Materials Engineering of Violin Soundboards by Stradivari and Guarneri

Cheng Kuan Su; Szu Yu Chen; Jen Hsuan Chung; Guo Chian Li; Brigitte Brandmair; Thomas Huthwelker; John L. Fulton; Camelia N. Borca; Shing Jong Huang; Joseph Nagyvary; Hsiao Han Tseng; Chih Hui Chang; Dai Ting Chung; Rafael Vescovi; Yi Shiuan Tsai; Wenjie Cai; Bing Jyun Lu; Jia Wei Xu; Chia Shuo Hsu; Jun Jie Wu; Hao Zhi Li; Yu Kai Jheng; Sheng Fong Lo; Hao Ming Chen; Yi Ting Hsieh; Po Wen Chung; Chien Sheng Chen; Yuh Chang Sun; Jerry Chun Chung Chan; Hwan Ching Tai

doi:10.1002/anie.202105252

Materials Engineering of Violin Soundboards by Stradivari and Guarneri

Cheng Kuan Su, Szu Yu Chen, Jen Hsuan Chung, Guo Chian Li, Brigitte Brandmair, Thomas Huthwelker, John L. Fulton, Camelia N. Borca, Shing Jong Huang, Joseph Nagyvary, Hsiao Han Tseng, Chih Hui Chang, Dai Ting Chung, Rafael Vescovi, Yi Shiuan Tsai, Wenjie Cai, Bing Jyun Lu, Jia Wei Xu, Chia Shuo Hsu, Jun Jie WuHao Zhi Li, Yu Kai Jheng, Sheng Fong Lo, Hao Ming Chen, Yi Ting Hsieh, Po Wen Chung, Chien Sheng Chen, Yuh Chang Sun, Jerry Chun Chung Chan, Hwan Ching Tai

Department of Optics and Photonics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

We investigated the material properties of Cremonese soundboards using a wide range of spectroscopic, microscopic, and chemical techniques. We found similar types of spruce in Cremonese soundboards as in modern instruments, but Cremonese spruces exhibit unnatural elemental compositions and oxidation patterns that suggest artificial manipulation. Combining analytical data and historical information, we may deduce the minerals being added and their potential functions—borax and metal sulfates for fungal suppression, table salt for moisture control, alum for molecular crosslinking, and potash or quicklime for alkaline treatment. The overall purpose may have been wood preservation or acoustic tuning. Hemicellulose fragmentation and altered cellulose nanostructures are observed in heavily treated Stradivari specimens, which show diminished second-harmonic generation signals. Guarneri's practice of crosslinking wood fibers via aluminum coordination may also affect mechanical and acoustic properties. Our data suggest that old masters undertook materials engineering experiments to produce soundboards with unique properties.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	19144-19154
Number of pages	11
Journal	Angewandte Chemie - International Edition
Volume	60
Issue number	35
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202105252
State	Published - 23 Aug 2021

Keywords

ICP-MS
IR spectroscopy
NMR spectroscopy
X-ray absorption spectroscopy
cultural heritage

Access to Document

10.1002/anie.202105252

Cite this

Su, C. K., Chen, S. Y., Chung, J. H., Li, G. C., Brandmair, B., Huthwelker, T., Fulton, J. L., Borca, C. N., Huang, S. J., Nagyvary, J., Tseng, H. H., Chang, C. H., Chung, D. T., Vescovi, R., Tsai, Y. S., Cai, W., Lu, B. J., Xu, J. W., Hsu, C. S., ... Tai, H. C. (2021). Materials Engineering of Violin Soundboards by Stradivari and Guarneri. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, 60(35), 19144-19154. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202105252

@article{b5559d68c2b545929615298d86fa7fd4,

title = "Materials Engineering of Violin Soundboards by Stradivari and Guarneri",

abstract = "We investigated the material properties of Cremonese soundboards using a wide range of spectroscopic, microscopic, and chemical techniques. We found similar types of spruce in Cremonese soundboards as in modern instruments, but Cremonese spruces exhibit unnatural elemental compositions and oxidation patterns that suggest artificial manipulation. Combining analytical data and historical information, we may deduce the minerals being added and their potential functions—borax and metal sulfates for fungal suppression, table salt for moisture control, alum for molecular crosslinking, and potash or quicklime for alkaline treatment. The overall purpose may have been wood preservation or acoustic tuning. Hemicellulose fragmentation and altered cellulose nanostructures are observed in heavily treated Stradivari specimens, which show diminished second-harmonic generation signals. Guarneri's practice of crosslinking wood fibers via aluminum coordination may also affect mechanical and acoustic properties. Our data suggest that old masters undertook materials engineering experiments to produce soundboards with unique properties.",

keywords = "ICP-MS, IR spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, cultural heritage",

