Send calming thoughts my way for my first Audition on Wednesday! - Page 4

CommanderROR · 04-03-2007, 06:06 PM

Well...I've got an interesting next week coming up.

I'll take a violin from a luthier in the region (with improved setup by my bowmaker www.arcus-bow.de), a violin from a maker in Murnau where my teacher lives and go with those and my current instrument to visit the man near munich. Then we can do a proper all-out comparison...

I also went to the "Musikmesse" in Frankfurt last Saturday and tried quite a few violins there, but the only good one I found was from an italian makes called Lorenzo Frignani and it was not for sale. I sent him a message asking whether he has any other instrument and whether he could send me one for a trial period, but he has not replied so far.
I got a response on the timeframe from Schleske and the maker from Murnau, they both say it'll be about a year before they can get an instrument ready for me...I guess there is little I can do about that...and Greiner, the most popular (and expensive) violin maker at the moment also replied and said that the best he could offer me would be a violin in 2012...*lol*

I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Bob Russell · 04-03-2007, 06:59 PM

Wow... by 2012 you will probably want something else! ;-)
Good luck with the hunt, and let us know what you learn.

RWood · 04-03-2007, 07:06 PM

I have heard many so called “flawless” performances. There was one trait that was common among them all, they were boring. There was no life in them. Sure, they played their line with every note and stop on time and I loved the original score. But the performance was lifeless and dull. No spark, no excitement.

I would rather hear a youth orchestra – mistakes and all – than a flawless performance. At least I know that they are alive and not a badly programmed MOOG.

Keep up your spirits.

Leaping Gnome · 04-03-2007, 09:22 PM

Wow I never knew violins cost so much. And you're expected to buy your own before you even get a job!

CommanderROR · 04-04-2007, 05:57 AM

20000€ is nothing for a violin. The new ones are cheap...speaking relatively...

If you buy an old violin with a name (it does not have to be a Stradivarius) then you can easily pay200000 and if you go for the big names then you'll soon reach areas where most of us will never dare to go. I read somewhere that a Stradivarius was recently sold for 3 or 4 million dollar...

I must admit that I'm hoping one of the cheaper models I'm taking into consideration will be the winner...while I could afford to spend 20000€ on a violin I would not like to do it...naturally...^^

CommanderROR · 04-15-2007, 08:50 AM

Well, I'm back from my big violin-testing round...it was a rather strenuous experience for all involved parties.

I will not bore you with details, I'll just give you the short endresults:

The Violins we compared were my violin, a Rittwagen Guarneri model, Koeberling Guarneri Model, a Dalphin (belonging to a former fellow student), a Lupot (belonging to my teacher, reference instrument) and two Schleske Violins (one Guarneri and one Stradivari model).

Most of the testing was done in my teacher's villa, in different rooms with different acoustics. The Schleske violins were only tested in Mr. Schleskes workshop since we coul dnot take those along.
In the first tests (without the Schlekse instruments) the Rittwagen came out as winner in almost all categories (although it could not beat the Lupot) and the Koeberling was loser in all categories. The Dalphin and my violin came in second-last with some rounds going to the one and some to the other.

We took my violin and the Rittwagen to Mr. Shleske and compared them to his violins. The result was pretty unanimous with the Schlekse Guarneri model winning out quite clearly. The Rittwagen violin is really a nice instrument, especially for it's price, but from the tests so far it looks like the Schleske violins, especially the Guarneri model, have that "little bit extra" that makes the difference between a very good and and outstanding violin.
Now, the Schleske violin would not have been for sale actually and I would have had to wait for up to a year for a newly built model, but Mr. Schleske managed (don't ask for details. i'm not entirely sure myself) that I could get the violin I tried (the one that was supposed to be sold already) by the 21st of May.
While this is indeed a lot better than I had hoped for, it's still far from ideal since I have four auditions upcoming in May...all of them (at least the first rounds) before (or on one occasion on) the 21st of May.
I'll try to rent the Rittwagen violin as an interim solution, I hope that works out, and play my auditions with that one.
In May I'll then visit Mr. Schlesek again and will pick up his violin for a two week trial and then decide whether to put down the 20000 Euro or continue the search.

That's how thigs stand right now, I'll see how the tale continues...

