Opus 73 - Violin |
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he violin is associated with harmonious, appealing and seductive sounds that can charm or captivate the listener, as numerous tales and legends from French Canada and elsewhere reveal. Characters in "Les marionnettes," "Le violon magique"and "La légende de Rose Latulippe" grapple with the almost magical powers attributed to the violin. Used for entertainment, the violin had a dubious reputation and was regarded suspiciously by the Church.
Michael Baran based this violin on a model by Antonio Stradivari and named it "Dorothea." A native of Czechoslovakia, Michael Baran immigrated to Canada in 1928. His interest in violin making began when he was around nine years old. After acquiring experience by repairing numerous violins, he made his first instrument in 1937. Baran also taught himself to play the violin as a teenager, inspired by the performances of gypsies at popular celebrations in his native land. Having a trade in addition to his work as a luthier always enabled Michael Baran to generously give his violins to young musicians who could not afford to buy them. |