna winds that reached 100 m.p.h., Hutchins model due to the dif- the same velocity as a Category II ficulties of finding pieces of hurricane! The worst of the fires was wood that are large enough the Witch Creek Fire in San Diego to make such instruments, but County, which burned over 165,000 they are still much larger than acres and was never fully contained a conventional contrabass and before burning itself out. At one time present the player with formi- this blaze was advancing west di- dable playing challenges. rectly toward Encinitas and the home of Joe McNalley, in whose house the Dr. Nicholas Walker, who two octets are kept. teaches bass at Ithaca Col- lege in Ithaca, NY, has played McNalley reports that although he a contrabass by Robert Spear never had to evacuate, there were since before its varnish was problems with smoke, disrupted in- fully dry. Walker has evolved ternet service, and electrical power some techniques for use by outages. Roads and highways were the seated player that over- closed, forcing the Consort to post- come some of the difficulties pone a concert scheduled for Octo- and even make it possible for ber 25. After acquiring his first octet in Dr. Nicholas Walker, instructor of bass at Ithaca Col- him to play in thumb position. 1999, McNalley had a sprinkler sys- lege, plays a contrabass violin by Robert J. Spear Walker holds the bass low, tem built into his house. In the worst as shown in the photo on this case, McNalley tells us, he lives near contrabass is at once the page, which has the curious effect of enough to the ocean to get to the The most commanding instru- making the bass seem smaller until beach. Although McNalley’s house ment in the octet and, because of its one notices that the endpin is fully and the two octets were saved, Mc- sheer size and violin-shaped shoul- retracted! Nalley notes that others were not so ders, the most difficult to handle. In lucky. He said that the scope of the continued next page disaster was “stunning.”
NewsJournal of the New Violin Family Association 2 New Violin Family Association NewsJournal
Although it is difficult to see in the pic- in the way of the upper few notes that ture, Walker’s stool is set with the rear are frequently called for in orchestral legs slightly higher than the front legs, music. His comments are echoed by and he sits back on the stool, rather others, such as Fred Charlton of the than on the front edge as many play- Hutchins Consort, who have played ers do. Walker says that by holding both sizes of the basses and would the bass low, sitting on a sloped stool, like the size and slope of the upper and rotating his hips to slightly pitch bouts redesigned. his body forward, he can position his shoulder ahead of the bass, which al- Walker says that playing the contra- lows him to use his body weight over bass while standing is more difficult the bow instead of just using arm on a violin-shaped bass because it strength alone. This enables him to leans differently than a slope-shoul- produce a good tone more easily and dered bass viol. Using an angled end sustain the effort through even a long pin, as he does on his conventional rehearsal and a concert. bass, would not help because the endpin on such a big bass is almost Walker also says that the player’s ef- always fully retracted. He has also forts are aided by the surprising ease tried an original model contrabass, with which the instrument speaks, which he says is even more difficult. which is unexpected in a bass of this size. He says that he had no problems In terms of tone production, Walker supporting the Tallis Orchestra during likes to play away from the bridge us- Octet 2005, and that he was playing ing a heavy bow with a wide ribbon Walker’s upper body and bow arm with about 50% effort. However, in of hair. We have to say after photo- are ahead of the bass. His left elbow terms of pedagogy, Walker says that graphing Walker and listening to him can be raised enough to get his hand the wide, violin-shaped shoulders get play, he makes it look easy! over the shoulder for limited thumb- position playing. Please support our advertisers! New Violin Family Association NewsJournal 3
A Luthier’s Workbench Book Review THE VIOLIN: The violin making situation in Ameri- countered when he began teaching Its History and Making ca in the 1960s and 1970s was very at UNH--the frustrated American vio- different than it is now. Violin mak- lin maker looking for a teacher. Like by Karl Roy, Geigenbaumeister ing was a dying art whose students many such self-published books, it is had almost nowhere to go other than printed in limited number (1500) and Assisted by Claire Curtis and Alvin Thomas King the few schools still surviving in Eu- it is expensive ($450 plus $20 S&H). rope. Although the hour was bleak, it Privately printed turned out to mark the beginning of A book this inclusive in scope cannot ISBN 978-1-4243-0383-5 a great resurgence of interest in the be expansive on every topic, and this craft here in the US. Many of the stu- was not Roy’s intention. The methods www.karlroyviolinbook.com $450.00 + $20 S&H dents who had been studying acous- of violin construction are not given tics with Carleen Hutchins at the time in great detail, for example, and the enrolled in Roy’s course at UNH, subject of violin acoustics is omitted including your newsletter editor who altogether. What Roy has attempted feels uncommonly fortunate to have to do with this publication is to provide Karl Roy came to America to begin studied with the two greatest teachers the basic fundamentals of the entire teaching violin making and repair of his age. The unformed Violin Soci- violin continuum. Roy begins with the at the University of New Hampshire ety of America also got a great boost history and timelines of the violin, and (UNH) in 1973. It is not generally at UNH from discussions around the continues through wood, glue, work- known that the impetus for this as- workbenches during lunch breaks. shop, tools, making (including viols), sociation came about in part as the a nice chapter on varnish (including result of efforts by the Catgut Acousti- Roy’s early days teaching at UNH ingredients and recipes), strings, cal Society, predecessor of the New gave him a great compassion for Violin Family Association (NVFA) the struggle and spirit of his Ameri- to institute a winter school for violin can students, although, as he notes making at Strawberry Banke, a New in the preface to his book, the ques- Hampshire non-profit organization tions asked in America were no differ- promoting arts and crafts. ent than the ones asked in Europe. The needs of his American students When this did not work out, Carleen must have been in his mind for years, and Morton Hutchins asked Harry for the work, written entirely in Eng- Hall, then head of the physics depart- lish with the help of former students ment at UNH (Durham), to approach Claire Curtis and Alvin Thomas King, the UNH Outreach Program (and is directly aimed at the struggling and later the Division of Continuing Edu- isolated violin maker. It is intended Author Karl Roy (l), with assistant editors Alvin cation (DCE)) to present the idea of to give him or her the most compre- Thomas King (c), and Claire Curtis (r). establishing a summer violin crafts- hensive ground resource for learning