Handbook of Materials for String Musical Instruments

977 Pages·2016·44.51 MB·English

by  Voichita Bucur (auth.)

Voichita Bucur
Handbook of
Materials for
String Musical
Instruments
Handbook of Materials for String Musical
Instruments
Voichita Bucur
Handbook of Materials
for String Musical
Instruments
123
Voichita Bucur
Melbourne
Australia
ISBN978-3-319-32078-6 ISBN978-3-319-32080-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-32080-9
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2016943413
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To the open arms of Australia with gratitude,
admiration and respect
Preface
Musical instruments are a response to the love of music, filled with passion and
excitement. Like all emotional experiences which need to be filtered by a rational
approach, musical instruments call for a deeper understanding of a broad range of
physical phenomena. This is why for many years I have concentrated on directing
one of my scientific interests to musical instruments and to exploring their inter-
twined connection with materials and Materials Science.
I hope this book is a useful introduction to all of those who are interested in
string musical instruments and want to discover a more profound emotional
experience from listening to a beautiful piece of music played for example by a
violinist on a famous instrument, which in fine is a precious art object. In these
pages the reader will find not only scientific considerations of the behaviour of
materials from which string instruments of the classic symphony orchestra are
made, but also other information about the instrument makers of different periods
andthehistoricalcontextinwhichthemusicalinstrumentshavebeencreated.Some
of the string instruments presented in this book evolved during periods in which
craftsmen who invented, developed and perfected those instruments were most
productive.IreferheretotheviolinsbuiltbytheItalianmastersandthepianoforte
builtbyCristoforiandotherpianosbuiltduringtheseventeenth–nineteenthcentury,
the classic guitar built by Torres, the pianos built by Erard and Pleyel, the harps
built by Erard and Salvi, the grand piano built by Steinway, Yamaha and others
and,thehandmadepianosbyFazioli—ItalyandStuart—Australia,attheendofthe
last century. The quality of these marvels is embodied in the magnificent pho-
tographs available to generations of people in various archives. Being widely
accessible the virtual gallery offers not only a well-documented journey of the
famous musical instruments, both old and new, but also an invitation to the reader
todiscoverthescientifictoolsthatgiveusadeeperunderstandingoftheiracoustical
qualities. It is very surprising to see that the same natural materials were used
duringthreecenturiestobuildsomanymusicalinstrumentswhichareworksofart,
and nowadays belong to the patrimony of humanity.
vii
viii Preface
Attheendofthetwentiethcenturysystematiceffortsweredirectedtotheuseof
newcompositesbutonlyformassproduction.Concertinstrumentsforsoloistsand
instruments for professional musicians in symphony orchestras are exclusively
madebycraftsmenusingtraditionalmaterialsandtechnologies.Thebookprovides
insightsintothepropertiesoftraditionalandnewmaterialsusedforbuildingstring
instruments,havingasoneofitsprimaryrolestheunderstandingofwaysinwhich
materialscontributetotheacousticalqualitiesoftheseinstruments.Here,abookis
then written from the perspective of materials science, which in my opinion, was
needed as a complement to the existing books on physics and acoustics of string
musicalinstruments.Afamiliaritywiththecurrentterminologyusedbyluthiersand
scholarswillsatisfyeveryone’scuriosityandenablereaderstoconfidentlydealwith
string instruments made by a famous or unknown luthier.
My work on this book was a labour of love, which I began in 2011. I am very
grateful to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
(CSIRO)—Australia, and particularly to the Chief of the former Division of
Materials Science and Engineering—Dr. Cathy Foley for sponsoring this project
and for allowing me to work on this book in a supportive environment. Dr.
Grahame Smith initiated this project following the long conversations we had in
2011 about materials science and classical music. At that time Dr. Grahame Smith
directed the laboratory in Clayton (Melbourne) and I was Senior Visiting Scientist
at CSIRO. After his retirement, Dr. Grahame Smith continued to be one of the
reviewers of this book’s manuscript and continued generously to help in using the
complexity of the electronic approach required for copyright forms for the
numerous figures of this book. I am profoundly grateful to him.
