THE CATGUT ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER * Number 24 > published semiannually November 1,1975 Margaret Tucker Saunders, widow of Frederick A. Saunders, the founder of the Catgut Acoustical Society, died last May. Those of us who were privileged to know Professor and Mrs. Saunders and visit with them in the big house overlooking the valley of the Connecticut River or later on Silverwood Terrace in South Hadley, Massachusetts, will remember many good times evenings of music, early morning bird watching, discussions about violins -- and testing, as well as wide-ranging interests in community and world af- fairs. After Professor Saunders died in 1963, Mrs. Saunders continued to extend her warm hospitality to her many friends to carry on her work in local politics, conserva- tion and school affairs, based on her deep conviction that citizens should take an active interest in the democratic process. She founded the "Know Your Town"- group in South Hadley and last year received the annual Lions Club Citizen of the Year Award at a spec- ial town meeting in her honor. A great lady has gone and we shall miss her. C.M. Hutchins ****,***#************.*.**.* We note also the death on June 10 of Professor W.H.Van Zoest of Eindhoven, who contri- buted to our last Newsletter an English translation of "Paul Gerhard Schmidt's Violoncello Ingrandito" (by W.C.deJong). We are**************pleased to announce that an index to articles*********from our Newsletters is in preparation. This edition will be comprehensive for all issues through No. 24 and will be mailed out with Newsletter No. 25 in May 1976 to all members in good standing. The Board of Trustees held its annual business meeting at Society head- quarters on May 31 , 1975- Attending were Warren Creel, Frank~~3Clough , Joseph- Domaleski, Carleen Hutchins, Morton Hutchins, Dugald McGilvray, and Richard Menzel. The nominating committee of Loraine P. Elliott, Ethel H. Piggins, and Barbara Hendrian had presented the following slate which was unanimously accepted. A. SteVart Hegeman President (re-elect) Robert Fryxell Trustee (re-elect) Jurgen Meyer Vice President Francis Clough Trustee (re-elect) Warren Creel Vice President Joseph Domaleski Trustee (re-elect) Dugald McGilvray Treasurer (re-elect) George Bissinger Trustee Irving/Hoffman Trustee Ronald Naspo Trustee In addition to various other matters of business, the occasion included a delightful musical demonstration by William Berman of the "big. viola" as well as- four standard- violas recently completed by Carleen Hutchins. RECENT PUBLICATIONS Elizabeth Cowling, The Scribners (1975) 224 pages $15.00 (reviewed in THE STRAD September 1975, page 325) Carleen M. Hutchins, (Editor), Musical Acoustics, Part I: The Violin Family. Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross, Inc. (1975), 478 pages (reviewed in this issue) Harry S. Wake, Violin Bow Rehair and Repair, (1975) 93 pages $8.50 (reviewed in this issue) Ake Ekwall, Mera om Fiolhorn" Slojdochton, V. 44, No. 2 (1974) Ake Ekwall, Fiolhorn, Proportionering Slojdochton, V. 45, No. 3-4 (1975) Warren Creel, Paul C. Boomsliter, REythm Patterns in Language: Connecting the Links of Human Thoughts, Albany Medical College of Union University, Northeast Regional Learning Center Empire State College,State Univ. of N.Y. .Albany,N.Y. (1975) 156 pages J. Meyer, Akustische Untersuchungen zur Klangqualitat yon Geigen. Instrumentenbau, Heft 2 Februar(l97s; 29 Jahrgang o pages — E. Jansson and J. Sundberg, Long-Time-Average Spectra... Part I, Acustica, (1975) E.V. Jansson and A.H.Benade, On Plane and Spherical Waves in Horns with Non-Uniform Flare Acustica N0. 4, V01. 31, 1974 F.Fransson, Johan Sundberg, Per Tjernlund, The Scale in Played Music. Svensk tidskrift for musikforskning Vol. 56:1, 1974 D. Kimball, Constructing the Mountain Dulcimer. David McKay Company (1975) 111 pages $8.95 " COPYRIGHT (cont. page 3) Catgut Acoustical Society, Inc. 1975 Cello, $3i.00 yon 2 CATGUT ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY, INC. President Stewart Hegeman 176 Linden Avenue Glen Ridge, N.J. 07028 Vice-President Warren Creel 456 Hamilton Street Albany, N.Y. 12203 Vice-3President Jurgen Meyer 33 Braunschweig Bundesallee 100 PTB West Germany Secretary Carleen Hutchins 112 Essex Avenue Montclair, N.J. 07042 Dr. and Mrs. F.A.Saunders with Carleen Hutchins (center) Treasurer visiting at the Saunders home in South Hadley, Mass. (1957) Dugald McGilvray 12 Clairidge Court Montclair, N.J. 07042 Editor Robert Fryxell 8430 Old Hickory Drive Cinci Tmat-L ,_ohio„ A5243 William Berman of Oberlin Conservatory Copy of letter received from pupil of Professor Dear Ms. Hutchins: August 8, 1975 " having with the I lust wanted to write before school begins to tell you the success I've been Things were going quite well with it at school after having it only