Leaping Gnome · 04-15-2007, 11:57 AM

Thanks for the update, sounds like an interesting journey. I never know so much went into buying a violin, or that they were so expensive!

Bob Russell · 04-15-2007, 12:48 PM

That sounds like some great news and lots of progress. Must be nice to not only know what you want, but to be able to get it so quickly (relatively speaking, of course!) I hope you do get that rental. But maybe the interviewers will even take into consideration that you are "in-between" instruments for the moment and have a top notch one coming. Do they do second rounds of auditions that would be after May 21? After all - that's what they do on American Idol.

Best of luck with the next round of both the auditions and the instrument hunting.

CommanderROR · 04-15-2007, 12:54 PM

Well, there are some second round auditions coming up after May 21, but they are far too close to the 21st of May to make playing the new violin there a feasible option...and of course I have to get to the second round in the first place... :-)

the "interim instrument" thing doesn't count where it comes to auditions. Nobody cares who you are or what you do, only the performance counts...it's a hard competition out there and you just have to try your best and be lucky of course...^^

I'm also looking for a case right now because I'll need a second case for the new/old violin once it arrives...I would love something made from Carbon Fibre, but there is only one Carbon case out there right now and that's pretty unsatisfactory...I got a hands-on with it at the Frankfurt Music Exhibition two weeks ago.

UncleDuke · 04-15-2007, 09:54 PM

a good fiddle will last a lifetime. my brother's prenup with his 3rd wife states that the fiddle is his and she has no claim on it ever. find one you like, you'll be married to it longer than you will be to any woman.

CommanderROR · 04-17-2007, 05:35 AM

Oh dear...another invitation came in today...the month of May is going to be one hell of a month for me...

The last invitation that came in is (unfortunately) for the first audition in May...^^
It's an Opera House that I would really like...at least I think so...:-)

It's called "Staatsoperette Dresden" and specializes in the lighter classical music...
http://www.staatsoperette-dresden.de/

It's the only such Opera House in Germany (or even Europe?)

nekokami · 04-17-2007, 08:52 AM

Maybe you could add a carbon fiber layer to an existing case. Make magazine has an article this issue on working with carbon fiber (the article covers making an iPod case, but you should be able to adapt.) Then you could get a case that meets your requirements in other respects to start from.

Exciting news on the rest -- good luck!

Bob Russell · 04-17-2007, 08:55 AM

Sounds like you are pretty much swamped with auditions... that's a great place to be, even if it's a challenge. Just think of all the people that are hearing your name and your playing. Those contacts have a funny way of turning up again in the future, so you might just be setting yourself up for a future job even if you don't get the position this time.

At any rate, best wishes. I'm sure you'll end up with a great opportunity. I just wish you were going to play locally so I could hear!

CommanderROR · 04-19-2007, 04:03 PM

Well, looks like possible bad news on the violin front...

The violin-maker that had promised me the violin in late May now suddenly says he can't promise that I'll get it. I could not get the why from him yet, I hope I'll be able to do that tomorrow.
It appears that the instrument that my teacher and myself liked so much is really an especially good one, he says it's his best so far. I wonder whether he has some other plans for it or something. I hope I'll manage to get the violin anyway or at least get some details about the sudden "uncertainity". I'm not really willing to settle for the "next instrument to be completed" which would/should/could be ready in january 2008 and might or might not be the same quality as this one...
The violin is also going to be slightly more expensive than I had anticipated, the 20000 was the price without VAT apparently, so it'll set me back a heavy 24000 Euro. I won't die if I have to spend that much, but I'm surely not looking forward to it!!!

Bob Russell · 04-19-2007, 04:19 PM

Wow, that's gotta be discouraging... especially the part about it being his best instrument and not wanting to give it to you. Sounds like it could be a really good fortune if you do get it somehow.

I wonder - how many violinists are in the market each year for a top notch violin the way you are? I'm starting to think that there is a real shortage of skilled violin makers. Or maybe there are many makers that are "close" to that quality, but you are looking for the best of the best? Still, that's tough whenever the supply is so short.

Maybe you should see if Yvan can make you one!

