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GtrsRGr8 · 10-09-2016, 06:12 PM

This is a book that I soooo wish was available on audio. I would much prefer to listen to it than read it. But, apparently, it is not--at least Audible doesn't have it. Ideally, it would be available as an (inexpensive) Whispersync deal. It's times like these that I have to remind myself of what a great, world-renowned philosopher once said, "you don't always get what you want" (Mick Jagger).

But it's a fiddle, not a violin! Fiddle, fiddle, fiddle! At least that's what all of my Bluegrass-playing buddies call it.

The topic is a fascinating one for me, even though I am not particularly musically-inclined. I am somewhat mechanically-inclined and historically-inclined, however, and therein may lie the the reasons for my interest. This book appears to be as much (or more) about building violins and the history of them, than the musical aspects.

The book is very highly rated.

And just look at the markdown--from a digital list price of $13.99 to $0.99 (93%!)! If the markdown were any greater, it'd be practically free!

The Violin Maker: A Search for the Secrets of Craftsmanship, Sound, and Stradivari. By John Marchese. Rated 4.6 stars, from 18 reviews at Amazon at the present moment; rated 3.92 from 202 ratings at GoodReads at the present moment. Print list price N/A; digital list price $13.99; Kindle price $0.99. HarperCollins e-books, publisher. 256 pages. https://www.amazon.com/Violin-Maker-.../dp/B0017SUYPA.

Book Description
How does a simple piece of wood become a violin, the king of instruments? Watch and find out as Eugene Drucker, a member of the world–renowned Emerson String Quartet, commissions Sam Zygmuntowicz, a Brooklyn craftsman, to make him a new violin. As he tells this extraordinary story, journalist John Marchese shares the rich lore of this beloved instrument and illuminates an art that has barely changed since the Renaissance.

Marchese takes readers from start to finish as Zygmuntowicz builds the violin, from the first selection of the wood, to the cutting of the back and belly, through the carving of the scroll and the fingerboard, to the placement of the sound peg. Though much of the story takes place in the craftsman's museum–like Brooklyn workshop, there are side trips across the river to the rehearsal rooms of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln center, and across the world. Stops on the itinerary include Cremona, Italy, the magical city where Antonio Stradivari (and a few of his contemporaries) achieved a level of violin–making perfection that has endured for centuries, as well as points in France and Germany integral to the history of the violin.

A stunning work of narrative nonfiction that's also a finely crafted, loving homage to the instrument that most closely approximates the human voice.

10-09-2016, 06:12 PM	#594
GtrsRGr8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,334 Karma: 27815322 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Southeastern U.S., ya'll Device: Kindle; Kindle (10.1.1) for PC; Kindle Cloud Reader	Highly Rated Book on the Skill of Building a Great Violin. Only 99 Cents! This is a book that I soooo wish was available on audio. I would much prefer to listen to it than read it. But, apparently, it is not--at least Audible doesn't have it. Ideally, it would be available as an (inexpensive) Whispersync deal. It's times like these that I have to remind myself of what a great, world-renowned philosopher once said, "you don't always get what you want" (Mick Jagger). But it's a fiddle, not a violin! Fiddle, fiddle, fiddle! At least that's what all of my Bluegrass-playing buddies call it. The topic is a fascinating one for me, even though I am not particularly musically-inclined. I am somewhat mechanically-inclined and historically-inclined, however, and therein may lie the the reasons for my interest. This book appears to be as much (or more) about building violins and the history of them, than the musical aspects. The book is very highly rated. And just look at the markdown--from a digital list price of $13.99 to $0.99 (93%!)! If the markdown were any greater, it'd be practically free! The Violin Maker: A Search for the Secrets of Craftsmanship, Sound, and Stradivari. By John Marchese. Rated 4.6 stars, from 18 reviews at Amazon at the present moment; rated 3.92 from 202 ratings at GoodReads at the present moment. Print list price N/A; digital list price $13.99; Kindle price $0.99. HarperCollins e-books, publisher. 256 pages. https://www.amazon.com/Violin-Maker-.../dp/B0017SUYPA. Book Description How does a simple piece of wood become a violin, the king of instruments? Watch and find out as Eugene Drucker, a member of the world–renowned Emerson String Quartet, commissions Sam Zygmuntowicz, a Brooklyn craftsman, to make him a new violin. As he tells this extraordinary story, journalist John Marchese shares the rich lore of this beloved instrument and illuminates an art that has barely changed since the Renaissance. Marchese takes readers from start to finish as Zygmuntowicz builds the violin, from the first selection of the wood, to the cutting of the back and belly, through the carving of the scroll and the fingerboard, to the placement of the sound peg. Though much of the story takes place in the craftsman's museum–like Brooklyn workshop, there are side trips across the river to the rehearsal rooms of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln center, and across the world. Stops on the itinerary include Cremona, Italy, the magical city where Antonio Stradivari (and a few of his contemporaries) achieved a level of violin–making perfection that has endured for centuries, as well as points in France and Germany integral to the history of the violin. A stunning work of narrative nonfiction that's also a finely crafted, loving homage to the instrument that most closely approximates the human voice. Last edited by GtrsRGr8; 10-09-2016 at 07:12 PM.