author = "Su, {Cheng Kuan} and Chen, {Szu Yu} and Chung, {Jen Hsuan} and Li, {Guo Chian} and Brigitte Brandmair and Thomas Huthwelker and Fulton, {John L.} and Borca, {Camelia N.} and Huang, {Shing Jong} and Joseph Nagyvary and Tseng, {Hsiao Han} and Chang, {Chih Hui} and Chung, {Dai Ting} and Rafael Vescovi and Tsai, {Yi Shiuan} and Wenjie Cai and Lu, {Bing Jyun} and Xu, {Jia Wei} and Hsu, {Chia Shuo} and Wu, {Jun Jie} and Li, {Hao Zhi} and Jheng, {Yu Kai} and Lo, {Sheng Fong} and Chen, {Hao Ming} and Hsieh, {Yi Ting} and Chung, {Po Wen} and Chen, {Chien Sheng} and Sun, {Yuh Chang} and Chan, {Jerry Chun Chung} and Tai, {Hwan Ching}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH",

year = "2021",

month = aug,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1002/anie.202105252",

language = "???core.languages.en_GB???",

volume = "60",

pages = "19144--19154",

journal = "Angewandte Chemie - International Edition",

issn = "1433-7851",

number = "35",

}

Su, CK, Chen, SY, Chung, JH, Li, GC, Brandmair, B, Huthwelker, T, Fulton, JL, Borca, CN, Huang, SJ, Nagyvary, J, Tseng, HH, Chang, CH, Chung, DT, Vescovi, R, Tsai, YS, Cai, W, Lu, BJ, Xu, JW, Hsu, CS, Wu, JJ, Li, HZ, Jheng, YK, Lo, SF, Chen, HM, Hsieh, YT, Chung, PW, Chen, CS, Sun, YC, Chan, JCC & Tai, HC 2021, 'Materials Engineering of Violin Soundboards by Stradivari and Guarneri', Angewandte Chemie - International Edition, vol. 60, no. 35, pp. 19144-19154. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202105252

TY - JOUR

T1 - Materials Engineering of Violin Soundboards by Stradivari and Guarneri

AU - Su, Cheng Kuan

AU - Chen, Szu Yu

AU - Chung, Jen Hsuan

AU - Li, Guo Chian

AU - Brandmair, Brigitte

AU - Huthwelker, Thomas

AU - Fulton, John L.

AU - Borca, Camelia N.

AU - Huang, Shing Jong

AU - Nagyvary, Joseph

AU - Tseng, Hsiao Han

AU - Chang, Chih Hui

AU - Chung, Dai Ting

AU - Vescovi, Rafael

AU - Tsai, Yi Shiuan

AU - Cai, Wenjie

AU - Lu, Bing Jyun

AU - Xu, Jia Wei

AU - Hsu, Chia Shuo

AU - Wu, Jun Jie

AU - Li, Hao Zhi

AU - Jheng, Yu Kai

AU - Lo, Sheng Fong

AU - Chen, Hao Ming

AU - Hsieh, Yi Ting

AU - Chung, Po Wen

AU - Chen, Chien Sheng

AU - Sun, Yuh Chang

AU - Chan, Jerry Chun Chung

AU - Tai, Hwan Ching

PY - 2021/8/23

Y1 - 2021/8/23

N2 - We investigated the material properties of Cremonese soundboards using a wide range of spectroscopic, microscopic, and chemical techniques. We found similar types of spruce in Cremonese soundboards as in modern instruments, but Cremonese spruces exhibit unnatural elemental compositions and oxidation patterns that suggest artificial manipulation. Combining analytical data and historical information, we may deduce the minerals being added and their potential functions—borax and metal sulfates for fungal suppression, table salt for moisture control, alum for molecular crosslinking, and potash or quicklime for alkaline treatment. The overall purpose may have been wood preservation or acoustic tuning. Hemicellulose fragmentation and altered cellulose nanostructures are observed in heavily treated Stradivari specimens, which show diminished second-harmonic generation signals. Guarneri's practice of crosslinking wood fibers via aluminum coordination may also affect mechanical and acoustic properties. Our data suggest that old masters undertook materials engineering experiments to produce soundboards with unique properties.

AB - We investigated the material properties of Cremonese soundboards using a wide range of spectroscopic, microscopic, and chemical techniques. We found similar types of spruce in Cremonese soundboards as in modern instruments, but Cremonese spruces exhibit unnatural elemental compositions and oxidation patterns that suggest artificial manipulation. Combining analytical data and historical information, we may deduce the minerals being added and their potential functions—borax and metal sulfates for fungal suppression, table salt for moisture control, alum for molecular crosslinking, and potash or quicklime for alkaline treatment. The overall purpose may have been wood preservation or acoustic tuning. Hemicellulose fragmentation and altered cellulose nanostructures are observed in heavily treated Stradivari specimens, which show diminished second-harmonic generation signals. Guarneri's practice of crosslinking wood fibers via aluminum coordination may also affect mechanical and acoustic properties. Our data suggest that old masters undertook materials engineering experiments to produce soundboards with unique properties.

KW - ICP-MS

KW - IR spectroscopy

KW - NMR spectroscopy

KW - X-ray absorption spectroscopy

KW - cultural heritage

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85112675048&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/anie.202105252

DO - 10.1002/anie.202105252

M3 - 期刊論文

C2 - 34062043

AN - SCOPUS:85112675048

SN - 1433-7851

VL - 60

SP - 19144

EP - 19154

JO - Angewandte Chemie - International Edition

JF - Angewandte Chemie - International Edition

IS - 35

ER -

Materials Engineering of Violin Soundboards by Stradivari and Guarneri

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this