LADIES AND GENTLEMEN , "THE GIURANNA"NO WORDS NEEDED ! Well, it is true that this wonder does not require any comment, a picture says more than thousand words and speaking about photos, this time I didn't spare them at all but, at least, I wish to tell you the story that has led us to dedicate it to Master Bruno Giuranna. The background
I approach the Master, I introduce myself and of course I talk to him about the new wonder, the "Golden Fleece". - "I would love to try it" - he tells me. - "I run to my workshop and I come back, if you wish" -. - "Thanks, but I have the rehearsal in ten minutes and I do not know if ..."-. - "Do not worry, I come back in due time !" - A break for a shot change: a mad in the hot sun of this early summer trying to break the world record established by Usain Bolt.
Eight and a half minutes later and 1200 m after, what was left of me was back in front of M° Giuranna. - "Puff, pant, puff, pant, here it is Master" -. - "Congratulations, it's beautiful!" - "Thank you, Master, you know my colleague is not a freshman , he has been building bows for more than thirty years" -. "I see!" At this point, he tried it on the string. You see, when you propose to try instruments or bows, of course you are subject to criticism and judgement , but what many musicians do not take into account is that their test reveals much, not only about their way of playing, but also about themselves . I have heard many things about my colleague's work, apppraisal, criticism, bad things sometimes, but never what I consider the most appropriate one .
- "It 's very pleasant to play" - I can describe them as "Elective Affinities". A special moment
The story jumps forward in time. In early November of last year, knowing that M° Giuranna was giving a lecture at the academy in Cremona, I profited the opportunity and headed towards Stauffer seat , with the express purpose to ask him a very special favor, almost a cheeky one . - "Hello Master, how are you'?"-, -" Well thanks and you? Have you brought me something to see? - Yes Master, I have here a viola bow built by my colleague, but in reality I came to ask you a courtesy "-. After having asked the favor, he took the bow, and, in a thoughtful mood, he approached the piano, where there was the student to whom he was teaching , probably wondering if I was crazy or just arrogant, as I asked him this also considering that practically he didn't know me. As it often happens, Daniel gave me a small help .After having came back from the student, he played a piece, after which he looked at me, and raising the bow, he said : - "Congratulations for ssuch a beautiful bow!" -. At this point he must have felt the same feeling of pleasantness of the previous summer, so he sat down, and to my great joy, and thanks to Daniel's skill , he played for me for me and for the small audience the prelude of the first Suite by Bach for cello. The research
I left the hall in rapture. For the courtesy that I had been given with generosity, but most of all , for the moment of beauty that he had given to me. This man has a way of playing that belongs to other times , rare to find, which I greatly miss. The music, even classic one , has nowadays reached such a spectacular level as to be intolerable. Players with more or less talent, but surely lacking of culture, jumping on the stage as if they were apes, completely oblivious of the importance and beauty of what they are playing. The respect that this man has for music and for composers who have written it , is the same I referred to while talking about Horowitz and Gould in the post "Shakespeare wrote for money." Respect linked to a human dimension of honesty, humility, and culture. I came back to the workshop and told Daniel, how his bow was appreciated and I suggested to reward the Master dedicating him something special. To find the wood for viola bows has never been that easy, the violists are the most complicated to understand and satisfy. The sound of the viola, just for the tone it owns, can be enjoyed as very light and clear, like a big violin, or dark and deep, coming closer to a little cello. I was prepared for a long and meticulous research, when I was attracted by a stick that by accident (obviously it was not a mistake but I did not know it yet ) was in the rack of the bows in progress. What it was, is what you see in front of you. The bow
No doubt, when you see a big viola stick , you recognize it at first glance. Dense and compact, the paint could not penetrate into the pore as if it were plastic, perfectly cut and with a long and regular fiber . The color is a very dark brown and it has black streaks caused by the minerals throughout its length. The marbling is a special one and it looks a lot like snake wood , more leopard than tiger-streaked so to speak. Very light with with changing shades to a deep red.
The frog is as always a personal model freely inspired to Dominique Peccatte, even if there was an extra little stylistic refinement. If you look closely at the photo of the slide, you will realize that the ebony is slightly tapered, so to give a lighter look and harmonize it all .
The mounting is made of gold, ebony, heart shaped mother of pearl , tortoise and full button. Weight: 71.5 g Length: 72.8 cm
Much to our regret, we could not submit it to M Giuranna, because it was sold the same day that M° Navea Vera finished it . However, the person who bought it allowed me, despite having already paid for it in full, to take it to Paris two days later to M° Bernard Millant's court . For scaramantic reasons, I will not go into details of the meeting, because it really exceeded all expectations, I can only tell you that I seldom saw Daniel so happy as when he came out of that workshop .
This week's insomnia tortured me! If the result of my sleepless nights is of you liking, click and download the high resolution file.
So long Paolo To Antonia and Marco
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