30 Johnson ⦁ Violin Intonation Figure 3. Renaissance through Stradivari violin configuration.19 With Renaissance violins circa 1590, the neck only pointed one degree upward. In addition, the bridge of the Renaissance violin was fairly thick, with square-like feet and high eyes, sitting behind the f-holes towards the tailpiece. Additionally, there was no bass bar in the Renaissance violin, only a sound post. This led to a violin with an open tone that did not overpower instruments such as the lute and recorder.20 As for a Baroque violin such as a Jacob Stainer circa 1659, the upward grade of the neck is very similar to that of the Renaissance violin; however, there is the addition of a bass bar to the violin. The bass bar and the increased thickness of this instrument, as well as the placement of the bridge in between the f-holes makes the violin’s tone more resonant and very responsive. This violin paved the way for a modern Stradivari model that had an even larger bass bar and sound post. In addition to the different characteristics of the resonating parts of the violin, the strings of the Stradivari violin were of greater tension as the neck of the violin was at a greater upward angle. It is important to note that the strings of early Renaissance and Baroque violins did not have as much string tension as the later models in the Classical period.21 Therefore, their ability to hold tuning would also be different. Less tension on a string would cause it to 19 Babitz, 3. 20 Babitz, 2. 21 Babitz, 2–3.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=