SOUNDPOST

A c.1820–25 Tourte bow, now owned and played by Anne Akiko Meyers

LETTER of the MONTH

WELL TOURTE

We are most grateful for Philip Kass’s very positive review, in The Strad ’s December 2023 issue, of our new book Tourte. We would like to take a moment to clarify and amplify one issue that Kass raised in Gabriel Schaff’s biography of François Xavier Tourte. Kass writes ‘it is disappointing not to find evidence of the supposed connection between Tourte and Viotti,’ referring to the commonly held and oft-repeated notion (promulgated first by François-Joseph Fétis in 1856 and endlessly repeated thereafter) that Viotti’s 1782 arrival in Paris played a causal role in the emergence of the final form of Tourte’s ‘modern’ bow.

To be clear, what our book does is debunk this myth completely. Granted, it is not difficult to imagine that Viotti was acquainted with one or both of the Tourte brothers as well as with the other Parisian makers active between 1782 and 1792, the years he spent in Paris. However, no document from that time has yet been found to establish a working relationship between the two giants, nor is there any documented evidence of Viotti’s use of a Tourte bow. The closest allusion, as presented in Schaff’s

text, is an isolated reference from December 1821, very late in both Viotti’s and Tourte’s lives, that Viotti was asked to be involved in a sale of Tourte bows. Viotti never wrote directly about bows nor spoke of them in any documented conversations. Most importantly, we believe that our book clearly establishes the emergence of Tourte’s ‘modern’ bow several years prior to Viotti’s 1782 arrival in Paris. This assertion is supported by the physical evidence of bows made by Tourte and shown in our book.

We would rejoice in the finding of any information that sheds new light on our hero Tourte, but it would almost certainly be something discovered by accident, or at some point in the future when new information comes to light, as the presently known archives have been deeply plumbed. Schaff’s text aims to dispel the ingrained assumptions borne from incomplete research and fanciful conflations of earlier eras.

PAUL CHILDS Montrose, NY, US

GABRIEL SCHAFF Harrington Park, NJ, US

IMPROVISE TO IMPROVE

SEALES PHOTO SIMONE SEALES. BOW PHOTOS COURTESY PAUL CHILDS

The Opinion piece by Simone Seales (right) on improvisation (‘Imperfect is OK’, December 2023) is well considered. I have been playing improvised music (jazz, rock, blues, bluegrass) for over 60 years now. I did not have the means when young to pursue a formal education in music, and in fact originally learnt to play by sitting in music stores and playing the instruments when the owners allowed me access. The advent of a multiplicity of ‘how-to’ books over the past 40 years has provided me with great access to the musical theory, technique and knowledge needed to bring my playing to a higher level.

I still cannot sightread, but have to struggle note by note when I learn a composed piece. But I rarely need to do that, as my knowledge of chords and scales lets me play most popular music based only on the chords or the key. Nevertheless, I miss not being able to play the vast array of composed music that is available.

As limited as I am, in my experience many musicians who are well trained in the formalities of music and technique are just as limited in not being able to play something unless it is written down in standard notation. I have always thought well-trained musicians were missing out on some of the best uses of their formidable technique by not knowing how to improvise.

Improvisation can open up your understanding of what a composed piece is really about. Playing around with the chords and scales a composer uses can give one great insights into the piece, and perhaps spark a moment of genius that springs from your fingers. And it can also give one a certain satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment that is different – perhaps more personal – than finely playing a composed piece.

Why limit yourself to one aspect, even a multifaceted one like classical training? Venture forth into unexplored worlds and you may discover anew a joy and enthusiasm that perhaps has become a bit dulled by too much focus on hours of practice to perfect one’s technique.

ED EINOWSKI Portland, OR, US

A SWEET SURPRISE

I enjoyed the vintage account, from 1903, of the early life of Franz Joseph Haydn right up to his engagement at the court of Prince Esterházy (From the Archive, September 2023).

While on holiday in Budapest in December, I was introduced to the delights of ‘Esterházy torte’, a delicious confection of almond meringue, icing and brandy which succeeding in warming me through, amid the freezing weather. Further research revealed that it was named after Paul III Anton, Prince Esterházy, son of Haydn’s patron Nikolaus II. I’d be honoured to introduce it to readers of The Strad; me, who used to think the only Hungarian dessert I’d heard of was the ‘jelly d’arányi’.

JOYCE GREEN Bransholme, UK

DERHOVSEPIAN PHOTO ERIC ARBITER.JPG

ONLINE COMMENT

In November’s Making Matters, Chris Sandvoss gave violists tips on how to find the best-fitting instrument. Our violist readers were eager to share their own experiences of dealing with this conundrum bitly.ws/32VRn

KIMBERLY JOHNSON I just made the difficult decision to downsize from a 41.275cm viola to a 40cm. My shoulder just can’t handle the bigger size any more. I miss my bigger viola but I don’t regret the decision to leave it.

ILANA TAPPER I had a 15¼-inch viola made for me last year, modelled on the viola I was borrowing previously, and I love it!

DAVID SWISS I think that the five-string will become the default instrument for most violin and viola players.

LETTER OF THE MONTH WINS

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