manship program at the school. Dr. about violin making ever to lie be- bows, and bow materials. Have no Edward Durnall, then head of DCE, tween the covers of a book. doubt that this book was a long time spent the summer of 1972 in Europe in the making, and it includes many looking for qualified instructors. At UNH, Roy presented a structured black and white and color plates plus and staged curriculum based on his hundreds of drawings by the author. In a happy moment for American lu- many years as an instructor and lat- therie, Durnall persuaded Karl Roy, at er the director of the Bavarian State This is a work written by a master of that time director of the State School School. It is essentially the early part every aspect of his craft, and it might for Violin Making in Mittenwald, Ger- of this curriculum, along with other re- be the next best thing to having a liv- many to teach in the United States. lated topics, that constitute the core of ing, breathing instructor to ask ques- For the violin making community, this this recently published book. A word of tions of. This is the book I wish I’d had was an historic moment. It marked warning: this is a substantial volume during my first grim years of struggle the first time that a true European weighing in at 9.25 lbs. in its hand- to learn a difficult craft on my own. Master Violin Maker would teach in some green slipcase, and it is a hefty And I freely confess that even with 35 North America on a continuing ba- read at 756 A-size pages. It is ency- years of experience behind me, I still sis. Roy has returned every summer clopedic in nature. and it is intended peek into this book every now and since and is now nearing retirement. for the type of individual Roy first en- then for an authoritative refresher. ♫ 4 New Violin Family Association NewsJournal
Transposing for the Octet Basses There are various ways to tune tending the smaller bass to G makes up creates some problems for the and play the octet basses. For it consistent with the interval sepa- composer, arranger, and player. The players coming from the tradi- rations of all the higher octet instru- notes of the conventional contrabass tional orchestral bass, transposed ments, which have either C or G as still lie nicely on the staff, but the play- parts are sometimes needed. their lowest note, without altering any er using a bass strung B-E-A-D must Here’s why and how it all works other construction parameters. remember to move his hand over by out! one string when reading a conven- Octet contrabass makers, with the tionally notated part. The player on Tuning the Octet Basses. exception of the late Hammond Ash- the smaller bass also must move his As originally conceived, the octet ley, tended to stay away from the five- hand over by one string, but in the op- contrabass was tuned to the same string approach due to the sheer size posite direction! pitches as a conventional orchestral of the instrument and fears that the double bass viol, E-A-D-G (from low- pressure of a fifth string would be too The extended range conferred by the est to highest). Positioned between much for the top wood to withstand. high C-string of the smaller bass of- the contrabass and the baritone (or However, extending the low register ten results in notes that are four, five, the cello in a conventional group), is still possible using four strings by and even six ledger lines above the the smaller bass was tuned a fourth tuning the instrument down a fourth staff. In traditional practice, notes higher, A-D-G-C. Although this tuning to B-E-A-D and giving up the high G written for basses in the extended places the lowest string of the smaller string. The contrabass in the group high range are usually transposed bass just a minor third below the low- OctaVivo! (formerly the Albert Con- into tenor clef, and sometimes even est string of the baritone, it has proved sort) is tuned this way, and the bass treble clef. Since the bass is a trans- to be an extremely useful instrument sounds very good. This bass is heard posing instrument (it sounds one oc- in its own right. on three selections of the new “Play- tave lower than written), a change of ing for the World” CD, and in the last clef always brings up the question of More recently, however, makers have selection on the disk, Vaughan Wil- whether or not the composer wanted been experimenting with alternate liams “Fantasia on a Theme of Thom- the transposed notes to sound an oc- tunings for these two lowest-pitched as Tallis,” it is the only instrument tave lower. To avoid this, the notes instruments. Robert Spear is design- playing the lowest four notes, yet it is are sometimes left in bass clef and ing a peg box and scroll with an in- easily heard. written down one octave with instruc- tegrated one-note extension that pro- tions to the musician to play them up vides the smaller bass with a low G, a Transposing for Octet Basses. one octave! Needless to say, the situ- very useful note because it is the root With all the possible tunings avail- ation is confusing at best, and beyond note of G major, a key with a single able, writing parts becomes a prob- that, notes written many ledger lines sharp (#) frequently encountered in lem in many instances. The flexibility above the staff are difficult to read. string writing. Spear feels that ex- in the way octet basses are strung ♫
Small Bass
Orch & Contra Sub- Contra
Transposing Parts. The examples above show the range of notes read the middle staff. The key to understanding the process is to playable in first position by basses with the three most common recognize that the first note in each line represents the lowest open tunings. The standard octet contrabass is tuned the same as the string of each instrument. If a player reads and plays the first note orchestral contrabass (middle staff). The middle staff best balances of the middle line (E), but is playing the sub-contrabass, the note “B” the notes written above and below the staff compared to the others. will sound. Likewise, if the player is playing the lowest open string of All bass players come to the New Family of instruments trained to the small bass, the note “A” will sound. New Violin Family Association NewsJournal 5
From the Rehearsal Room n previous issues we have passed I think the word most listeners use I’m a late-blooming early-adopter who Ialong comments from people in to describe their feelings is “weight.” came to the alto violin from the con- the audience. We thought it might Whether this is due to the power of ventional viola. For me, playing the be interesting to hear what the the basses or the intensity of the mid- viola is about overcoming obstacles: musicians (and others) themselves dle voices, I can’t say, but there’s no playing the alto is about untapped po- are saying about the New Violin doubt that the sound of this ensemble tential. When I focus on exploring the Family Instruments. takes hold of you. more expansive sound possible while Al Grunwell, Recording Engineer playing the alto, both the music and the audience respond, and in the flow One thing I like about playing tenor in Playing trios in a small group with a I leave performance anxiety behind. an Octet is that we can put out a great mezzo and a baritone is surprisingly Technical problems such as defying wall of sound with just