Violin Woodworking Plan Series
June 2016
The expansive wave of an explosion (or an earthquake, or an emotion, or a pain) has the highest frequency at its epicenter.
Violin Fragments Series
June 2016
The violin is made of very soft wood, and weighs only 220 grams.
It must resist 22 kilograms of weight (the tension exerted by the steel strings).
The thinnest section of the violin body has a thickness of 3 mm and withstands a force of 8 kg.
This incredible feature is accomplished thanks to the violin’s design and is based on a phenomenon of physics called “Static equilibrium”: when two forces cancel each other out, the resulting force being zero. The magical design of the violin generates an equivalent force which opposes the tension generated by the tight strings.
If the resulting force were not zero, the fragile wood of the violin would burst into pieces.
And what about our society? Is it not a piece of wood, subjected to different opposing forces? What we cannot know is to what extent can it withstand the pressure of these contradictory and unequal forces.
It is very difficult to construct a violin.
Very difficult.
Rock
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this rock for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“250 grams of ham and cheese”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this packet for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“Violin”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this violin for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
Focus on the palm of your hand, and acknowledge that this violin weighs 20 grams less than the previous packet.
Violin Fragments Series
June 2016
The violin is made of very soft wood, and weighs only 220 grams.
It must resist 22 kilograms of weight (the tension exerted by the steel strings).
The thinnest section of the violin body has a thickness of 3 mm and withstands a force of 8 kg.
This incredible feature is accomplished thanks to the violin’s design and is based on a phenomenon of physics called “Static equilibrium”: when two forces cancel each other out, the resulting force being zero. The magical design of the violin generates an equivalent force which opposes the tension generated by the tight strings.
If the resulting force were not zero, the fragile wood of the violin would burst into pieces.
And what about our society? Is it not a piece of wood, subjected to different opposing forces? What we cannot know is to what extent can it withstand the pressure of these contradictory and unequal forces.
It is very difficult to construct a violin.
Very difficult.
Rock
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this rock for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“250 grams of ham and cheese”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this packet for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“Violin”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this violin for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
Focus on the palm of your hand, and acknowledge that this violin weighs 20 grams less than the previous packet.
Violin Fragments Series
June 2016
The violin is made of very soft wood, and weighs only 220 grams.
It must resist 22 kilograms of weight (the tension exerted by the steel strings).
The thinnest section of the violin body has a thickness of 3 mm and withstands a force of 8 kg.
This incredible feature is accomplished thanks to the violin’s design and is based on a phenomenon of physics called “Static equilibrium”: when two forces cancel each other out, the resulting force being zero. The magical design of the violin generates an equivalent force which opposes the tension generated by the tight strings.
If the resulting force were not zero, the fragile wood of the violin would burst into pieces.
And what about our society? Is it not a piece of wood, subjected to different opposing forces? What we cannot know is to what extent can it withstand the pressure of these contradictory and unequal forces.
It is very difficult to construct a violin.
Very difficult.
Rock
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this rock for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“250 grams of ham and cheese”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this packet for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“Violin”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this violin for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
Focus on the palm of your hand, and acknowledge that this violin weighs 20 grams less than the previous packet.
Violin Fragments Series
June 2016
The violin is made of very soft wood, and weighs only 220 grams.
It must resist 22 kilograms of weight (the tension exerted by the steel strings).
The thinnest section of the violin body has a thickness of 3 mm and withstands a force of 8 kg.
This incredible feature is accomplished thanks to the violin’s design and is based on a phenomenon of physics called “Static equilibrium”: when two forces cancel each other out, the resulting force being zero. The magical design of the violin generates an equivalent force which opposes the tension generated by the tight strings.
If the resulting force were not zero, the fragile wood of the violin would burst into pieces.
And what about our society? Is it not a piece of wood, subjected to different opposing forces? What we cannot know is to what extent can it withstand the pressure of these contradictory and unequal forces.
It is very difficult to construct a violin.
Very difficult.
Rock
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this rock for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“250 grams of ham and cheese”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this packet for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“Violin”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this violin for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
Focus on the palm of your hand, and acknowledge that this violin weighs 20 grams less than the previous packet.
Violin Fragments Series
June 2016
The violin is made of very soft wood, and weighs only 220 grams.
It must resist 22 kilograms of weight (the tension exerted by the steel strings).
