Wonderful Violins

Sorry I forget who manufactured this instrument. Absolutely wonderful piece of engineering and although a violin virtuoso might cringe, I also find it very 'tuneful'. Shame I didn't video to the end of the tune, but there was a lot to do that day. Also, the piano keys got a bit out of sync at first, which doesn't affect the music as the keys are 'pulled' rather than pressed.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Wonderful
• Violins

[wurlitzerwilly]

Look carefully and you'll see the actual violin bodies move in and out so that the strings touch the rotating bow. There are pneumatic 'fingers' to select the notes.

[wurlitzerwilly]

I find the concept fascinating. Four moving violins with a single string each and a rotating circular 'bow'. All driven by pneumatics.

[WelteMax]

The manufacturere is Hupfeld. As it says on top of the instrument!

[pianoman1984]

and did I mention already, this is a very well playing violina :D nice to hear a good one among the many bad ones on youtube

[pianoman1984]

who says in the video that there are 7 levels of expression? it has only 3 fixed levels for the piano, that is Forte, Mezzo-Forte and Piano (=soft). it also has a crescendo funtion, but by spacing the holes at different distances on the roll, many in-between levels can be reached. the violin expression works about the same, but it has the option of slow or fast crescendo.

[ampicodude]

I have seen one of these instruments in Germany which had 2 sets of 3 violins, although i understand that it was a modern machine built from blue prints and that Hupfeld never actually made a double unit during the original period.

[ChristainPatriot01]

Actually Sir it is posted, and I'm not exactly the walter cronkite of links.[rip w.c by the way]

[tregnier279]

Can you post it? Or, at least, a link?

[KawhackitaRag]

Actually, there are only three violins. I would be very surprised if this example has four.

I agree it is a fascinating concept.

[ChristainPatriot01]

I have a video of a Weber Styria playing the same song, does anyone know the tune?

[tregnier279]

I did some research (looking through the "Violano Virtuoso" video in the related videos, and that video's related videos.

This machine is a Hupfeld Phonoliszt Violina. Manufactured by the Hupfeld company of Germany, and they ceased production of them in 1928.

[tregnier279]

I noticed that! It's very clever!