eight players, different from playing in the same gravity, to name one, are automati- yet not a single instrument gets cov- group using a standard violin and cally solved, and I find myself mak- ered. This is not always the case with cello. I mentioned to Bob Spear the ing very different choices in fingering conventional instruments. You can other day that using instruments of and shifting positions because of the hear this better and more even bal- the new family with piano solves all increased ease of navigation. I play ance in concert performances, and the problems of trio playing at once. my alto weekly in a restaurant where you can hear this in recordings. The Karen, our pianist, had never played people don’t have to listen and don’t tenor becomes an important voice with these instruments before and have to applaud. When they do, it’s because it completes the sound of was noncommittal about them for a a much more musically valid and sin- the consort and restores our links to time. But now she says that she has cere feedback that I’m doing some- our musical ancestry. come to prefer having these instru- thing right. Sera Smolen, tenor violinist ments in the group. The greater pow- Patrick Tobin, alto violinist er of the new family instruments gives The acoustical characteristics of this her more dynamic freedom than she ♫ violin are amazing. I can push this has when she accompanies conven- instrument, and push it, and push it. tional violins. It never hits bottom. You really have Elisa Evett, baritone violinist to play it yourself to begin to appre- ciate its qualities. This may sound funny, but the way I feel playing my Lighter Moments regular violin and the way I feel play- Why Surgeons Hate Operating on Violin Makers! ing the mezzo violin reminds me of a trip I made to the Baltimore Harbor Aquarium. In the fish tank, you are observing the fish. In the shark tank, the sharks are observing you. It’s an electric feeling, and it’s the way I feel whenever I pick up the mezzo. Bill Hurley, mezzo violinist
I listen a good deal to the recording of the Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis that I made for the NVFA dur- ing the closing concert of their con- vention in Ithaca in the fall of 2005. It has become one of my favorite classical performances. Sometimes, prospective clients come to my stu- dio and ask me about the things I’ve recorded that are out of the ordinary, and I often play the Tallis for them as a demo. All of them are struck with the piece. It’s actually rather riveting. 6 New Violin Family Association NewsJournal
Alternative Tunings for the Octet Basses G, A small bass
B, C contrabass A B2 C3 F G2 2 D E2 2 C2 2 B1 G A1 E F1 1 C D1 1 A B0 1 G0 0 G, A sub-contrabass
D, E contrabass
The possible ranges of the Octet contrabass and small bass violins (with and without extensions) wrtitten at concert pitch. In score, the basses are traditonally written one octave higher than shown here. The octave positions are given in modern scientific notation, in which middle C would be notated as 4C . he size of the Octet basses in- Using a one-note extension would ers are beginning to realize that ex- Tvites tuning in many ways. The also avoid bridging the nut-to-scroll tended ranges are available to them. variety of possible tunings continues distance with a long two-note exten- Some bassists, including Joe McNal- the historical tradition of tuning bass- sion. Two-note extensions, commonly ley of the Hutchins Consort, are lob- es pragmatically when the piece calls seen as low C extensions on conven- bying for the bass to extend down to a for notes lower or higher than the in- tional bass viols, restrict an important low A. Another note lower would be a strument normally possesses. In con- vibrating area on the bass and should G an octave below the modified small ventional contrabass viols, it is very be avoided. The other advantage of a bass. At approximately 24.5 Hz, this common for the player to detune the one-note extension is that the low G1 would approach the limits of human hearing and enter the region where lowest string (E1) down one whole will keep the interval spacing of the a low note is felt, rather than heard. step to obtain a D1. This effectively octet violins constant, since the upper puts the two lowest strings a fifth six instruments all have either C or G That’s probably a good place to stop! apart, whereas the interval relation- as their lowest note. ship of all the other strings remains a It is technically possible to extend fourth. Usually, no changes are made The Contrabass the range of the B-contrabass down in the part. The player simply remem- The large contrabass in conventional one whole step to A0 with the use of bers that notes written on the lowest tuning, as previously noted, can be a one-note extension. By using the string must be fingered one whole extended down to D1. However, the right combination of strings and tun- step higher than written. size of the octet contra suits it ideally ing, the low note can be extended for tuning a fourth lower, and strings yet another step to G0, a range that The Small Bass (bassetto) are readily available for this purpose. has never before been attained, by tuning all the strings down one whole The small bass, normally tuned A1, Strung B0, E1, A1, D2, octet contra- D2, G2, and C3, can also attain a low basses sound very good and are ca- step. One advantage here with either tuning, as pointed out elsewhere, is G1 by the same process of detuning, pable of producing impressive output. noted as “scordatura” in the score. It In one case, a single bass in a sec- that the contrabass would be tuned would make a lot of sense to fit this tion of eight conventional contrabass one full octave below the small bass, instrument with a one-note extension, viols was clearly heard supplying the which would allow the same transpo- either added on later or integrated into lowest octave in a piece scored for a sition to be used by both. the design at the time of construction. large symphony orchestra. This would allow the player to finger Another advantage is that the sub- all four strings in the usual way, and Although the conventional repertoire contrabass would become the acous- to reach the new G# by sliding his contains little music that calls for the tic instrument with the lowest reach, hand down the extension. Since the low B, it has turned out to be a very extending below the lowest note of new low G is an open string, it would useful note when writing or arranging a concert grand piano. Only pipe not have to be fingered. new music for the octet, and compos- organs with 64-foot ranks could go New Violin Family Association NewsJournal 7
