AN ODE TO MUSICAL CRAFTSMEN

Vidwan Lalgudi GJR Krishnan was approached to know more about how a violin is tuned and maintained, but the conversation turned out very enriching, throwing new perspectives and insights. A historical page has been added to the journey of violin as a musical instrument in India.

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FOR any accompanying artiste, the instrument is the most prized possession. It is not only dearest, but also very intimate and personal belonging.

"Like all musical instruments, the violin is also a sensitive instrument that needs delicate handling and constant care. On most occasions, we carry our violins to Europe and US during tours and get them repaired there. But, on one occasion, there was an urgency, and my father was forced to call a local technician. The visiting technician was not a trained luthier, but since he had on earlier occasions made small repairs, we trusted that all will end well. However, while accessing the soundpost, he ended up damaging the f-hole. On that day, I witnessed my father in a great deal of agony," shared GJR Krishnan (GJR).

For the benefit of the readers, the sound for any violin comes from the f-holes, but the resonance for the sound is created by the soundpost. The soundpost is the lifeline of the instrument and an unseen aspect that could be accessed only through the right f-hole.

GJR continues, "My father's state had deeply impacted me. The unease, as a result of the incident, was constantly resurfacing for the mere fact that Chennai, the Carnatic capital did not have a professional luthier. To put an end to my own suffering and the lacuna the violin community as a whole faced, I initiated the project Violin Wise, under the umbrella of the Lalgudi Trust. The aim of the project was to create a community of craftsmen who could be trained as luthiers."

In the West, luthier is a skilled-profession that deals with the craft of plucking, strumming and making of stringed instruments, especially the ones involving a bow. So the family of luthier instruments will include the violin, cello, double basses and even the guitars.