Snoozecast11 Aug 2025

Violin Making

Tonight, we’ll read about selecting wood from “Violin Making” written by Walter H. Mayson and published in 1909.

The modern violin first appeared in 16th-century Italy, evolving from earlier bowed string instruments like the medieval rebec and Renaissance viol. Over time, it became both a tool of virtuosity and an object of cultural symbolism, equally at home in a grand concert hall or a lively village square. While the word “fiddle” is often used interchangeably with “violin,” its music spans a surprisingly wide range—from Western classical to folk, country, jazz, and even many non-Western traditions.

For centuries, violinists and collectors have prized instruments made by legendary families such as Amati, Guarneri, and Stradivari. These instruments inspire almost mythic reverence for their tone and craftsmanship, with qualities that have resisted precise scientific explanation. While modern luthiers continue to challenge the old masters, a Stradivari remains a benchmark of beauty and rarity—one selling for £9.8 million (about $15.9 million US) in 2011 still holds the record.

Walter H. Mayson, the author of tonight’s text, was an English violin maker who entered the craft relatively late in life, beginning at the age of 39. His book, published after his death, distills a lifetime’s devotion to the art, offering practical instruction and insights into the materials and methods behind the making of fine violins. In this excerpt, he turns his attention to one of the most crucial stages of the process—choosing the wood itself.

— read by 'V' —

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(598)

An Accidental Sabbatical

Dear Snoozecast listener—hi, it’s Vee. I wanted to speak directly to you, because many of you have reached out over the past few weeks—some checking in, some offering kind words, and some understandab...

3 Des 20254min

Petit Trianon pt. 2

Tonight, we’ll continue with The Petit Trianon, adapted from An Adventure by Charlotte Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain, first published in 1911. This episode is part of our Spooky Sleep Story series...

27 Okt 202517min

Petit Trianon pt. 1

Tonight, we’ll read the first half of The Petit Trianon, adapted from An Adventure by Charlotte Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain, first published in 1911. This episode is part of Snoozecast’s 7th ann...

20 Okt 202528min

Good Wives ch. 24 Finale

Tonight, at long last, we’ll read the final chapter of “Good Wives” written by Louisa May Alcott titled “Harvest Time”. It’s hard to believe, but we have been reading this book for the first time as w...

17 Okt 202539min

The Castle of Otranto

Tonight, for the next in our October spooky sleep story series, we’ll read an excerpt from “The Castle of Otranto”, a novel by Horace Walpole. First published in 1764, it is generally regarded as the ...

15 Okt 202533min

The Willows

Tonight, as part of our annual Spooky Sleep Stories series, we’ll read the opening to the novella “The Willows”. It was written by Algernon Blackwood, and first published in 1907. Two friends drift d...

13 Okt 202556min

Phantasmagoria

Tonight, for our next Spooky Sleep Story, we’ll read Phantasmagoria, a narrative poem by Lewis Carroll first published in 1869. A polite Ghost drops in after midnight and proceeds to instruct his puzz...

8 Okt 202526min

The Haunted Orchard

Tonight, as part of Snoozecast's seventh annual spooky sleep story series, we’ll read “The Haunted Orchard” written by British author Richard Le Gallienne and published in 1912. Each October, our Spo...

6 Okt 202536min