lower, and there are only a handful of tuned in fifths, but the standard tuning who plays on an octet small bass, these in the entire world. in fourths was adopted to make them tunes in fifths GDAE, two octaves immediately more familiar to the ma- below the violin. This is a practical At the moment, a contrabass with this jority of bass players who are trained and logically consistent tuning, says capability would be entitled only to to play in fourths. luthier Robert Spear, noting that the bragging rights because there is no sound of such an instrument would call for the low A or G. However, the There are other reasons to play in be ideal in many cases where very idea of the octet has always been to fifths. First, the resonance of open nearly the range of a contrabass is extend the range of the conventional fifths is much richer and the overtone desired but not the acoustic weight of string family, and if the lowest notes series is in a perfect relationship than the large orchestral instrument. Gary were easily available, composers is the case with open fourths. Some Karr states that basses tuned in fifths would likely begin to write for them. players have said that the inverted produce the clearest and best sound. There are many examples in the stan- form of the fifth is so different that it Costantino Greco of I Musici de Mon- dard literature where the extra octave should be considered a dissonance. treal tunes nearly in fifths (CGDG). could be used to good effect. A second reason is that a bass tuned Joel Quarrington, principal bassist in fifths (CGDA) has a greater range of the Toronto Symphony, has long Tuning in Fifths. than the instrument tuned in fourths, been a leading proponent of tuning The idea of tuning basses in fifths and is especially valuable because it in fifths. has arisen with renewed intensity in gives the conventional bass a low C recent years. Historically, the early without the use of string extensions or Dennis Masuzzo of Upper Montclair, basses with three strings were tuned scordatura tunings. Some players re- NJ switched fifths tuning in 1998 and in fifths, from low to high, GDA. At port that their bass seems to respond has never looked back. He has self- least one early virtuoso bassist tuned faster when tuned in fifths. published a method book, Playing GDG, so the lower string was in fifths the Double Bass Tuned if Fifths, for with the middle string and the upper The last, and probably most conten- players wishing to make the change, string was in fourths. Later, a low E tious, aspect of playing in fifths is the and says that over 125 bassists have was added as a fourth string, the third debate about fingering problems. It bought the book. Masuzzo’s book is string was changed to A, and the top is true that some passages are more available through Lemur Music in the two were D and G-- all intervals of a difficult to play in fifths, especially USA. fourth. The present method of play- in certain keys. It is just as true that ing with essentially three fingers was there are passages that do not lie In Europe, Dalla Torre champions due to the efforts of the German bass well under the hand in fourths. Cana- Hans Roelefson’s method for play- pedagogue Franz Simandl (1840 - dian bassist Joel Quarrington, long a ing in fifths tuning as “The New Dutch 1912), who established the modern proponent of fifths tuning, says that School.” While the fifths tuning for bass tuning and playing technique although he has found that there is a most orchestral basses is CGDA, in fourths. In Simandl’s method, the slight increase shifting, what playing which allows the bassists to play to last two fingers of the left hand, which in fifths really requires is a solidly de- a low C without an extension, Dalla are weaker, are used together to ex- veloped left-hand technique. Torre uses another historically correct ert more downward pressure on the tuning, GDAE. Dalla Torre refers to heavy strings of the bass. Players used to the “closed hand” any bass tuned this way as a “basset- approach of Simandl, where the left to,” but has recently applied this tun- The question of tuning in fifths re- hand moves but the position of the ing to a small bass on the Hutchins volves around several important fac- fingers in relation to each other does model made for him by Joris Wouters tors: the interval relationship of the not, tend to have the most problems in Belgium. fourth as compared with the fifth, the converting to fifths tuning. Newer and tuning and range of the bass in ques- freer left hand techniques, such as the tion, and the difficulties of playing in use of the third finger independently
Faces and Places The Hutchins Consort. ened its list of venues as well. In ad- low for humans to hear and distort the Joe McNal- dition to playing in its usual venues, sound), and a hiss and noise filter to ley, founder such as the beautiful Neurosciences reduce high-frequency sounds such and contra- Institute Hall in La Jolla, or the Irvine as air conditioning “whoosh.” bassist of Barclay Theatre, the group will also the oldest be heard regularly at the Newport When this was done as it would have perform- Harbor Lutheran Church in New- been for a conventional string group, ing octet, port Beach; St. Mark’s Presbyterian the deep bass of the octet contrabass writes that Church, also in Newport Beach; the was considerably attenuated, and the the consort Burton Performing Arts Center Hall brilliance of the soprano and treble played live in Fallbrook; and the Herbert Zipper violins was dulled. After many tries, for an hour- Concert Hall at the Colburn School of these processes were abandoned long pro- Music in Los Angeles. one by one, and the recorded sound gram broadcast on KXLU radio in Los sprang back to life. Robert Spear, Angeles, California on September 12, In other news from our friends on the chair of the media committee respon- 2007. The group performed several left coast, McNalley reports that so- sible for producing the disc, observed selections from its latest CD, “Con- prano violinist Igor Tchetchko has tak- that on the computer display there certos from the Time of Holberg,” as en a year’s leave of absence to return was strong and clearly visible output well as excerpts from “The Count” to teaching. Beth Folsom, formerly of from the octet treble violins above and “The Immigrant,” and the Hau- the Los Angeles Philharmonic, has 16,000 Hz in frequency-- twice that of pango from “Octet Comparsas.” stepped in and is ably filling the po- a conventional violin and higher than sition. McNalley also tells us that he some microphones can record. McNalley also tells us that the Lied is still yearning to combine the newly Center, one of the nation’s top five expanded Hutchins Consort and the Brunch with Bach. concert halls, will help fund the com- augmented OctaVivo! (formerly the Patrons en- missioning of a new work by Henry Albert Consort) with other guests for joying Sun- Brant. The piece, titled “Climates,” a large-group recording session. day brunch will receive its world premiere by the at Ithaca’s Hutchins Consort on April 18, 2008 They Really Are Different! famed natu- at the Neurosciences Institute in La Two issues ago we ran a story about ral and or- Jolla, CA and again the next evening recording the violin octet and the dif- ganic foods during a performance at St. Mark’s ficulty recording engineers faced in cafe, the Church in Newport Beach, CA. “tracking” octet violins. We let it go at Smart Mon- that, but it seems that we stopped too key, can dine to the strains of the The Consort’s season began with soon. Part of creating a commercial Bach cello suites played on the alto performances of Henry Brant’s Con- CD from the performance files is a violin by Patrick Tobin of OctaVivo! certo for True Violins, Barber’s Ada- process known as “mastering.” This From 10:00 a.m until 1:00 p.m. every gio for Strings, Janacek’s Suite for has much to do with equalizing levels Sunday, Tobin