a few weeks (as Vertical Viola mstrument I'm sure Mr. Berman told you) in the Spring, but having had time to really work with the the Sunnier nonths, I've made tremendous progress. It is possible to play the most ditticult during s viola literature with it - if one has the proper physique to handle it, and if one executes Mr. Berman principles of freedom and relaxation. No doubt if one were not to approach such a large instrument with to seriously per- an acute awareness of means for eliminating tension and strain, it would be impossible form on. Yet, as Mr. Berman so emphatically argues, this is true on an£ size instrument. ideas and Inmy case, the combination of Mr. Berman's excellent principles and your revolutionary e_xpertise on instrument construction are allowing me to produce a geniunely unique sound. I hope I don't sound vain, for I give others credit for making it all possible. I it Further discussing the immense size of the instrument, I'm sure Mr. Berman told you that found at Oberl_m easier to play than a normal sized viola. One of the reasons I changed from violin to viola cramped when playing. After playing a 16% inch viola for three years I began exper- was because I felt away from iencing same frustration. With the Vertical Viola, my left arm is. extended very^comfortably the enabling me to the my body (as it should be) , and my bow arm is able to move from the shoulder some; get more kind of "suspended" arm weight that cellists are experiencing. In short, I've never been comfortable with playing. Ihe larger intervals do present a challenge, but diligent work with 3 octave scales and arpeggios are gradually eliminating this. stick, permit I was also fortunate to find a very fine extra heavy viola bow. With such a I m able to the bow's naturalwei^it catch the string, eliminating the need to force. Without forcing, lam able to pull a round, open sound from the instrument. Adding a little vibrato, sound literally pours from the instru- ment - powerful - penetrating. Anyway, just wanted to express mp happiness with the instrument, as well as my thanks. Sincerely, Randall Vemer Note: Effective immediately, the Editor's address is changed to 8430 Old Hickory Drive, Cincinnati Ohio 45243. 3 The hairing procedure as presented by Mr. Wake is conventional in BEHAIR S, REPAIR ■oat respects. He is the "tip First" but doesn't why no- By H. Wake body else has explained his individual preference either. I suppose, -as 93pp * 2 Full Drawings one the "Catgut mentality", I am most perturbed by "how to"*books that 8i x 11" never tell "why". Mr. Wake is probably better than most in this respect, 18.50 the author: k33h Voltaire Diego, 9210? but he still leaves me wondering why, he soaks the hair in Reviewed by R. E. Menzel hot water, while el6e seems to use luke warm water; or why he aeals the hair ends with hide glue, when the traditional method This is the third violin book by H. hia previous titles melted rosin. Why does he insert the hair end into the tip mortise in a b«lngittA Luthier's Scrapbook" and "The Technique Violin Making". Like "0" when others tell us to use an "L" (Of course I am aware Its predicessors, it is privately published and completely the work the allegations by some, that Catgutters are constantly presenting reasons including photographs and illustrations. As it is not a "why", without knowing "how"). There is little that could be added to the polished example the bookbinding and printing arts, but it is never section on hairing, but I would like to have seen, in a detailed cleanly done within the obvious budget constraints of publishing- cross section the wedged hair to illustrate the wedge locking principle, which surely will never make the Beet List. The which la essential to an understanding the bow hairing process. wonder such books is not in their individual but that they are done at all. Each is a labor and authors such as Mr. Wake are to The remaining portion the book is devoted to bow repairs, a sub- be commended theit contributions to the art. ject that is almost completely lacking in the literature. Although, by the most comprehensive material on bow repair anywhere, I let down This book is not the "Heron Allen" the bow it is too in- going this Mr. Wake did not all the and really complete, and the prose less amusing; nor is it an -elegant (and expensive) detail all bow repairs there really aren't that more. The failing collector's item 6uch as the forthcoming Vatelot bow Lea Archets here, I is one - organization; not developing an overview FrancalB. it is the most complete book on bow repair yet all repair problems, and then addressing them. Mr. it seems, is published. Previously published pamphlets: How to Rehair a by Melvin fully capable of doing so, but he chooses to simply discuss the repairs and Rehairing Bows by Moeller and Lohberg leave much to be at random.