Researchers have managed to get nearer to unlocking one of the great secrets of the master Antonio Stradivari by examining the annual growth rings found in the wood of his legendary instruments. After scrutinizing hundreds of samples, the investigators concluded that during his most prolific creative period, the craftsman favored materials sourced from a specific geographic area. This finding offers a deeper insight into the precise methods used to construct instruments whose tonal quality remains the unrivaled benchmark in the music world even now.
According to the scientific journal Dendrochronologia, Stradivari, during the zenith of his career, utilized spruce timber harvested from the high-altitude Italian valley of Val di Fiemme. Dendrochronological assessment revealed that after the year 1706, the maker likely switched suppliers and concentrated solely on wood originating from this particular locality. Prior to this marker, he might have experimented with raw materials gathered from various Alpine territories, encompassing areas that are now part of Austria and Switzerland.
Of particular interest to the experts were the remarkably narrow annual growth rings observed on the soundboards of Stradivari’s violins. This feature indicates that the trees endured harsh high-altitude conditions characterized by low temperatures and limited exposure to sunlight. Such climatic factors were typical of the era known as the Little Ice Age, potentially bestowing upon the wood acoustic properties so unique that the master skillfully incorporated them into his craft.
The specialists also pointed out that the celebrated Italian may have employed not only spruce but, in certain instances, also silver fir in his construction process. It is noteworthy that the chemical makeup of the material in antique violins significantly diverges from that of their modern counterparts. This observation substantiates long-held theories suggesting that Stradivari treated the wood with specialized mineral solutions to enhance both the sound and the longevity of his creations.
Throughout his extensive career, the renowned master from Cremona fashioned approximately one thousand musical instruments, a substantial portion of which are carefully preserved and utilized presently. His working life is conventionally divided into several phases: from his early apprenticeship under the Amati dynasty to his “Golden Period” and the eventual winding down of his workshop. This latest research demonstrates that the success achieved during Stradivari’s “golden age” was directly attributable to his careful selection of the finest resonant timber sourced from the upland forests of Trentino.
About the Author