The thinnest section of the violin body has a thickness of 3 mm and withstands a force of 8 kg.
This incredible feature is accomplished thanks to the violin’s design and is based on a phenomenon of physics called “Static equilibrium”: when two forces cancel each other out, the resulting force being zero. The magical design of the violin generates an equivalent force which opposes the tension generated by the tight strings.
If the resulting force were not zero, the fragile wood of the violin would burst into pieces.
And what about our society? Is it not a piece of wood, subjected to different opposing forces? What we cannot know is to what extent can it withstand the pressure of these contradictory and unequal forces.
It is very difficult to construct a violin.
Very difficult.
Rock
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this rock for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“250 grams of ham and cheese”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this packet for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“Violin”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this violin for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
Focus on the palm of your hand, and acknowledge that this violin weighs 20 grams less than the previous packet.
Violin Fragments Series
June 2016
The violin is made of very soft wood, and weighs only 220 grams.
It must resist 22 kilograms of weight (the tension exerted by the steel strings).
The thinnest section of the violin body has a thickness of 3 mm and withstands a force of 8 kg.
This incredible feature is accomplished thanks to the violin’s design and is based on a phenomenon of physics called “Static equilibrium”: when two forces cancel each other out, the resulting force being zero. The magical design of the violin generates an equivalent force which opposes the tension generated by the tight strings.
If the resulting force were not zero, the fragile wood of the violin would burst into pieces.
And what about our society? Is it not a piece of wood, subjected to different opposing forces? What we cannot know is to what extent can it withstand the pressure of these contradictory and unequal forces.
It is very difficult to construct a violin.
Very difficult.
Rock
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this rock for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“250 grams of ham and cheese”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this packet for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“Violin”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this violin for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
Focus on the palm of your hand, and acknowledge that this violin weighs 20 grams less than the previous packet.
Violin Fragments Series
June 2016
The violin is made of very soft wood, and weighs only 220 grams.
It must resist 22 kilograms of weight (the tension exerted by the steel strings).
The thinnest section of the violin body has a thickness of 3 mm and withstands a force of 8 kg.
This incredible feature is accomplished thanks to the violin’s design and is based on a phenomenon of physics called “Static equilibrium”: when two forces cancel each other out, the resulting force being zero. The magical design of the violin generates an equivalent force which opposes the tension generated by the tight strings.
If the resulting force were not zero, the fragile wood of the violin would burst into pieces.
And what about our society? Is it not a piece of wood, subjected to different opposing forces? What we cannot know is to what extent can it withstand the pressure of these contradictory and unequal forces.
It is very difficult to construct a violin.
Very difficult.
Rock
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this rock for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“250 grams of ham and cheese”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this packet for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
“Violin”
Please open your hand, palm facing up, and hold this violin for ten seconds with your eyes closed, breathing only through your nose.
Focus on the palm of your hand, and acknowledge that this violin weighs 20 grams less than the previous packet.
“Adele from Munkatch” – “The best bread in Berlin”
June 2016
Adele from Munkatch and The best bread in Berlin have a particular compositional structure. This is because there is an idea (a melody) that never ceases, even with persistent variations (evolutions).
This idea attempts to reinforce the value of memory which, as well as signifying “pass through the heart again” (remember, from the latin: re; cordare), strives to be an effective tool to prevent certain atrocities in the future.
Some historians agree that there was a secret meeting where Hitler, Goebbels and Himmler discussed the political convenience of executing the Final Solution. Goebbels, who was a communication fanatic and was very aware of the impact this could have on the future electoral support, told Hitler that massive extermination would have great negative impact on future voters, and therefore advised against it. He then explained that the National Socialist Party (his party) was growing very slowly in elections and implementing such an unpopular measure would make them lose valuable voters.
Confronted by the Minister of Propaganda’s concern, Hitler responded:
“Nobody complained, and nobody even remembers the Armenian Genocide...; nobody will be bothered by this plan.”
Which could have been the impact of a generalized Turkish objection to the Armenian Genocide? What effect could a firm and constant memory of the Armenian people have had on Nazi propagandistic calculations? And what about the disapproval of neighboring countries... or of the whole world?
We will never know the potential impact this memory could have had on the macabre, yet rational and rigorous calculations made by Hitler in deciding whether or not to systematically kill the Jews in Germany1.
We will never know... but we can learn something from this story: the value of memory.
