Do Stradivari violins sound or play better than the best new violins?
Answered: There is no general audible superiority; individual instruments differ more than old from new, and reputation…Passed its tests and review.
Where it stands
Three answers have been proposed. There is no general audible superiority; individual instruments differ more than old from new, and reputation… leads, with evidence 1 for, 1 against: supported by its tests. Two are still possible.
Why it matters
Every search for a secret assumes there is something to explain. The premise was not tested under blind conditions until 2012[1].
Answers 3
History
- Fritz et al. puts forward: stradivari violins are reliably preferred and identifiable when players and listeners cannot see them.
- Fritz et al. puts forward: there is no general audible superiority; individual instruments differ more than old from new, and reputation…
- Fritz et al.: 21 violinists preferred a new violin most and a Stradivari least; most could not tell if their favourite was…Against: Stradivari violins are reliably preferred and identifiable when players and listeners cannot see them.
- Fritz et al.: six of ten soloists chose a new violin; soloists could not tell new from old better than chance.Against: Stradivari violins are reliably preferred and identifiable when players and listeners cannot see them.
- Fritz et al.: each study used few instruments (six to twelve), limiting generalisation to all Stradivaris.Against: There is no general audible superiority; individual instruments differ more than old from new, and reputation…
- Fritz et al.: hall listeners judged new violins to project better than Stradivaris and preferred them on average.Against: Stradivari violins are reliably preferred and identifiable when players and listeners cannot see them.
- Fritz et al.: three independent blind studies with players and listeners found no old-violin advantage.For: There is no general audible superiority; individual instruments differ more than old from new, and reputation…
- Tai et al.: stradivari violins show higher formant frequencies than Amati violins, a measurable tonal signature.For: Stradivari violins are reliably preferred and identifiable when players and listeners cannot see them.
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