ProfessorNevilleH.Fletcher—AustralianNationalUniversity,Canberra—ismy
mentor in the field of musical instruments acoustics. I owe him a great debt of
gratitudefortheenthusiasticcontribution,generosityandencouragementofferedto
me over the 4 years of writing the manuscript comprising more than 2,000 pages.
He most generously read the draft of my manuscript, offering extremely useful
advice leading to the publication of this book.
I am also very grateful to Mr. Len Tosolini for the proofreading of different
versionsofthechaptersofmymanuscript.Hehelpedenormouslywithhisexpertise
in all stages of the elaboration of this book.
My special thanks are addressed to my colleague Dr. Silvia Pongracic for her
continuousencouragementfromthebeginningtothefinalversionofthemanuscript
ofthisbook.IaddressmyacknowledgementstoMr.FlavioPonzi(Bologna—Italy)
for his enthusiastic contribution with numerous comments related to historical
pianos restoration, which improved my manuscript. I would like to acknowledge
my collaboration with Mr Wayne Stuart AO—Stuart and Sons Handcrafted Grand
Pianos—Australia related to the innovations in the construction of the modern
handcrafted grand pianos.
I have to address my acknowledgements to Mr. Beat Wolf (Schaffhausen—
Switzerland)whoverygenerouslyofferednewinformationonthehistoricharps.In
my acknowledgements a special recognition is directed to Prof. George Bissinger
Preface ix
(NorthCarolinaUniversity—USA)forhiscommentsrelatedtotheviolinsandNew
ViolinOctetinstruments,whichaddedconsiderablevaluetotheinformationinthe
book.
Anextensiveamountofworkwasnecessaryforcopyrightformalities.Iamvery
thankfultomycolleagueMs.SusanMcMaster—CSIRO—Australiaforherhelpin
dealing with very numerous copyright forms and all the legal aspects required by
the publication of this book. I have also to mention the contribution, at the
beginning of this work, of my former colleague Ms. Danila Durante.
Also I would like to acknowledge my administrative coordinators at CSIRO—
Mr.AndrewTullohandMr.RobinKirkham, myCSIROcolleaguessittingnextto
my office, Dr. Neil Sims and Dr. Glenn Newnham, for their help with electronic
tools for writing the manuscript and CSIRO librarians and the librarians of the
VictoriaStateLibrary.Allofthemwereveryinterestedintheprogressofmybook
and very helpful in my everyday tasks related to completion of my manuscript.
I sincerely thank all colleagues, musical instruments makers, museums, scientific
organisations and publishers (all cited in reference lists) who permitted the use
oftheirfiguresthatillustratethetextofthisbook.Thisbookisbasedontheworkof
many colleagues in the Musical Acoustics community, including the Australian
Acoustical Society, the French Acoustical Society, the Acoustical Society of
America, the Catgut Acoustical Society and the Violin Society of America, the
Institute of Acoustics UK and the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and
IndustrialResearchOrganisation—ascitedinthisbook.Ihavetothankthemallfor
the interesting exchange of ideas and suggestions during international meetings
since about 1985, ideas that confirmed my conviction about the necessity for this
book.
For the publication of this manuscript by Springer I greatly acknowledge the
contribution of Dr. Maria Bellantone—and the technical staff involved in the
production of this book
My family—Mrs. Despina Bucur Spandonide, Dr. Bruno Spandonide, Mrs.
Robyn Spandonide—and my dear friends, Dr. Georgiana Daian and Dr. Mihai
Daian, were of great help particularly in supporting me through the endless diffi-
culties posed by the electronic means that are indispensable today for the com-
pletion of work. Unstinting support came from my sister Despina who stimulated
my imagination and enchanted me with the radiance of her presence.
