Stroh violin

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Stroh violin

Classification
Bowed string instrument
Related instruments
violin

A Stroh violin, or violinophone, is a violin that amplifies its sound through a metal resonator and metal horns rather than a wooden sound box as on a standard violin. The instrument is named after its German designer, Johannes Matthias Augustus Stroh, who patented it in 1899.

[edit] Description and Background

Stroh violins are much louder than a standard wooden violin, and the directional projection of sound made the Stroh violin particularly useful in the early days of phonographic recording. As regular violins recorded poorly with the old acoustic-mechanical recording method, Stroh violins were common (though by no means universal) in recording studios. After record companies switched to the new electric microphone recording technology in the second half of the 1920s, Stroh violins became less common. While the Stroh produces significantly more volume, it does this at the expense of tone, offering a sound that is harsher and more grating than a standard violin. On early records the Stroh violin can be recognized by its characteristically thin whining tone.

The Stroh violin was an expensive instrument; in 1911 it was offered by the London dealers Barnes & Mullins for nine guineas (£9.45, then equal to $37.80) or twelve guineas (£12.60 / $50.40) at a time when a reasonable factory violin could be had for two guineas. It was listed as being especially suitable for use in small theaters and music-halls. There was also a Stroh viola.

David Rebeck, of the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars, playing a Stroh violin in a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade

[edit] Current Usage

A few musicians, including Tom Waits, Thomas Newman, and Bob Cohen for the Klezmer and múm, and Fabrice Martinez with Fishtank Ensemble continue to use the Stroh violin for its distinctive sound.

The Stroh violin is also an instrument used in folk music of Bihor region of Romania. Famous musicians of this music style are: Florica zaha, Florica Duma, Florica Bradu, Cornel Borza, Florica Ungur, Leontin Ciucur, Felicia Costin, Petrica Pasca.