December 11, 2004

Working-Class Orchestra, World-Class Fiddles

By DANIEL J. WAKIN

The New York Times

They speak rapturously of poetry and of love - and of a sense of unreality that such a union has taken place. But they also talk of difficult adjustments and of new pressures in caring for a priceless object.

They are the string players of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and the objects of their affection are the instruments they now play, 30 rare and lustrous violins, violas and cellos, made by masters like Stradivari, Guarneri and Guadagnini.

The voices of the musicians have seldom been heard since the symphony acquired the instruments in February 2003, one of the more extraordinary events in recent orchestral history. They have been drowned out by controversy about the collection's worth and authenticity, and by the original owner's legal problems.

"I'm still discovering it," the principal violist, Frank Foerster, said of his 1620 Amati. "You just hear the sound, and it touches you. I think that makes it a piece of art, like a beautiful poem. It just moves you more, like a beautiful painting. It touches the soul more."

He said his Amati produced a broader range of colors than his modern instrument: from sweet to fiery, from pleasant to aggressive. "Here you can really change the sound, like a good actor can change his voice from one character to another."

Conversations with the string players point to other issues, too. Playing these instruments has meant making subtle but critical adjustments in fingering, bowing and balance. And the musicians have had to adapt to change, shuttling between their new and old instruments because of limits on when they can play the valuable instruments when not on New Jersey Symphony business.

Many players and the orchestra's management say they feel bitter about what they see as negative publicity about the collection's acquisition. Orchestra members were warned not to speak for this article, although the administration relented and picked several musicians to speak on the record, as long as questions about authenticity were avoided. Officials said some players did not want to be publicly identified with such valuable instruments for security reasons, although the musicians, and in some cases their hometowns, are listed on the orchestra's Web site.

Those who spoke on the record were effusive.

"The majority of the violinists think that God has opened up the heavens and rained down fantastic instruments," Sarah Seiver, a cellist, said.

One of the best parts of the story, the musicians say, is that people who could never hope to play such instruments now have regular access to them. Superstar violinists, of course, can buy, or are lent, famous instruments, but they are out of reach for back-benchers in a midsize orchestra like the New Jersey Symphony. The members' minimum salary is $45,000, and some are playing instruments worth 10 or 20 times what they earn in a year.

"We're like the working-class musicians," said Carole Whitney, a cellist. "We put out four concerts a week. Instruments like these are totally out of our financial reach. I never thought I would be playing an instrument like this." Ms. Whitney uses a Goffriller cello, made in Venice in 1690.

The collection includes 24 violins, four cellos and two violas. The oldest is the Amati viola, from 1620. According to information provided by the symphony, 12 instruments predate 1700; 15 more are from before 1750.

"It's really kind of an unreal experience, the fact that we have this collection," said Darryl Kubian, a violinist who plays a 1692 Strad, the "Ex Elmar Oliveira."

A dissenting view was voiced by some players, who spoke on the condition that their names not be used for fear of repercussion. Several of them declined to play the instruments, they said, because they did not like switching between them and their own. Several also said they did not think the instruments made much of a difference in the orchestra's sound.

That, of course, is the big question. But matters of the ear are famously subjective. Many musicians said the sound is quantifiably better. Others said the sheer responsiveness of the instruments and the morale boost of using them improved the playing. Having an Amati or a Strad can even be a spur to practice more.

"They're driven to match the beautiful quality of the instruments," said Simon Woods, the orchestra's president.

At a rehearsal last week at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, the orchestra played through bits of a concert version of Howard Shore's score to "The Lord of the Rings." During the break, the guest conductor, John Mauceri, called the string sound "absolutely amazing," thanks both to the instruments and to the acoustics of the seven-year-old hall.

His comments pointed unwittingly to the vagaries of sound perception: in fact, many of the string players had left their valuable instruments at home. The rehearsal included a large chorus, and musicians feared the possibility of damage with the extra people and movement onstage.

"In all honesty it comes down to players," Mr. Kubian said. "Great players can just play junk and it sounds really good. I've heard average people pick up a Strad, and I say, 'Is that a Strad?' " Still, Mr. Kubian said, he was convinced that the New Jersey string sound had noticeably improved, both because of the instruments' intrinsic qualities and the way they were being played.

The issue of care and safety looms large. Many of the musicians play in other ensembles or as freelancers, and to use the instruments outside the orchestra, they need permission. Playing a Strad, for example, in a Broadway pit is forbidden. Solo and chamber performances are typically allowed.

Using the instruments for auditions, or in another orchestra, is frowned on, Mr. Kubian said. He explained the orchestra's position: "You don't want to give another group the benefit of your riches. That's not really kosher. I can't really blame them. It's not my violin."

The string sections have devised different systems to allot the instruments. The principal players are allowed the pick of the litter. The violin section has worked out a complicated yearly rotation so that all have a shot at the best instruments. Ms. Whitney, the assistant principal cellist, and Jonathan Spitz, the principal cellist, have permanent dibs on their instruments; the other two new cellos rotate among section members every six months. The other viola, an 1831 Pressenda, is made available by lot. The principal violist, Mr. Foester, said he allowed others in his section to use the Amati for two weeks over the summer.

The players have had to adapt to the antique instruments. The best fiddles and cellos tend to vibrate more and thus are more responsive. The slightest increase in pressure with his bow, Mr. Foerster said, or an infinitesimal movement of the bow toward the bridge, changes the color of the sound. Fingering must be adjusted for intonation purposes. Whisper-soft tones carry farther. Solos do not have to be pushed.

The instruments, Mr. Kubian said, create a greater sense of clarity at top volume, rather than the "wall of sound" that often emerges in loud string passages. Even pizzicato, or plucked, notes sound more resonant and rounded.

And the rest of the orchestra? Some wind and brass players are said to have been skeptical at first about the amount of money spent on instruments for the strings. But they seem to have come around and to appreciate the overall improvement in the orchestra's sound.

In one case, the string collection proved inspirational. Karl Herman, the principal clarinetist, said when he bought new instruments, he opted for a set of handmade clarinets that cost twice as much as manufactured ones.

"I thought, you know, if this is what my colleagues are playing," he said, "I have to have the absolute best."

Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company