Chennai: The violin gathered immense popularity in southern India over a span of two centuries. Despite its Colonial origins, the violin has become an integral part of Carnatic music and the music season in the city.
However, both in the north and south of India, the ability to repair and restore this instrument is nearly non-existent. Now, after having handpicked five craftsmen from the south, James Wimmer, the master violin maker from Santa Barbara, has restored the art of repairing the great musical instrument.
The workshops were originally supposed to have been held in Varanasi. However, the popularity of the violin down south made Chennai the choice destination ever since the idea was conceptualised in 2013 and two such workshops have been held here.
“Chennai has been wonderful and the people here are happy to learn the western style of violin restoration. The craftsmen have especially been putting in a lot of hard work,” Mr Wimmer said. Adding that this form of restoration work is something that has been lacking in India for the past 200 years of violin playing he said, “ The craftsmen need to know its importance as making violins adds to the art of repairing them. Instruments are something which can always be modified and which then bring out the best in a person and craftsmen here may know to fix a violin but without knowing how to make them the craft is incomplete “.
Led by Mr Wimmer, who will teach musicians, craftsmen and enthusiasts the art of repairing / restoring a violin, the workshop will also be assisted by Alexandra Armanino who has been studying violin making and restoration under him.
Meanwhile, an interesting aspect in restoring the vintage instruments is the glue used to keep them together, which is referred to as animal glue and is used to fix not only violins but other instruments like guitars as well. It is the preferred glue for restoration of violins and is the only time tested glue since 1550. “This glue still holds firm after 500 years.” said Mr Wimmer, sitting in his workshop.
The weeklong programme, is being conducted by the Lalgudi Trust and Lalgudi GJR Krishnan. “We can only reach out to the people by repeated sessions and training programme,” said Krishnan (son of the legendary maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman).
Lamenting that sometimes the city feels like a place with no doctors for violins, he says “So when I have a problem with my instruments, repairs usually have to wait to wait till I go abroad because I’m always nervous about getting my violins getting fixed here.”
Important aspects in violin-making like ensuring that the plates at the top and back of the violin are cut into a precise thickness are the nitty-gritty which can make a craftsman much more adept at his trade, Mr Krishnan adds.
Pointing out that in the west there are colleges which teach this form of art and thereby enhance the quality of music, Mr Krishnan airs the view that here too the government can take up the responsibility and set up at least one college that can teach this art and people can study it. “Sound ripens over a period of time, so if the vintage instruments can be brought back from the yesteryear it will make a huge difference. That sound is something the new instruments can’t give,” he said. The Lalgudi Trust is working to keep the art and tradition of the violin alive for posterity by conducting initiatives such as these for the benefit of the members of the violin fraternity in India.
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