SOUNDPOST

LETTER of the MONTH

WEIRD AND WONDERFUL

An example of Antoni Hybel’s distinctive violins

In 1903 Polish violin maker, sculptor and painter Antoni Hybel (1872–1946) attended the School of Wood Industry in Zakopane, Poland, studying sculpture. He applied for a science scholarship, which was not permitted by the Austrian Ministry of Science. He also studied painting in Kraków and Vienna. After 1911 Hybel lived in Ropa, Poland. Among other places, his works were presented in Warsaw and Berlin. The most popular of them was the Polish violin with a ‘winged’ soundpost –a group of interconnected elements combined into one soundpost, which is movable but does not fall over. It is inserted into the instrument before it is closed and cannot be removed.

From 1924 Hybel’s instruments were a sensation and created headlines such as ‘Polish violin –a triumph of mastery’, explaining that the ‘new winged soundpost’ provided completely new sonic possibilities.

There are four such instruments known. Thanks to the renovation of exhibits from the PTTK Museum in Gorlice, carried out in my workshop, they can now be played, but only one of them has a winged soundpost. I would like to conduct acoustic research on the soundpost and catalogue as many Hybel instruments as possible. If any readers of The Strad are aware of more instruments by Hybel, perhaps they could email me at kasyah@vp.pl

KASIA BEDNARZ Gorlice, Poland

MYSTERY CRAFT

I enjoyed reading Peter Somerford’s article on young luthiers’ post-studies journeys (‘The journeyman years’, March 2022). I wonder if the teaching of lutherie skills will increase within music conservatoires, and if at least a basic knowledge of the craft would be useful for performing musicians to learn? As well as teaching them basic principles of upkeep, it may reduce luthiers’ frustrations with often bad and lazy treatment of instruments!

MARKUS REINER Hamburg, Germany

LETTER OF THE MONTH WINS

A full set of violin or cello OPAL TITAN strings created by FOR-TUNE STRINGS

HYBEL PHOTO KASIA BEDNARZ. LUTHERIE PHOTO FLORIAN GEITHNER

More info: fortunestrings.com

A FIRM HAND

With violinist Lihay Bendayan’s vibrato tips in mind (Technique, March 2022), I would like to reminisce about my own journey with the technique. I was first taught wrist vibrato. This became the norm, and I did not question it for some time. When I changed teachers more than ten years later, however, I was promptly switched to an arm vibrato. It felt unnatural and forced at first, but once engrained, it became second nature and the benefits were tangible: a richer sound, less wrist pain and a freer left arm. Moving into the professional world and free from the guidance of a teacher, I found it interesting to see which vibrato habits crept back in without my noticing. Although I had thought it was removed from my system, the wrist vibrato returned! It felt a bit disconcerting to me, having been trained to see it as inferior to the arm vibrato. But I quickly realised that both methods had their advantages. Once I added finger vibrato to the mix, it became clear that vibrato is not a technique that one learns one time and never notices again, but something that can be manipulated endlessly to musical ends. I would encourage players to be open to all styles of vibrato – it really can improve your playing more than you may think!

MARGARET HOLCH York, UK

CANCELLED COMPOSER

The online furore over the Chubu Philharmonic in Japan cancelling its planned performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture was as extraordinary as it was wrong-headed. The overwhelming majority of commenters seemed to think the orchestra was deleting all Tchaikovsky repertoire from their programmes on the simple grounds that he was Russian. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the 1812 is a very special case in that it climaxes with a triumphant rendition of the Russian Imperial national anthem to represent the country’s victory over the forces of Napoleon. As to the thought of cancelling all Tchaikovsky because of this one piece: perhaps it’s worth remembering that the composer himself loathed the 1812, calling it ‘very loud and noisy and completely without artistic merit, obviously written without warmth or love’.

I was pleased to see the New York Metropolitan Opera, surely one of the most politically aware institutions, continuing with its run of Eugene Onegin even despite the protests. And perhaps we could also bear in mind that the composer’s own grandfather hailed from Mykolaivka in present-day Ukraine!

PORTIA DAVIS Duluth, MN, US

ONLINE COMMENT

Russian cellist Anastasia Kobekina’s 20 March concert in Switzerland was cancelled owing to her nationality, despite her active condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Musicians the world over rallied behind the cellist bit.ly/36RWAvw SUZANA STEFANOVIĆ Anastasia was very courageous condemning the invasion from the beginning, having much more to lose than many of her older colleagues.

NICHOLAS PLOEGSMA It is unacceptable to punish artists who have no political involvement in their leader’s actions.

JAMES RUTH Yes, it’s just a cancelled concert, but it is also a mindless response to Putin’s aggression.

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Editorial notes

In the March issue’s article on Luigi Cavallini, two of the viola measurements were incorrect. The minimum C-bout measurement should have been 121.5mm, while the lower bouts measured 220.5mm at the widest point.