Musicalinstrumentsareindispensabletothematerialisationofmusic.Weknow
from the popular wisdom of a proverb that says “la musique adoucit les mœurs”
(music soothes the savage breast), and we know also that music is a deep and
miraculous source of joy which helps us, human beings, to live in harmony with
ourselves and with our fellows.
Melbourne, Australia Voichita Bucur
2016
Contents
1 Introduction... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1
1.1 The Background... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1
1.2 The Outline of the Book.. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 3
References. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 4
2 Description of String Instruments for Classical Music.. ..... .... 5
2.1 Evolution of String Instruments .... .... .... .... ..... .... 7
2.1.1 Short Historic Overview ... .... .... .... ..... .... 7
2.1.2 String Instruments and the Symphony Orchestra.. .... 13
2.2 String Instruments as Art Objects... .... .... .... ..... .... 18
2.2.1 Utility and Beauty, Inseparable Concepts
for Baroque Musical Instrument Building .. ..... .... 21
2.2.2 Precious Materials for Baroque Musical
Instruments ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 25
2.3 Organologic Description of String Instruments
of a Symphony Orchestra. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 31
2.3.1 Geometry of String Musical Instruments... ..... .... 31
2.3.2 Constitutive Parts of String Instrument .... ..... .... 42
2.4 Craftsman’s Technology for Construction of String
Instruments... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 52
2.4.1 Technology for the Manufacture of Instruments
of the Violin Family .. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 53
2.4.2 Technology for Manufacturing a Concert
Classical Guitar.. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 55
2.4.3 Technology for the Concert Harp .... .... ..... .... 58
2.4.4 Technology for the Grand Piano Soundboard .... .... 60
2.4.5 The Case of the Harpsichord.... .... .... ..... .... 65
2.5 Directivity of String Instruments.... .... .... .... ..... .... 67
2.5.1 The Violin Family.... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 69
2.5.2 The Concert Harp .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 73
2.5.3 The Grand Piano. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 74
xi
xii Contents
2.6 New Instruments... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 74
2.6.1 The Hutchins—Schelleng Violin Octet .... ..... .... 74
2.6.2 The Caldersmith Classic Guitar Family.... ..... .... 79
2.7 Summary .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 83
Appendices.... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 84
References. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 88
3 Mechanical Characterisation of Materials for String
Instrument.... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 93
3.1 Introduction .. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 93
3.2 Mechanical Characterisation of Materials. .... .... ..... .... 94
3.2.1 Elastic Constants of Materials—Theoretical
Aspects ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 95
3.2.2 Experimental Aspects Related to Elastic Constants
Measurements ... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 99
3.3 Anisotropy of Wood..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 111
3.4 Effect of Wood Moisture Content Variation
on Tone Quality .. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 119
3.5 Summary .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 122
Appendices.... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 123
References. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 129
4 Measuring Vibration Modes of Violins’ and Other Instruments’
Plates .... .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 133
4.1 Modal Analysis of Violins .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 136
4.2 Experimental Modal Testing... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 136
4.3 Optical Methods for Vibration Measurements on Violins.. .... 138
4.3.1 Holographic Interferometry . .... .... .... ..... .... 139
4.3.2 Laser Doppler Vibrometry.. .... .... .... ..... .... 142
4.3.3 Near Field Acoustic Holography. .... .... ..... .... 146
4.4 X-Ray Computed Tomography. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 146
4.5 Radiation and Directivity of Violins and Other Instruments.... 151
4.6 Summary .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 155
Appendices.... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 156
References. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 170
5 Material Properties and the Modes of Vibration
of Piano Soundboard.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 175
5.1 Introduction .. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 176
5.2 Piano Soundboard.. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 179
5.2.1 Manufacturing Technology of the Piano
Soundboard..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 181
5.2.2 Parameters for Quality Assessment of Wood
for Soundboard .. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 183
5.2.3 Piano Soundboard Vibrations ... .... .... ..... .... 191