plays the six suites Strings, and Atesh in Baghdad by between selections, timbral balance, continuously, mixing in some Tele- Frederick Charlton. The concert was frequency equalization, and com- mann or Haendel for variety. a critical success, bringing the group pressing the audio so that the soft four standing ovations. Repeat per- passages do not disappear and the Tobin has been a fixture at the cafe formances at Newport Beach and loud passages do not overpower. for about eight months as the result of Bishop, CA, also brought the audi- a chance conversation between Rob- ences to their feet. The ensemble In creating the “Playing For the ert Spear and Maryann Friend, owner recorded the Brant piece in a studio World” CD, recording engineer Alfred of the Smart Monkey. When the deci- session McNalley described as “in- Grunwell was given the job of mas- sion was made to open for brunch on comparable” and a worthy successor tering the files, which he initially did Sundays, the idea of classical music to the original recording made for the in the same way he would normally seemed to be a natural fit. Friend, “Music In Our Time” archive in 1965. do for orchestral music. Mastering who had never heard of an alto violin, engineers usually apply a rumble took Spear’s recommendations and The Hutchins Consort has expanded filter to take care of subsonic noise invited Tobin to play for a few Sun- the number of performances this sea- (this noise causes loudspeakers to days as a trial. He has been playing son by almost a third and has broad- pump their cones at frequencies too there ever since! New Violin Family Association NewsJournal 9
Tobin is getting used to the comments octet acoustics and who is a long time he plays as a member of OctaVivo! he hears about his “funny little cello,” supporter of the New Violin Family, to An appreciative audience of about but most cafe patrons in Ithaca are in- write a chapter devoted to the Violin 150 people heard the performance, trigued by the upright alto. Tobin had Octet. Information about the more re- and both Hurley and Robert Spear, to stop so often to explain what the cent developments in the octet was the maker of the instrument, received alto was that he now puts a stack of supplied to Bissinger by Robert J. many favorable comments afterward. fliers on the table next to his tip jar. So Spear. One member of the audience said far, he has given out more than forty, that the difference between the mez- and several people have asked to be Another contributor to the Handbook zo and Hurley’s standard violin was notified when other members of the is England’s Colin Gough, a retired “striking,” while another commented new family are being played in town. professor of physics from Birming- on the ease with which the mezzo ham University in the UK where he was heard in the rear of the church. Sound Carries. taught a course in musical acoustics Choir Director David Neil, an operatic photo: DedeHatch When Car- for many years. Gough says that his baritone, praised the mezzo’s “rich, rie Reuning- work in musical acoustics was partly smooth sound.” H u m m e l inspired by the work of the Catgut decided to Acoustical Society and partly by A Tenor Tale. create a CD his early contacts with Carleen M. Dr. Sera Smolen, cellist and tenor of inspira- Hutchins and John Schelleng. violin player for the old Albert Con- tional and sort, lived a string player’s nightmare improvisa- Others chapters include the violin, in July of 2007 when she fell on her tional music, cello, double bass, bows, and viols left hand and broke her fourth mete- she elected and other historic string instruments. carpal bone in five places. After recu- to record six The chapter on the octet will include perating from reconstructive surgery of the ten tracks on mezzo and so- its history, a discussion of scaling, and undergoing weeks of physical prano violins. The other tracks were and acoustics including sound radia- therapy, Smolen found that she could recorded on her standard violin and tion. The book also includes sections only play her cello for a minute or two standard viola. Carrie says that she on plucked and hammered string in- at a time before the pain in her hand has always found the Spear experi- struments, including Asian, by well- became unbearable, but that it was mental mezzo to be very healing, and known musical acousticians. Publica- much easier for her to play ten or fif- notes that under the right circumstanc- tion is expected in the second half of teen minutes on a tenor. es, music has the power to transform. 2008.
NVFA News Briefs
Hutchins to Step Down. the October 27 board meeting in some players feel that the Stellar NVFA Executive Wolfeboro, Secretary Ted Jones was string is a better choice for the new Director Carleen elected president, and Ellen Carlson family tenor than the E included in the Hutchins, 96, was elected to replace Jones as sec- tenor violin set. has announced retary (Carlson subsequently resigned plans to step and has been replaced by Lin Tollef- Joris Wouters reports success using down on her sen). Bob Nersasian was elected first a pure gut D string for viola d’amore 97th birthday vice-president, and Michael Haeger by Aquila. Because the viola d’amore in May, 2008. was elected second vice-president. has a string length of 68 cm and the Citing her ad- Charles Rooney remains as Treasur- tenor string length is about 62 cm, vanced age and er. All elections were unanimous. Wouters says that good results are declining stam- possible. Other E strings made for ina, Hutchins These changes reflect the board’s 5-string cello that might be worth a will continue to decision to recast itself as a smaller, try are available from Thomastik by advise the as- more proactive entity that will also special order, and from Pirastro and sociation, work with her violin making allow the Association to have a full Larsen. Many dealers do not stock students, and catch up on many long- complement of officers and a func- these strings (some are not even delayed writing projects. tioning executive committee. All board aware they exist), but all should be members will now serve on at least willing to place orders for them. Playing for the World. one committee (most serve on two) Our latest CD and all board members will assume Newsletter Delays. was received a more hands-on role in determining We sometimes face obstacles over and distribution the future direction of the NVFA. which we have no control when it begun shortly comes to getting your newsletter out after the previ- For the immediate future, the board the door on schedule. Occasionally a ous issue of will focus more time and energy on delay is the result of an overloaded our newsletter fewer projects. Chief among these are newsletter editor working on a vol- went to press. the development of a business plan unteer basis. Sometimes there are Reports arriv- to make the NVFA more grantworthy, delays at the printer. Delays are also ing to date in- a membership drive to increase en- caused in preparing the newsletter for dicate that it is being received well rollment, and ways to make good- mailing because we must not only fold by our members and others. NVFA quality octet instruments of available the newsletter, but seal it with paper President Ted Jones tells us that on at an affordable