Stringing of "baroque" violins is another can of worms since tension varied widely according to local conventions and personal preferences. There is also the question of equal tension versus progressive tension and whether wound strings should be used for the G and/or D. It is, or at least used to be, widely believed that baroque string tension was lower than modern. As Philip points out, this is not true - even though playing was "generally less high-tension than modern violin playing."
A good starting point for anyone interested is here: http://www.nrinstruments.demon.co.uk/hstvnst.html (I have no vested interests). It is interesting that "modern baroque" is an approximation of common 19th century practise. I have personally found that very slightly progressive tension using rows CDEF (all gut) for the ascending strings of a violin at A = 415 gives good results (strictly equal tension gives a very thick G string and a very thin E, which may be historically correct (cf. Leopold Mozart's treatise), but feels uncomfortable to my modern fingers). Some argue that "equal tension" really means "equal feel" anyway. DEFG would give similar results a semitone lower. I have also tried tuning a modern violin fitted with Dominant Heavy strings down to concert F and the results were good. I think the heavy versions of a lot of strings on the market today could give satisfactory tensions at lower pitch (especially the steel one, if you like that sort of thing). c >-----Original Message----- >From: lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu >[mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu] On Behalf Of Philip Gruar >Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 1:37 PM >To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu >Subject: [NSP] NSP duet with other instruments > >Margaret's comment: > >> When I'm playing duets with Andy's nsp, I always tune down. >For me, I've >> spent a long time trying to find the right fiddle and strings so it >> doesn't >> sound like a kipper-box (or I hope it doesn't) when tuned lower. > >made me think, what about baroque violinists? Specialist >baroque orchestras >and soloists play at A=415 or a semitone lower than modern >standard pitch >and very occasionally even lower. This is getting on for low >enough to play >with standard-pitch Northumbrian pipes. Proper baroque violins >have the neck >set at a flatter angle than ordinary modern violins/fiddles >(neck angle was >increased in the 19th cent. among other things to enable higher string >tension - louder tone). 18th century classical technique had a >lot more in >common with the playing styles of traditional music than >modern classical >technique does e.g. bow-hold, sometimes playing with fiddle >held lower, >using first position and open strings more etc. - and >generally it was less >high-tension than modern violin playing. This doesn't mean it >lacks life, >and good baroque violinists certainly don't sound as if >they're playing on a >kipper-box strung with knicker elastic. >Would using specialist baroque-violin gut strings on a >standard fiddle make >for better results at the lower pitch? >Just some thoughts from a non-string player, so excuse any >ignorance shown! >Philip > > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >
