Violins and very cold weather - a hypothesis

Lloyd Burckle and Henri D Grissino-Mayer suggest a link between the great Italian violin makers and a mini ice-age 300 years ago A. There is considerable controversy surrounding reasons why instruments made by the artisans of Cremona in Italy in the late 17th and early 18th centuries sound superior compared to modern instruments. The famous violin-making families of Amati, Stradivari, and Guarneri certainly included many highly accomplished craftsmen, and the popular belief is that the skills of these Cremonese artisans, combined with either a secret ingredient or undocumented process, give their instruments the rich sound so highly admired by professional musicians. The nature of this secret ingredient has been the subject of conjecture for many years and is still fuelling speculation. Theories have included the method of varnish applied to the wood to produce the right acoustic effect, or the use of special types of wood which are subject to specific treatment and aging processes, as well as the careful blending of responsibly harvested chemicals before application. B. A new hypothesis has been found for the possible explanation. It was not directly related to the violin-makers’ skills but more likely to do with the climate. Around 1645–1715, Europe was affected by a mini ice-age caused by a combination of reduced solar activity – widely known as the Maunder Minimum – and a possible increase in volcanic eruptions. This period was characterized by shorter, cooler growing seasons for trees, which resulted in wood with a greater density and narrower rings than usual.…