The same as the central melody of Adele from Munkatch and The best bread in Berlin, which changes constantly, but is never fully extinguished.
This is why, if this meeting really occurred, Hitler was really evaluating pros and cons of this procedure, and the perceived effect of a similarly unpopular process (the Armenian Genocide), would have been a central issue in the final decision.
___________________________________
1It is important to note that the Final Solution was not one of the first options that Hitler was evaluating to deal with the “Jewish Problem” (sic). In fact, the first plan he analyzed (and even started implementing) was to send the European Jews to Madagascar for them to form a self-governed settlement there.
[Un = negative prefix + Popular = the people.
As citizens, we tend to underestimate the potential effects of our opinions.]
* * *
“Adele from Munkatch” – “The best bread in Berlin”
June 2016
Adele from Munkatch and The best bread in Berlin have a particular compositional structure. This is because there is an idea (a melody) that never ceases, even with persistent variations (evolutions).
This idea attempts to reinforce the value of memory which, as well as signifying “pass through the heart again” (remember, from the latin: re; cordare), strives to be an effective tool to prevent certain atrocities in the future.
Some historians agree that there was a secret meeting where Hitler, Goebbels and Himmler discussed the political convenience of executing the Final Solution. Goebbels, who was a communication fanatic and was very aware of the impact this could have on the future electoral support, told Hitler that massive extermination would have great negative impact on future voters, and therefore advised against it. He then explained that the National Socialist Party (his party) was growing very slowly in elections and implementing such an unpopular measure would make them lose valuable voters.
Confronted by the Minister of Propaganda’s concern, Hitler responded:
“Nobody complained, and nobody even remembers the Armenian Genocide...; nobody will be bothered by this plan.”
Which could have been the impact of a generalized Turkish objection to the Armenian Genocide? What effect could a firm and constant memory of the Armenian people have had on Nazi propagandistic calculations? And what about the disapproval of neighboring countries... or of the whole world?
We will never know the potential impact this memory could have had on the macabre, yet rational and rigorous calculations made by Hitler in deciding whether or not to systematically kill the Jews in Germany1.
We will never know... but we can learn something from this story: the value of memory.
The same as the central melody of Adele from Munkatch and The best bread in Berlin, which changes constantly, but is never fully extinguished.
This is why, if this meeting really occurred, Hitler was really evaluating pros and cons of this procedure, and the perceived effect of a similarly unpopular process (the Armenian Genocide), would have been a central issue in the final decision.
___________________________________
1It is important to note that the Final Solution was not one of the first options that Hitler was evaluating to deal with the “Jewish Problem” (sic). In fact, the first plan he analyzed (and even started implementing) was to send the European Jews to Madagascar for them to form a self-governed settlement there.
[Un = negative prefix + Popular = the people.
As citizens, we tend to underestimate the potential effects of our opinions.]
* * *
“Sacred Violins”
Violins recuperated from Krakow, Poland.
These violins were bought from an elderly luthier who was active during Nazi occupation. Due to their characteristics, it is believed they were played by Jews in the ghettos established in Poland.
They are here to sing their story..
“Catalog: The Paper Wall”
Catalog of violins for sale during Nazi occupation of Poland.
This catalog (and the violins offered) was only available for people outside the ghettos. Those within the ghetto walls could not access this catalog nor buy those instruments because they could not even afford a single potato.
Even with all the money in the world they still could not have bought one of these instruments because they could not leave the ghetto. And if they did, they were murdered immediately, without trial or previous debate.
“The Soul”
June 2016
The soul is this.
A tiny rod.
It is pressed between the belly and the back of the violin.
When the violin is finished, the luthier presses this rod into place with a tweezer, through one of the strangely shaped holes in the belly. It is the last piece installed when constructing the violin.
The soul is a crucial component; it gives the violin its intonation and frequency which makes it unique, different from all other instruments and “the most similar to the human voice.”
The soul is fragile, insignificant, and hidden.
This soul was in one of the violins recovered from Krakow.
It is neither fragile, nor insignificant, nor hidden.
“The Construction of Something Powerful + The Journey is Rough”
Please focus all your attention to the tips of your fingers and gently rub them across this rough surface. Imagine all the work that is still missing for this surface to become a precision instrument. Acknowledge this journey.
Take this conscience to the tips of your fingers.
