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The challenge to be a luthier

Why strive to be an artist? In this brief conspectus I will try to answer the question concerning the art of the violin making and the art of “crafting” the sound. Every violin carries with it something of the soul of the creator – luthier – through the application of his experience, understanding of the best “possible” sound creating rules, personal artistic eye. Therefore lutherie is an art and manufacture of violins in factories can never surpass the artist – violin maker. A production line with standardized process makes the cost of the instrument to be very much affordable to “beginners” but they do not and cannot achieve the tonal quality of the instrument. A violin made in a factory by many workmen will lack the soul of luthier – the creative spirit which carries us away in lutherie just as sculpture, painting and all other art.

So why strive to be an artist? There are certainly easier ways to make a living, and there are better ways to spend your time. The snappish talker will add that you can buy “a truck” of violins made in Asia and you will have eventually to resign from what is not “economical” and “profitable”. The “golden” age of violin making has left the modern violin maker struggling with “antique rivals” who are according to instrument dealers are always better even when they are worse. The auditorium of the classical music became dauntingly thin and to fill the hall with enthusiastic classical music connoisseurs became a challenge for the orchestra managers. So the question stands for every artisan: can you support your passion and sacrifice comfort by letting yourself follow the passion of creating when the end results of the effort are not at all satisfying? Why on earth would anyone want to do this? Why does someone continue with an activity or profession when a sense of failure or disappointment with the outcome is so common? I do think that there is only one reason that we preserve in our efforts: we love the feeling that the process of creating instills within us. It is the travel and not the destination that we love. Professional makers or people just doing it as a hobby feel the same inner reward when we are in the process of creating the value which in the hands of proficient will produce other miracle – music.

 

Birute

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