Horn-violin or Trumpet-violin

The horn-violin (or trumpet-viloin) is a wierd old instrument. Best of my knowledge this is an american instrument but there are some who believe that is a British invention. Maybe both statements are true.

It is certain that the instrument is as old as the gramophone. As shown in the picture, there is no body of this violin - a gramophone membrane generates the sound. You play on this violin as a normal violin. The difference is that the horn-violins sound is not pure but "crepitate." As if you were listening to a gamophone.

So at this violin not the instrument maker's skill or expertise is the important thing, but the membrane. If the membran is an original gramophone membrane, it sounds good. If you have any other membrane, the sound is miserable.

The horn-violin's (or trumpet-violin’s) price basically depends of the type of the membrane.

My horn-violin is a new instrument with an old gramophone membrane. A young master created it with meticulous care for his examinations. You can see this in the scroll and the neck

and the quality of accessories. The end button is my favorite.

I have ordered a hard case for the instrument but it looked like a baby's coffin. It was safe but it was morbid to use - it is no longer in my possession. Until there is a better idea, it will hang on the wall.

Nazareno Landi

I don’t know too much about this guy. A friend of mine told me that he was a priest in Fiume (Rijeka) and builded only a few violins. But I could not confirm this information yet.  Although I have only just started the research about instrument.

The label says: „Nazareno Landi 1889”  - and I can’t read the name of the city… „San Maria Para”? but it is in Brazil…

This is an old oil varnish violin, and there are no damage on the instrument. The violin is a very nice work. The shape of the body is narrowing, even though only half a millimeter is the deviation from normal. The upper part of the body is 16.5 cm (rather than 17cm), and the lower part is the usual 21 cm.

I like the ornamentation of the peg box. Tasteful work - spectacular but not distractions if you watch the scroll.

 The maker has inserted in a unique way up the neck to the ribs. There is not a sharp boundary between the rib and the saddle, they are

„merge into” with each other.

The violin’s voice is balanced it sounds equally above and below . It is an ideal instrument for classical music. But as you can see, the most impressive part of the instrument is the purfling.

Intruduction

Dear Guest,

I have a musical instrument shop in Hungary. Basically I ’m dealing with folk isntruments but there are also classical instruments - and I try to arrange the collection of the most beautiful pieces.

I created this blog in order to illustrate my collection. For questions or comments please write. I hope you also will get as pleasant moments, like me.