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04-03-2007, 06:06 PM	#46
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Well...I've got an interesting next week coming up. I'll take a violin from a luthier in the region (with improved setup by my bowmaker www.arcus-bow.de), a violin from a maker in Murnau where my teacher lives and go with those and my current instrument to visit the man near munich. Then we can do a proper all-out comparison... I also went to the "Musikmesse" in Frankfurt last Saturday and tried quite a few violins there, but the only good one I found was from an italian makes called Lorenzo Frignani and it was not for sale. I sent him a message asking whether he has any other instrument and whether he could send me one for a trial period, but he has not replied so far. I got a response on the timeframe from Schleske and the maker from Murnau, they both say it'll be about a year before they can get an instrument ready for me...I guess there is little I can do about that...and Greiner, the most popular (and expensive) violin maker at the moment also replied and said that the best he could offer me would be a violin in 2012...lol I'll keep you posted on the progress.

04-03-2007, 06:59 PM	#47
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Wow... by 2012 you will probably want something else! ;-) Good luck with the hunt, and let us know what you learn.

04-03-2007, 07:06 PM	#48
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	I have heard many so called “flawless” performances. There was one trait that was common among them all, they were boring. There was no life in them. Sure, they played their line with every note and stop on time and I loved the original score. But the performance was lifeless and dull. No spark, no excitement. I would rather hear a youth orchestra – mistakes and all – than a flawless performance. At least I know that they are alive and not a badly programmed MOOG. Keep up your spirits.

04-03-2007, 09:22 PM	#49
Leaping Gnome Evangelist Posts: 490 Karma: 1641 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	Wow I never knew violins cost so much. And you're expected to buy your own before you even get a job!

04-04-2007, 05:57 AM	#50
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	20000€ is nothing for a violin. The new ones are cheap...speaking relatively... If you buy an old violin with a name (it does not have to be a Stradivarius) then you can easily pay200000 and if you go for the big names then you'll soon reach areas where most of us will never dare to go. I read somewhere that a Stradivarius was recently sold for 3 or 4 million dollar... I must admit that I'm hoping one of the cheaper models I'm taking into consideration will be the winner...while I could afford to spend 20000€ on a violin I would not like to do it...naturally...^^

04-15-2007, 08:50 AM	#51
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Well, I'm back from my big violin-testing round...it was a rather strenuous experience for all involved parties. I will not bore you with details, I'll just give you the short endresults: The Violins we compared were my violin, a Rittwagen Guarneri model, Koeberling Guarneri Model, a Dalphin (belonging to a former fellow student), a Lupot (belonging to my teacher, reference instrument) and two Schleske Violins (one Guarneri and one Stradivari model). Most of the testing was done in my teacher's villa, in different rooms with different acoustics. The Schleske violins were only tested in Mr. Schleskes workshop since we coul dnot take those along. In the first tests (without the Schlekse instruments) the Rittwagen came out as winner in almost all categories (although it could not beat the Lupot) and the Koeberling was loser in all categories. The Dalphin and my violin came in second-last with some rounds going to the one and some to the other. We took my violin and the Rittwagen to Mr. Shleske and compared them to his violins. The result was pretty unanimous with the Schlekse Guarneri model winning out quite clearly. The Rittwagen violin is really a nice instrument, especially for it's price, but from the tests so far it looks like the Schleske violins, especially the Guarneri model, have that "little bit extra" that makes the difference between a very good and and outstanding violin. Now, the Schleske violin would not have been for sale actually and I would have had to wait for up to a year for a newly built model, but Mr. Schleske managed (don't ask for details. i'm not entirely sure myself) that I could get the violin I tried (the one that was supposed to be sold already) by the 21st of May. While this is indeed a lot better than I had hoped for, it's still far from ideal since I have four auditions upcoming in May...all of them (at least the first rounds) before (or on one occasion on) the 21st of May. I'll try to rent the Rittwagen violin as an interim solution, I hope that works out, and play my auditions with that one. In May I'll then visit Mr. Schlesek again and will pick up his violin for a two week trial and then decide whether to put down the 20000 Euro or continue the search. That's how thigs stand right now, I'll see how the tale continues...

04-15-2007, 11:57 AM	#52
Leaping Gnome Evangelist Posts: 490 Karma: 1641 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Louisville Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	Thanks for the update, sounds like an interesting journey. I never know so much went into buying a violin, or that they were so expensive!

