Violin Chemicals Making a Smoother Sound

On November 29, 2006, in the NewScientist.com article “Why do Stradivari's violins sound sublime?” (found at http://www.newscientisttech.com/article.ns?id=dn10686), Paul Marks discusses a researchers dedication to discovering the chemical composition in the wood of 17th-century violins.

Seventeenth-century Italian violin makers, such as Antonia Stradivari, were known to produce exquisite violins that produced a very distinct honeyed sound. Recently, researcher Joseph Nagyvary of Texas A&M University has found that the chemicals used to treat the wood of Stradivari’s violins may have contributed to their unique tonal qualities. Nagyvary performed infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to examine wood shavings of the antique violins’ backboard while they were undergoing reparations. The chemical composition of the wood seems to have resulted from local preservatives the instrument-makers used from Lombardy, Italy. However, analysis of the trees in Lombardy reveals that the chemical composition of the wood in the region is different today. Traces of copper, iron, and chromium salts, probably used as wood preservatives, seem to have an effect on the acoustics of the violins, though Nagyvary believes this was not Stradivari’s intent.

Nagyvary first discovered the chemical effects on instrumental tones in 1998, when he first discovered a violin backboard could produce sounds similar to a Stradivari violin by being soaked in salt water and grape juice. Since then, he has devoted his work to dissections of Stradivari violins and their possible chemical compositions. Yet, Nagyvary’s passion for sound stemmed from his experience losing his voice, then regaining it with the aid of a plastic implant. As he still has yet to determine the exact types of salts used in the seventeenth-century violins, it seems he hopes to find the optimum formula of chemicals that could produce an optimum sound. His previous life experiences, such as his vocal surgery and his simple experiment with grape juice and salt water, have played defining roles in what direction his research takes him. Nagyvary is also a researcher who blends art and science. His love of music, though at first glance may not relate with his profession as a biochemist, still affects all aspects of his life. As a scientist, Nagyvary does not hesitate to let his life and identity influence his scientific work.

Many have criticized the pragmatics of studying the chemical composition of violin wood. For instance, Jon Whiteley, curator of music at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, argues that it is the shape of the violin that determines its sound qualities, and that chemical preservatives have very little to do with producing tone. Personally, I can see the interest and the intrigue generated by Nagyvary and his work. By discovering what kind of chemical structures affect sound, more specific and unique violins can be created to give more control in crafting various artistic styles. However, I do understand that the chemical breakdown of a violin’s backboard is not the only factor that determines sound. A joint study of instrument shape as well as chemical analysis should be used to fine-tune instruments into their best performances.


Additional Sources:

Nagyvary, Joseph. "Joseph Nagyvary's Home Page." Texas A&M University. 29 Nov. 2006 .