price. or plastic strips (the postal service no the morning of September 14, 2007 longer allows us to use staples, which Northern Vermont classical radio sta- The board voted a institute a two-tier are faster to affix). tion WCVT played the Albert Con- membership fee to take effect for the sort’s performance of a movement 2008 membership year. Dues for in- The newsletter is sent bulk rate, so from Respighi’s Ancient Aires and dividuals who prefer a printed news- we must organize our mailings by Dances Suite No. 1. The same se- letter remain unchanged at $50 an- postal zip codes (that takes more lection was aired again on Tuesday nually, while members who elect to time, too). Once the newsletter is de- morning, October 16. Selections from receive their newsletter electronically livered to the Mirror Lake Post Office the album by the Hutchins Consort, receive a discounted rate of $35. in New Hampshire, the matter of de- especially “Summertime” and “Lib- livery is out of our hands. We have ertango,” have been played seven Tenor Violin E Strings. been told that sometimes the sorted or eight times, according to Jones. We always receive requests for alter- bundles simply sit in postal facilities Jones also notes that WCVT morning natives to the tenor E string. Most of for a week or more. We began mail- show host Brian Harwood, a great fan our respondents are aware that the ing our last issue at the end of Sep- of the violin octet, put in a nice plug only E string made specifically for the tember, and we have received reports for the album. tenor violin is produced by our friends that some members did not receive of long standing at SuperSensitive their copies until after Thanksgiving! October Board Meeting. String Company. Most don’t know We regret the delay. This suggests to Changes within the NVFA continue that the company also offers an E for us a compelling reason to switch to to take place as the Association po- 5-string cello under both their Stellar electronic delivery! sitions itself for the years ahead. At and Red Label lines. Reports indicate ♫ New Violin Family Association NewsJournal 11
Necrology
Oliver E. Rodgers. unbearably slow, and that he had to rectors he served, and his work with 1915 -- August 29, 2007 share it with other academics at the the Violin Society of America, where University. He found that weekends he held the post of vice president, were an ideal time to run his simula- Compton was also a member of the tions, a process that required solving New Violin Family Association, and 8000 algebraic equations. He once he attended the NVFA convention, told this editor that he would start the Octet 2005, in Ithaca, NY in the fall of computer modeling on a Friday eve- 2005. His presence at the convention ning and return Monday morning to brought a component of fun, interest, see if the computer had finished! and participation that seemed to sur- round Compton wherever he went. In later years. when he was no longer Sam, we hardly knew ye. able to drive, Rodgers fitted a cap on an old Ford pickup truck and turned Peter Chandler it into a mobile acoustics lab. Driven November 1, 1928 -- January 26, 2007 A long time friend of the New Violin by a friend or a colleague, Rodgers’ Family and a distinguished research- truck soon became a familiar sight at Luthier Pe- er, Oliver E. Rodgers, passed away VSA Conventions, the Oberlin Acous- ter Chan- peacefully at his Kendal residence tics Workshops, and even at our own dler of on Wednesday evening, August 29, convention, Octet 2005, where Rodg- I l d e r t o n , 2007. He was 91 years old. Rodgers ers tested any New Family instrument O n t a r i o , came to violin research after his re- he could fit in the truck. We have lost C a n a d a tirement from Scott Paper Company. a scholar, a gentleman, and a friend died of a As a Harvard undergraduate, Rodg- to many makers. Godspeed, Ollie! heart attack ers played chamber music with Fred- on January erick A. Saunders, the distinguished Sam Ray Compton, Jr. 26, 2007. researcher who sparked Carleen June 1, 1955 -- July 6, 2007 He was 78 Hutchins’ interest in violin acous- years old. tics. Rodgers’ investigation of the A n o t h e r C h a n d l e r technical side of the violin brought v a l u e d emigrated him into association with Carleen m e m b e r from Eng- Hutchins and the CAS in 1979, and of the vio- land and shortly after that he began to work lin making became a on research projects with Hutchins, fraternity successful dairy farmer. After retir- a rich collaboration that spanned has been ing from agriculture, Chandler took the course of many years and in- lost with up woodworking, having first honed cluded instruments of the violin the pass- his skills building his own house and octet. ing of Sam airplane. He was noted for his quick Ray Compton, Jr., 52, who died un- and accurate work and for his bass Perhaps the project Rodgers is best expectedly in his sleep on July 6, viols, of which he made 54. He also known for is creating a model of the 2007. After earning degrees in biol- authored a book on constructing bass violin by using a VAX computer at ogy and biomedical chemistry from viols that was valuable for its mea- the University of Delaware, where he Oral Roberts University, Compton sured construction drawings. was an adjunct professor in the mid- developed an unexpected love for 1980s. He ran tuning simulations on violin research, construction, and He became intrigued with the New thousands of virtual plates and found teaching. This eventually led him to Violin Octet and ordered a plan for many specific places that could be Carleen Hutchins to study plate tun- the alto, subsequently building at thinned to tune free plate modes in- ing. He later taught plate tuning, and least thirteen that we know of. Al- dividually. His work was a classic in the unusual pattern seen in the photo though he never became a member the field, and had the benefit of being above was prepared by his students of the NVFA, he promoted the vertical useful to the average violin maker. while he was taking a break. viola, won several converts, and was instrumental in bringing the big alto Rodgers noted that by modern stan- Although known for his association to the attention of respected violists. dards the VAX computer he used was with the CAS, on whose board of di- Well done, Peter! ♫ 12 New Violin Family Association NewsJournal
Announcements & Advertisements
Octet Construction Drawings!
Playing for the World All Eight Octet Plans now in Digital Format.
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The octet set on compact disc will be available soon. Check our web site for notice of price and availability.
Reduction of plan for contrabass
Music performed on instruments of the New Violin Family Now Available! The newest CD from the NVFA! Over one hour of professionally recorded performances by solo- ists, small groups, and large ensembles of the New Violin Family. A must-have addition to your CD library.
Call or write the New Violin Family Association, $15.00 PO Box 987 plus shipping & Wolfeboro, NH 03894 Classified postage 603 569 7946. For Sale Online orders available on our website or at www.cdbaby.com. Alto Violin by Robert J. Spear 2003. Hutchins model. Excellent condition, very powerful. Regret that I need to sell. $12,000. Neil Thompson Shade.