04-15-2007, 12:48 PM	#53
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	That sounds like some great news and lots of progress. Must be nice to not only know what you want, but to be able to get it so quickly (relatively speaking, of course!) I hope you do get that rental. But maybe the interviewers will even take into consideration that you are "in-between" instruments for the moment and have a top notch one coming. Do they do second rounds of auditions that would be after May 21? After all - that's what they do on American Idol. Best of luck with the next round of both the auditions and the instrument hunting.

04-15-2007, 12:54 PM	#54
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Well, there are some second round auditions coming up after May 21, but they are far too close to the 21st of May to make playing the new violin there a feasible option...and of course I have to get to the second round in the first place... :-) the "interim instrument" thing doesn't count where it comes to auditions. Nobody cares who you are or what you do, only the performance counts...it's a hard competition out there and you just have to try your best and be lucky of course...^^ I'm also looking for a case right now because I'll need a second case for the new/old violin once it arrives...I would love something made from Carbon Fibre, but there is only one Carbon case out there right now and that's pretty unsatisfactory...I got a hands-on with it at the Frankfurt Music Exhibition two weeks ago.

04-15-2007, 09:54 PM	#55
UncleDuke books & doughnuts Posts: 882 Karma: 37857 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: usa Device: sony reader, kindle2	a good fiddle will last a lifetime. my brother's prenup with his 3rd wife states that the fiddle is his and she has no claim on it ever. find one you like, you'll be married to it longer than you will be to any woman.

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04-17-2007, 05:35 AM	#56
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Oh dear...another invitation came in today...the month of May is going to be one hell of a month for me... The last invitation that came in is (unfortunately) for the first audition in May...^^ It's an Opera House that I would really like...at least I think so...:-) It's called "Staatsoperette Dresden" and specializes in the lighter classical music... http://www.staatsoperette-dresden.de/ It's the only such Opera House in Germany (or even Europe?)

04-17-2007, 08:52 AM	#57
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Maybe you could add a carbon fiber layer to an existing case. Make magazine has an article this issue on working with carbon fiber (the article covers making an iPod case, but you should be able to adapt.) Then you could get a case that meets your requirements in other respects to start from. Exciting news on the rest -- good luck!

04-17-2007, 08:55 AM	#58
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Sounds like you are pretty much swamped with auditions... that's a great place to be, even if it's a challenge. Just think of all the people that are hearing your name and your playing. Those contacts have a funny way of turning up again in the future, so you might just be setting yourself up for a future job even if you don't get the position this time. At any rate, best wishes. I'm sure you'll end up with a great opportunity. I just wish you were going to play locally so I could hear!

04-19-2007, 04:03 PM	#59
CommanderROR eink fanatic Posts: 2,022 Karma: 4924 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Germany Device: STAReBOOK, iRex Iliad, Sony 505, Kindle 2	Well, looks like possible bad news on the violin front... The violin-maker that had promised me the violin in late May now suddenly says he can't promise that I'll get it. I could not get the why from him yet, I hope I'll be able to do that tomorrow. It appears that the instrument that my teacher and myself liked so much is really an especially good one, he says it's his best so far. I wonder whether he has some other plans for it or something. I hope I'll manage to get the violin anyway or at least get some details about the sudden "uncertainity". I'm not really willing to settle for the "next instrument to be completed" which would/should/could be ready in january 2008 and might or might not be the same quality as this one... The violin is also going to be slightly more expensive than I had anticipated, the 20000 was the price without VAT apparently, so it'll set me back a heavy 24000 Euro. I won't die if I have to spend that much, but I'm surely not looking forward to it!!!

04-19-2007, 04:19 PM	#60
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Wow, that's gotta be discouraging... especially the part about it being his best instrument and not wanting to give it to you. Sounds like it could be a really good fortune if you do get it somehow. I wonder - how many violinists are in the market each year for a top notch violin the way you are? I'm starting to think that there is a real shortage of skilled violin makers. Or maybe there are many makers that are "close" to that quality, but you are looking for the best of the best? Still, that's tough whenever the supply is so short. Maybe you should see if Yvan can make you one!