Joseph Nagyvary
Encyclopedia
Joseph Nagyvary, born in , is a Professor Emeritus at Texas A&M University
and has spent years studying and analyzing violins made by Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri
.
, Hungary
. As the most celebrated citizen of this town was Albert Szent-Györgyi
, the discoverer of vitamin C
and much of the citric acid cycle
, he was inspired at an early age to follow a career in natural products and biochemistry
.
From 1952-1956 he attended at Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest and in 1957 he went to Zurich
to study under Paul Karrer
. There he became fascinated by the violin
when he had the opportunity to take lessons on an instrument once owned by one of his heroes, Albert Einstein
.
In 1963 he went to Cambridge
to study under Alexander Todd
at the laboratory
there. He moved to America
in 1964 and in 1968 he moved to Texas
where he became a professor of biochemistry and biophysics
at Texas A&M University.
In 1983 he devoted his research entirely to the study of recreating the legendary tone of violins made by the old masters. While working at Texas A&M University as a biochemist Nagyvary succeeded in making a violin which he described as being somewhere near the quality of a Stradivari
.
Texas A&M University biochemist
Joseph Nagyvary succeeded in making a violin which he described as being somewhere near the quality of a Stradivari by leaving the wood to soak in brine. Because of the lack of land in Venice
, during that period imported wood(*) was often stored in the seawater of the Venetian Lagoon
, where a type of decomposition
had a slight effect on the wood. Nagyvary managed to acquire wood shaving
s from a Stradivarius violin, and under a microscope
he found the natural filter plates in the pores between the tracheid
s were gone. He also treated the wood with a preparation of borax
in the manner of Stradivari, who used it to prevent infestation (conjecture - no written record exists of this practice by Stradivari).
(*This applies only to the maple, a relatively less important acoustical contributor to violin-family instruments. Spruce for Stradivari's instruments was not likely to have been brought through Venice, as it came from Northern Italy and parts further North. As such there would have been no need for such a round-about journey.)
By late 2003, Nagyvary refined his techniques and produced a violin that was tested in a duel with the Leonardo da Vinci of 1725, an instrument not from Stradivari’s golden period. Both violins were played in each of four selections of music by violinist Dalibor Karvay behind a screen to an audience of 600 attended by 160 trained musicians and 303 regular concert goers. This was the first public comparison of a Stradivari with a contemporary instrument before a large audience where the audience would cast ballots on the performance quality of each violin. The consensus was that Nagyvary's instrument surpassed the Stradivarius in each category by a small margin. Such curtained showcases have been conducted numerous times during the 19th and 20th centuries, and continue in the 21st. In common with all such tests is that they did not use a double-blind experiment, where the experimenters do not know the instruments as well. All such observations should be interpreted in this light.
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
and has spent years studying and analyzing violins made by Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri
Giuseppe Guarneri
Bartolomeo Giuseppe Antonio Guarneri, del Gesù was an Italian luthier from the Guarneri house of Cremona. He rivals Antonio Stradivari with regard to the respect and reverence accorded his instruments, and he has been called the finest violin maker of the Amati line...
.
Biography
Joseph Nagyvary was born 1934 in SzegedSzeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. As the most celebrated citizen of this town was Albert Szent-Györgyi
Albert Szent-Györgyi
Albert Szent-Györgyi de Nagyrápolt was a Hungarian physiologist who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1937. He is credited with discovering vitamin C and the components and reactions of the citric acid cycle...
, the discoverer of vitamin C
Vitamin C
Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate is an essential nutrient for humans and certain other animal species. In living organisms ascorbate acts as an antioxidant by protecting the body against oxidative stress...
and much of the citric acid cycle
Citric acid cycle
The citric acid cycle — also known as the tricarboxylic acid cycle , the Krebs cycle, or the Szent-Györgyi-Krebs cycle — is a series of chemical reactions which is used by all aerobic living organisms to generate energy through the oxidization of acetate derived from carbohydrates, fats and...
, he was inspired at an early age to follow a career in natural products and biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
.
