An almost 300-year-old violin that was played by the great virtuoso Niccolò Paganini has been studied at the European Synchrotron, the ESRF.
As one of the most famous violins in the world, “Il Cannone” was crafted in 1743 by the great luthier Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri. The instrument was Paganini’s most treasured due to its unique acoustic properties.
Paganini is considered to be one of the most greatest violinists of all time, so talented that it was rumoured that his mother had sold his soul to the devil to gain his abilities.
The ESRF teamed up with the violin’s custodians, the municipality of Genoa, and the Premio Paganini, to carry out an X-ray analysis to help determine the structural status of the wood and bonding parts of the violin.
The measurements were performed on ESRF’s new beamline, BM18, which is able to construct a 3D X-ray image of the instrument with micrometre resolution using a technique called phase-contrast X-ray microtomography.
The sound of trust
It is hoped that carrying out such measurements will help to preserve the instrument, which is only occasionally played.
ESRF scientist Luigi Paolasini, who led the project, says it was a “fantastic experience” to work on the violin.
“[It] opens new possibilities to investigate the conservation of ancient musical instruments of cultural interest, as a crossing point between music, history and science”, he says.
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- Source: https://physicsworld.com/a/rhapsody-as-european-synchrotron-examines-niccolo-paganinis-violin/