Viola by Carleen M. Hutchins SUS #30, 1955. ABout 16” body length. Comes with Albert Nurnberger Yes, we can help establish your online presence. Yes, we can help with bow. May be viewed in Boston or domain names. Yes, we can help with file transfers and email setup. Yes, we by arrangement in New York. Alan can supply unrivaled support. And the negatives? No transfer fees, no setup Zaslavsky 617 868 3537 evenings; fees, no hidden costs, no nasty surprises. 617 432 2441 days. Want to Web? We’re just a click away! www.cyberchute.com [email protected] New Violin Family Association NewsJournal 13
The NVFA in Person Support the NVFA In 2006, Ted volunteered to fill the ost of our members have yet Financial support is needed, Mto meet the individuals who remaining term of the association have been working quietly behind secretary, which he did admirably. As but you can also give us time! the scenes on behalf of the NVFA. the needs of the NVFA to address the The NVFA will soon be restructuring In this and future editions of the issues of succession and transition its board of advisors into a new format Violin Octet, we’d like to introduce increased, Ted accepted the chair of called the “advisory panel.” Unlike you to some of them and tell you a the membership committee, a posi- active board positions that can entail little about them. tion he still holds, as well as chair of continuing work on standing commit- the office relocation committee (now tees, the expertise of individuals on Theodore A. (Ted) Jones merged with the executive commit- the advisory panel will be tapped only President, NVFA tee). Ted was elected association as needed, making this the perfect Chair, Executive Committee president in the fall of 2007. way to support our work even when Chair, Membership Committee your time is limited. “We face a tough, uphill struggle,” our Ted Jones says he president wrote after his election. In We are presently looking for willing is an unlikely per- nautical terms, the association will be individuals with expertise in one or son to be president sailing in uncharted waters as the ef- more of the following areas; of the NVFA. He fects of Hutchins’ retirement are felt. is not a composer, That there is a steady hand at the business luthier, acoustician, helm should not be surprising be- (accounting) or musician, but he cause Ted, who is an avid sailor, has believes that this seen tens of thousands of miles and business actually might be two transatlantic crossings pass un- (short and long-term planning) an advantage since der his keel. He has worked tirelessly he, like the majority on behalf of the NVFA, winning the business of NVFA members, trust and respect of his colleagues (marketing) is an avid listener with his willingness to listen to their with a deep appreciation of fine clas- advice while displaying his ability to fund-raising sical music. steer a course around the reefs that (grant writing, charitable giving, etc.). lie hidden just below the water’s sur- Ted came to Wolfeboro with his for- face. legal mer wife, Louisa, and met Carleen (general, with experience in small Hutchins when Louisa became the Back on dry land, it is not surpris- non-profits) NVFA office secretary and director of ing that Ted has written eight sail- development. Ted says that Carleen ing books and spent his career as a legal handed him a copy of the St. Peters- boating magazine editor, retiring after (rights, royalties, licensing, permis- burg Octet CD and told him he ought selling his majority interest in Coast- sions, video synchronization, perfor- to listen to it. He took it home, slipped al Cruising Magazine. His hobbies mance issues, etc.) it into his player, and was hooked. include sailing, boat building, and model railroading. He is a member We are also looking for individuals in Ted joined the association in 2003, of the North Conway Model Railroad the classical music profession who and was elected to the board of di- Club and editor of Notch 8, the club’s are familiar with other associations, rectors a year later. His contributions newsletter (it’s funny, isn’t it, how the performance groups, and publica- to the NVFA increased during the number “eight” keeps popping up tions, particularly in the string instru- run-up to our convention in 2005 as in Ted’s life?). Ted lives in Johnson, ment world, to help us with integra- he worked on various aspects of the Vermont, with his wife, Dorcas, and tion and cooperative efforts. publicity and advertising campaigns Jasper, a rascally four-year-old black with Hutchins, trustee Dean Rich- Labrador Retriever. If you are experienced in any of these ardson, and convention chair Robert fields, or if you have other skills or Spear. Ted’s photos, taken each day Next issue we’ll introduce you to knowledge that you think can help during the convention, were enjoyed trustee Lin Tollefsen, NVFA videogra- us fulfill our mission, please send an by many as a continuing computer pher, and her son Mark Goldberg, a email to us at
The New Violin Family Association, Inc. Officers & Board About Membership Policy
President The New Violin Family Association is Annual Dues. Theodore A. Jones a non-profit 501 (C) (3) corporation $50 (receive printed newsletter) First Vice-President incorporated in the State of New Jer- $35 (receive digital newsletter) Robert Nersasian, MD sey and licensed as a Foreign Cor- Second Vice-President poration in the State of New Hamp- Duration. Michael Haeger shire. Contributions are deductible as Membership runs with the calendar Secretary year from January 1 through Decem- Lin Tollefsen (interim) allowed by law. ber 31. Treasurer Charles J. Rooney, Jr. Violin Octet Newsletter New Members. Executive Director If your payment is received on or be- Carleen M. Hutchins is published twice each year by The fore September 30 of a given year, Assistant for Finance New Violin Family Association, Inc. you are considered a member for that F. Scott Ponicsan (NVFA), PO Box 987, Wolfeboro NH year. You will receive all materials, Assistant for Operations 03894. newsletters, etc., for that year. Robert J. Spear Secretary and Office Mgr. The NVFA encourages the distribu- If your dues are received on or after Sue Taylor tion and dissemination of informa- October 1 of a given year, you are Trustees tion about the new violin family octet, considered a member for the full year John Cavanaugh performers, composers, and luthiers. following and your membership ben- Joseph F. Conrad ll Permission is granted for fair use of efits will commence on January 1. Steve Davis any material appearing in the news- Frances Furlong letter with proper attribution of its Renewing Members. Donald Joseph McNalley source. Please notify the editor when Membership renewals are due by Sharon McNalley making such use. January 1. There is a 60-day grace F. Scott Ponicsan period. Any member whose dues are Margaret H. Sachter, Esq. not received by March 1 will be con- Tim Trott Mission Statement sidered in arrears.
