The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-24

bounaIng DCNfu OF piano That was
not difficult to think out; but, bless you,
there was great deal besides the prin-
ciple to discover before it could be ap-
piled to the violin.
1t took years Of study to teach mo
that form had great deal to do with
1t. found that the simple insertion Of
sounding board between the belly and
back Of violin would increase She
volume Of tone, but at the, sacrifice OF
Its sweetness and purity. This would
never do. worked for FIVE years expert
menting with different forms Of sound
ing boards before began to get some Of
the results sought found that one
form would add greatly to the power,
purity and resonance Of the e and A
strings, while the G and strings were
rendered fat and screeohy. I lost many
nights sleep trying to figure out how to
get the best OF that obstinate piece Of
catgut It IS needless to go into partic-
ulars further. Isubdued that refractory
G string at last, and now listen to this -
Tho Correct Sound
Taking up one of several violins,
which, from their freedom from spot OF
blemish, showed plainly that they had
but recently been under the touch Of tho
vanish brush, Mr.. Brady screwed the
keys one way or another until the in
strument was in tune. Then, picking up
bow, he drew 1t with sweep of his
arm across tho strings The result was
magical. 1t was as if the very dir in the
little shop Quiverod In response to the
volume Of a sound which issued from
the violin
Mr.. Brady is no mean performer, and
his years OF experience have taught him
series Of exercises which best serve to
test the capabilities Of the instrument
For five minutes he drew from the
violin such sounds as could only have
proceeded from very superior instru-
ment BY striking the E string with
the finger sound was produced which
carried like the sound of a bell and died
away with tho same reverbatory undula-
tons
Mr.. Brady laid 1t down almost reluc-
family as no said:
IF you should tell hundred must
clans that that fiddle was one Of q doze,
which cost mo less than $12 for the lot,
not ono Of them but would laugh in
your face. But it's the truth. Strung
up and vanished. that grade of fiddle
sells in tho shops for about 81 so, and
that is too much for some Of them
The Sounding Board.
Experience has taught me just where
TO fix tho sounding board so that tho
sound waves as they play back and forth
between tho belly and back OF the VIC
lin arc caught up by it and magnified
and StropUthnnod Tho aoo,ct;o ,Dxozo.
ties Of the instrument arc augmented,
and tho boil metal imparts softness as
we'll as an added strength to the tone.
I am we'll aware of the prejudice
which has long existed against the use
OF metal III tho construction Of violins
Those who profess to be posted will
hold up their hands in holy horror at
the idea OF motal touching the instru-
mont l shared the prejudice for many
years until l found that as the violin
itself owed it's tono value to its peculiar
form, SO metal plate, if OF tho proper
form, was tho only material which
would give the much desired singing
quality of tone
Mr. Brady then played his old Gre.
mona. and it was impossible to distin-
| guish between the two instruments in
tho matter OF power and purity of tone
went the next day with the old gon.
tleman to u dealer In Maiden lane
whero $500 Amati vas for sale.
We took along the SO fiddle and
struggled 1t into the shop The dealer
took tho Amati. which was we'll pre-
served specimen Of the great maker 5
skill. from its envelope of soft silken
wrappings and laid it tenderly upon the
counter asked the professor to test
the instrument
He did SO and drew from it Its very
heart
Then picking up the SO fiddle, Mr..
Brady played the Same exercises which
he had used to test the capabilities Of
the Amati. The dealer listened with
open mouthed astonishmont until the
professor" had finished. Then he ask
ed TO see tho fiddle which had not only
equaled but i'll some respects surpassed
the valuable Amnti. not only in power
and resonance but in sweetness and
purity Of tone as we'll
Puzzled Donier.
He asked to examine the instrument
and his establishment was increased ten.
fold when he found that it belonged TO
tho genus fiddle Not oven tho purflinr
on tho back was real, but was merely q
streak OF dark paint IN imitation of the
inlaid wood which is vouchsafod to the
most ordinary make of cheap violins.
Through the sound holes he caught
the silver CLINT of the sounding board,
but before he could examine it further