Many players of violins, especially fiddlers, spend much effort dreaming about and seeking instruments that, while tuned the same (for a fiddler, this is often something different than the standard G3 D4 A4 E5) but with a less shrill, indeed darker, timbre, with excellent sonority. As Darol Anger colorfully put it, many fiddlers…
"…tire of all those high screechy sounds up next to our face all the time! As in many marriages, an instrument's most salient qualities often metamorphose into those qualities most irritating to the player.
The violin's ultra-soprano range can be a source of joy or nerve-shattering neurosis, and has inspired many players to seek the warmer-toned viola as a solace." --Darol Anger, Strings Magzine,1992
The Mezzo Violin
The Mezzo Violin has been around since the 1960s. It is the closest thing to a standard violin in the “New Violin Family” (previously called the “Violin Octet”), the brainchild of the luthier and researcher Carleen Hutchins. See also: Violin Octet (Wikipedia)
The above image shows a complete Violin Octet. The Mezzo Violin is the larger of the three smaller instruments in the foreground.
The Mezzo Violin has a body typically about the size of a 15 ½” viola, but with a disproportionately shorter neck, which affords a playable string length the same as a regular violin (i.e., that would be about 13”). Parodically, while having a larger front and back profile, Mezzo Violins, at least later examples, actually have narrower ribs than a conventional violin. My understanding is the narrower ribs were to counteract production of a timbre that is too deep (i.e., “muddy”). It is tuned the same as a regular violin (typically G3 D4 A4 E5).
While being tuned the same as a conventional violin, a Mezzo Violin has a deeper timbre, usually with noticeably louder projection. One would think that this instrument fits the bill for those seeking a loud and dark sounding instrument. It probably would if you could find them. The instruments of the Violin Octet never did take off in a big way. I remember learning about them in elementary school (60 years ago!). They were to revolutionize the modern orchestra. That didn’t happen. While the orchestral music establishment has shown some acceptance to innovation over the centuries (e.g., the modern neck set, chin rest, etc.), especially the bowed strings; however, more innovations have been killed than those that have been embraced. There is reportedly a supplier who has Mezzo Violins made to specs in China. They are not very expensive and I have heard good reviews. But they are factory-made in China—not seen as a good selling point for many.
I have started making a new instrument, which I call a “Quasi-Mezzo Violin”. Unlike a Mezzo Violin, it is about the same size as a conventional violin, but with significantly deeper ribs and a shape that has less pronounced corners. On the inside, it is optimized for deeper timbre and projection. These optimizations include a special bass bar as well as different graduation than a conventional violin.
I have been intrigued by the idea of the Mezzo Violin for a long time. In fact, I have built a few experimental violas with shortened necks, usually intended as octave violins. At one point, I even experimented with a capo of sorts to achieve a violin-length scale of 13” on a full-size (16”+) viola. I have been more successful, however, in selling, violas with standard length viola-length necks and often fit with special octave strings. The playable scale length is 14.5” or more depending on the viola. Most of these have been based on the Tertis pattern, which has a wider middle and lower bout. When strung with octave strings, I call them “Tenor Violas”.
If you want to hear one in the able hands of a really good fiddler, click here .
Because our Tenor Violas are based on a very nice imported Tertis pattern viola, we can keep the price down to the $2K to $2.5K range. If you are interested in learning more about these instruments or our new Quasi-Mezzo Violin, available in 4-string, 5-string and Octave Violin configurations, please feel free to contact me:
Donald Rickert
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (706) 896-0909 (main); (706) 400-1481 (mobile)
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