Treating modern violins with fungi makes them 'sound like a rare Stradivarius'

Fungi can be used to treat a violin to make it sound like a rare Stradivarius, a study has found.

A wood researcher in Switzerland has succeeded in modifying wood for a violin by treating it with special fungi which alters the acoustic properties of the instrument, making it sound almost identical to a Stradivarius violin.

Low density, high speed of sound and a high modulus of elasticity are essential qualities for ideal violin wood.



Stradivarius violins (pictured) are rare and thought to have a superior tonal quality to modern instruments

In the late 17th and early 18th century the violin maker Antonio Stradivari used a special wood that had grown in the cold period between 1645 and 1715.

In the long winters and cool summers, the wood grew slowly, creating material with low density and high elasticity.

Until now, modern violin makers could only dream of wood with such tonal qualities.

Wood researcher Professor Schwarze's developments could soon make similarly good wood available for violin making.



Professor Schwarze, of the Swiss Federal Labroatories for Materials Science and Technology, discovered two species of fungi (Physisporinus vitreus and Xylaria longipes), which decay Norway spruce and sycamore – two kinds of wood used for producing violins.

He said: 'Normally fungi reduce the density of the wood, but at the same time they unfortunately reduce the speed with which the sound waves travel through the wood.'



'The unique feature of these fungi is that they gradually degrade the cell walls, thus inducing a thinning of the walls. But even in the late stages of the wood decomposition, a stiff scaffold structure remains via which the sound waves can still travel directly.'



Physisporinus vitreus (left) and xylaria longipes (right) are the two fungi that are used to treat wood to make it sound like a Stradivarius

Even the modulus of elasticity is not compromised; the wood remains just as resistant to strain as before the fungal treatment - an important criterion for violin making.

Before the wood is further processed, it is treated with ethylene oxide gas which completely stops the fungal growth in the wood.

Together with the violin makers Martin Schleske and Michael Rhonheimer, Professor Schwarze developed violins made of mycowood - wood treated with the fungi.

In 2009 the violins were played in a blind test alongside a Stradivarius from 1711. All the violins were played by the British violinist Matthew Trusler.

Both the jury of experts and the majority of the audience thought that the mycowood violin that Schwarze had treated with fungi for nine months was the actual Stradivarius.

Prof Schwarze said: 'Of course, such a test is always subjective.

'There is no clear-cut, scientific method for measuring tonal quality.'

Now Professor Schwarze is working on an interdisciplinary project to develop a quality-controlled treatment for violin wood, with successful, reliable and reproducible results.

Until 2014, within the scope of the project that is funded by the Swiss Walter Fischli Foundation, 30 additional violins shall be made from fungally-treated wood.