Advisory Board The mission of the New Violin Fam- Alan Carruth ily Association is to educate the pub- Payment. Frances Fielding lic about the new violin instruments Payment may be made by check pay- Mark Goldberg able to the “New Violin Family Associ- Thomas Knatt through writings, concerts, lectures, André P. Larson and demonstrations; to encourage ation” and sent via U.S. Mail. We also Frederick Lipsett players to use the octet violins in pub- accept MasterCard and Visa either by Stephen Nachmanovitch lic performance and teaching; to stim- mail or by phone. The payment form Joseph Peknik, III ulate the composition of music for the on our web site
Letters to the Editor A Letter from the Editor
Playing For The World. (The Winds of Change are Blowing) Thanks enormously for the record- ing of the performances in Ithaca. It brought back happy memories. I re- Dear Reader, be to give such a gift to the world only gret that there was no alto solo, but I to find that nobody wants to use it! hope there will be one some time. The Whether we like it or not, and whether recording will be very useful when I we’re ready or not, Carleen Hutchins’ Many of the young men Carleen tu- give a talk to a club at Duke Univer- decision to step down brings to a tored in the 1970s, including your sity next winter. I intend to describe close a remarkable era in the devel- editor, are now their mid-50s to mid the Octet, outline its history, show off opment of violin family instruments-- 60s. It is time for us, and for you, to the mezzo and alto I have on hand, a term to which she gave precise new step up and make our contributions in play some recordings, and probably meaning. It also means that the cold whatever ways we can. But if the best play something short on the alto. This winds of change are blowing harder. we can offer people is the notion that will be a version of a show I have put all we have is an immutable set of on the last three Septembers for a While our board has been struggling new violins, and that all they can do is Science of Music Class at UNC. The with the creation of development stand back and admire them, this as- teacher, Brent Wissick, heard Car- plans, short-term and long-term fi- sociation cannot survive. We’ll have leen lecture once years ago and, like nancial plans, and any number of oth- to do better than that or the winds of me, got hooked! er stultifying obligations that boards change will blow us away. --Carolyn Wilson Field need to shoulder in order to carry on, I have had the luxury of considering On the other hand, we can continue Thanks for the kind words! There is an overarching philosophy that could the process. That’s exciting! New a short alto solo near the beginning help steer this process. It’s a perk of developments are occurring, new of the Tallis Fantasia, which is the last being on the Advisory Board. audiences are being reached, new track on the disc. We also hope to have discoveries and refinements are be- a CD of alto solos at some point in the Most of you do not know that in the ing integrated, and there’s a growing future. And don’t forget to share your mid-1980s, Carleen suffered a bout feeling of enthusiasm. Becoming a experiences at Duke with us! --Ed. of polio. Although she recovered, part of the process will attract others the strokes and decline of her hus- of like mind, and the work Carleen band, Mort, occupied more of her started can be continued. time after that, and then came the ADDITIONAL COPIES protracted move from her childhood As we plod through these difficult of the Violin Octet News- home in New Jersey to be near to and sometimes discouraging times, Journal are available in her daughter in New Hampshire. Add this notion of new life, new ideas, print format for $2 each, $2 in the many burdens that come to and new vigor should be our guide. plus postage and handling. some in extreme old age, and even It’s the philosophy that I recommend Carleen’s legendary capabilities were BACK ISSUES in PRINT are also we follow as we continue our journey available for $2 each, plus postage overtaxed. Her research and the cre- in this brave new century. It’s a fine and handling. All numbers in Volume ation of new family violins diminished and proper II are presently available. Volume I is sharply after 1985. Consequently, the way to honor out of print. shapes, sizes, and design philosophy a life’s work of octet instruments have been frozen of a grand To order additional or back issues, in time for almost 25 years. lady, and it please call our central office (603) will imbue 569 7946, mail your inquiry to PO However, scientific research has con- the winds of Box 987, Wolfeboro, NH 03894, or tinued, and other researchers have email [email protected]. change with moved on. Some of Carleen’s findings the gentle have been challenged, some have ELECTRONIC BACK ISSUES warmth of except for the most recent number been accepted, but in general a lot of spring. are available for downloading from the newer work builds on the founda- our web site, nvfa.org. The free Ado- tion she created. This is the nature of R. J. Spear, Editor be Acrobat Reader is required to view progress. The real tragedy would be if PO Box 6562 electronic issues. There is no charge none of Carleen’s teaching has taken Ithaca, NY 14851 for electronic downloads. root in her students. How sad it would [email protected] The New Violin Family Association, Inc. Non-Profit Organization
PO Box 987 U.S. Postage Paid
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 Permit #15
603 569 7946 Mirror Lake, NH 03865
In This Issue:
1...... Playing the Big Basses 3 ...... Book Review 4 ...... Transposing for Octet Basses 5 ...... From the Rehearsal Room 8 ...... Faces and Places 10 ...... NVFA News Briefs 11...... Necrology 12 ...... Advertisements, Announcements 13 ...... The NVFA in Person 15...... Editorial, Letters
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In the Next Issue:
Classic Design Geometry. T h e NewNew Violin Family? Luthier Robert Spear spent four Is the new violin family still a work in years unlocking the secrets of the de- progress, or are the models perfected sign geometry of the Stradivari forma and frozen in time? A few dedicated G violin. His findings were recently luthiers, including our own Robert published in American Lutherie, the Spear, have continued to refine their quarterly publication of the Guild of approach to the octet violins to incor- American Luthiers. Spear talks about porate the latest research. Has this the implications of his research for visibly and audibly changed any of the further refinement of octet instru- the family? The answer is yes . . . and ments, and tells us how he integrated no. There’s more to this story than classic design geometry with the orig- meets the eye-- or hits the ear! inal octet and John Schelleng’s scal- ing theories. Consort On A Roll! The Hutchins Consort, the flagship Alternative Uses of Octet Violins. ensemble performing on new family Many of us tend to think of the new violins, has had the busiest and most violin family as instruments that aug- remarkable year since its inception. ment the standard violin family in Consort founder and bassist Joe Mc- ATTENTION MEMBERS!
Important information is enclosed. for you classical music ensembles, but these Nalley gives us a report on a year instruments are also finding their way crammed full of exciting events, and into less-obvious niches. Tenor violin- tells us of even more exciting projects ist Sera Smolen and others tell us that lie ahead. about some interesting uses for octet violins.