Re: violin ruination?

[Matt Jaffey <mjaffey2...>]

Josh Horowitz wrote recently about the *tsvay strunes* style:
<<no one in the scene has yet had the patience or (am I allowed to say)
courage to *ruin* their violins to develop this technique.>>

At KlezKanada 1998, Steve Greenman played a beautiful piece during which he
switched violins. I wondered why he did this until this year at KlezKanada,
when he explained that one of his violins had an extra groove cut so that he
could play the A and E strings in octave unison. He said he was saving his
other violin for classical music. I guess if you have two, you can "ruin" one.

Steve also told us that he got his start playing klezmer with Josh's help.
They have since recorded an album together (Budowitz - Mother Tongue). I
guess Steve never showed that extra violin to Josh.

Matt

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