From 1952-1956 he attended at Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest and in 1957 he went to Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
to study under Paul Karrer
Paul Karrer
Paul Karrer was a Swiss organic chemist best known for his research on vitamins. He and Walter Haworth won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1937.-Early years:...
. There he became fascinated by the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
when he had the opportunity to take lessons on an instrument once owned by one of his heroes, Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
.
In 1963 he went to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
to study under Alexander Todd
Alexander R. Todd, Baron Todd
Alexander Robertus Todd, Baron Todd, OM, PRS FRSE was a Scottish biochemist whose research on the structure and synthesis of nucleotides, nucleosides, and nucleotide coenzymes gained him the 1957 Nobel Prize for Chemistry.Todd was born near Glasgow, attended Allan Glen's School and graduated from...
at the laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
there. He moved to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1964 and in 1968 he moved to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
where he became a professor of biochemistry and biophysics
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
at Texas A&M University.
In 1983 he devoted his research entirely to the study of recreating the legendary tone of violins made by the old masters. While working at Texas A&M University as a biochemist Nagyvary succeeded in making a violin which he described as being somewhere near the quality of a Stradivari
Stradivarius
The name Stradivarius is associated with violins built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari. According to their reputation, the quality of their sound has defied attempts to explain or reproduce, though this belief is controversial...
.
Texas A&M University biochemist
Biochemist
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."-Role:...
Joseph Nagyvary succeeded in making a violin which he described as being somewhere near the quality of a Stradivari by leaving the wood to soak in brine. Because of the lack of land in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, during that period imported wood(*) was often stored in the seawater of the Venetian Lagoon
Venetian Lagoon
The Venetian Lagoon is the enclosed bay of the Adriatic Sea in which the city of Venice is situated. Its name in the Venetian language, Laguna Veneta— cognate of Latin lacus, "lake"— has provided the international name for an enclosed, shallow embayment of saltwater, a lagoon.The Venetian Lagoon...
, where a type of decomposition
Decomposition
Decomposition is the process by which organic material is broken down into simpler forms of matter. The process is essential for recycling the finite matter that occupies physical space in the biome. Bodies of living organisms begin to decompose shortly after death...
had a slight effect on the wood. Nagyvary managed to acquire wood shaving
Shaving
Shaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down to the level of the skin. Shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove their leg and underarm hair...
s from a Stradivarius violin, and under a microscope
Microscope
A microscope is an instrument used to see objects that are too small for the naked eye. The science of investigating small objects using such an instrument is called microscopy...
he found the natural filter plates in the pores between the tracheid
Tracheid
Tracheids are elongated cells in the xylem of vascular plants that serve in the transport of water and mineral salts. Tracheids are one of two types of tracheary elements, vessel elements being the other. All tracheary elements develop a thick lignified cell wall, and at maturity the protoplast...
s were gone. He also treated the wood with a preparation of borax
Borax
Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. It is usually a white powder consisting of soft colorless crystals that dissolve easily in water.Borax has a wide variety of uses...
in the manner of Stradivari, who used it to prevent infestation (conjecture - no written record exists of this practice by Stradivari).
(*This applies only to the maple, a relatively less important acoustical contributor to violin-family instruments. Spruce for Stradivari's instruments was not likely to have been brought through Venice, as it came from Northern Italy and parts further North. As such there would have been no need for such a round-about journey.)
By late 2003, Nagyvary refined his techniques and produced a violin that was tested in a duel with the Leonardo da Vinci of 1725, an instrument not from Stradivari’s golden period. Both violins were played in each of four selections of music by violinist Dalibor Karvay behind a screen to an audience of 600 attended by 160 trained musicians and 303 regular concert goers. This was the first public comparison of a Stradivari with a contemporary instrument before a large audience where the audience would cast ballots on the performance quality of each violin. The consensus was that Nagyvary's instrument surpassed the Stradivarius in each category by a small margin. Such curtained showcases have been conducted numerous times during the 19th and 20th centuries, and continue in the 21st. In common with all such tests is that they did not use a double-blind experiment, where the experimenters do not know the instruments as well. All such observations should be interpreted in this light.