-
5/18/2014 The art of violin maintenance
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/print/131123/entertainment-tvmusic/article/art-violin-maintenance
1/3
Published on Deccan Chronicle
(http://www.deccanchronicle.com)
Home > The art of violin maintenance
The art of violin maintenance
DC | Deepika Ramesh | November 23, 2013, 12.11 pm IST
India has produced many an eminent violinist. Music lovers
around the world throng the countryto learn playing the instrument
from the ace players themselves. However, the musicians fromIndia
fly abroad to maintain and repair their instruments because of a
dearth of awarenessamidst violin makers, repairers and technicians
who need resources to fix the bowed instrumentwithout inflicting
further damage. It was with this thought that Lalgudi G.J.R.
Krishnan, popularviolinist and son of legendary musician Lalgudi
Jayaraman, started holding a ‘Violin RestorationWorkshop’ to aid
local violin makers learn European-style violin repair and
restoration of thedelicate instrument. Krishnan has flown down
James Wimmer, a professional violin maker fromSanta Barbara,
California, to conduct the workshop that is sponsored by the
Lalgudi Trust,founded by his father. Krishnan and Wimmer tell DC
about how it all began.
“Although the violin was introduced to us during the British
era, the beautiful instrument is nowpresent everywhere. Not only do
Carnatic musicians use the instrument, it plays an integral partin
film music too. And whenever we face difficulties with our
instrument or if we have to give it toour repairers for
maintenance, our heart skips a beat as our violins mostly come back
in a worse
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/
-
5/18/2014 The art of violin maintenance
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/print/131123/entertainment-tvmusic/article/art-violin-maintenance
2/3
condition. So we had to take help of experts in foreigncountries
to fix them,” says Krishnan. “Our craftsmen neverhad the
opportunity of following a scientific way of treatingour
instrument. They don’t have enough awareness andthey can’t afford
to learn too,” observes Krishnan. A fewmonths ago, when Krishnan
was in Hyderabad, he wasapproached by a bunch of music lovers, who
underscoredthe importance of carrying out a workshop to help
localviolin makers learn the nuances of maintenance and
repair. “I have been thinking of this project for a long time.
But we could work it out only this year.I’m so glad that Jim (James
Wimmer) could accommodate this in his schedule,” says Krishnan.
The workshop is a 21-day programme, which will beconducted till
November 28. James says, “I was planningto go to Nepal this
November and do some trekking in theHimalayas, but when Krishnan
asked if I could create timefor this, I realised that there is
nothing more gratifying thansharing what I have learnt,” laughs
James. “When Krishnancontacted me, I understood that he has a
bigger vision. Iwas intimidated. The magnitude of his love for the
art formis enormous. And their family’s love for music
isinexplicable and I must say that I took advantage of it,” reveals
James.
Lalgudi Krishnan got acquainted with James Wimmer in 1998
through a common friend in SantaBarbara. Krishnan says, “When I was
about to enter Jim’s house, I heard him listening to myfather’s
concert that happened in 1967. I was moved.” James visited India to
meet the maestro,and even learnt to play his compositions,
effortlessly excelling at it.
James Wimmer was a performing musician till 1980 andtravelled
extensively on concert tours. “I was tired of all thetravelling
that I did and so I decided to take up makingviolins. What I see in
India is a phenomenon. The love forthe instrument and music is
amazing. But I also realisedthat they would need help in
maintaining the instrument.And thanks to Krishnan and the Lalgudi
Trust, I’m nowintroduced to the pleasure of sharing what I have
learnt,”
says James.
The violin maker brought many tools from the USA. The
participants of this unique workshop aregiven time to replicate the
fine tools that are used to repair a violin. “We even use some
simpleitems. For example, we used Fevicol glue to stick wood. And I
brought bow hair and glue that’smade of rabbit skin and many more
tools that are important to maintain a violin,” says James.Since
1985, James has been visiting many markets to choose fitting tools
that would aid themaintenance procedure. “Technology might have
grown massively, but the method and tools thatwe use in making and
repairing a violin have not changed,” says James, as he talks about
theintricacies of the craft. The well-known violin maker was
trained in Germany, under thementorship of master violin makers
Wolfgang Uebel and Herbert Rainer Knobel. James
-
5/18/2014 The art of violin maintenance
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/print/131123/entertainment-tvmusic/article/art-violin-maintenance
3/3
Tags: violin [1]Lalgudi Trust [2]Violin Restoration Workshop
[3]Alexandra Armanino [4]Music [5]
thoroughly understands how an instrument has to be chiselled to
suit Carnatic musicians for helearnt the traditional repertoire
under the tutelage of Ramanujam in Varanasi.
At the moment, seven students have been attending theworkshop,
where James provides comprehensive trainingin the craft, while he
is helped by his assistant AlexandraArmanino. “For the first time
in India, we have designedand created an exclusive table that will
be used to work onthe instrument. Even before we began the
workshop,Alexandra emailed us the picture of a typical table and
wecustomised one for our students,” says Krishnan. “Wecould have
finished the workshop in seven days. But I wantthe participants to
imbibe the learning firmly and so this 21-day programe is a great
opportunityfor them,” says James.
The Lalgudi Trust has helped the participants learn the artof
restoring an instrument free of cost and they have gonea step
further by awarding a stipend to the attendees.Unfortunately, a few
days ago, Lalgudi Krishnan’s motherpassed away, but he insisted
that the workshop continuefor it would have been the desire of
their mother too, whoinaugurated it. “The main objective of the
programme is tomake students understand the beautiful craft, who,
in turn,will spread and share what they have learnt. So, it is
like
sowing a seed for a banyan tree that will grow to be big. We are
so glad that we are going to bepioneers of it,” says Krishnan. “I’m
truly in awe of people’s love for music and I’m happy aboutmaking
few other enthusiasts learn the art, which will bring a great
relief for many musicians,”concludes James.
Source URL:
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/131123/entertainment-tvmusic/article/art-violin-maintenance
Links:[1] http://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/violin[2]
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/lalgudi-trust[3]
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/violin-restoration-workshop[4]
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/alexandra-armanino[5]
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/music
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/violinhttp://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/lalgudi-trusthttp://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/violin-restoration-workshophttp://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/alexandra-armaninohttp://www.deccanchronicle.com/content/tags/musichttp://www.deccanchronicle.com/131123/entertainment-tvmusic/article/art-violin-maintenance
