Japanese

                                                                                                                                                                 

   

       

I would like to give some details about my work and myself.

I started as a professional violinmaker in Belgium in 1993. Since the end of 1999, I have been living and working in Japan.

Ever since the beginning, it has always been evident to me, that I would be occupied by the construction of both modern and period - baroque and classical - style instruments.

So far, I have made about the same number of modern and period style instruments.

Modern violin   Guarneri 1733

Baroque Violin   N.Amati 1666

  I do not believe that in the construction and the physical aspects of the instruments, the differences between baroque and modern styles are that big. The main difference is all in a question of tension. Baroque, and late 18th century classical instruments, should all have much less tension than modern, 20th century ones. This is mostly the result of the different construction of the neck angle, combined with the use of lower tension gut strings instead of strings made of steel or other synthetic materials. The strings are also tuned at a lower tension.
This allows for, or even requires a lighter, more flexible construction for baroque instruments. This can be achieved in the arching and in the thicknessing of the plates, but is mostly done by making a lighter bass-bar.

For more details about the differences among baroque, classical and modern instruments, please read here.

Apart from these differences, the operation of the instruments are the same. How the soundboard and backside are resonating and transmitting tone, does not depend so much on whether their style is baroque or modern. It depends more on the hight and shape of the plates arching, the thickness of the plates, the size and position of the bassbar and soundholes, the characteristics of the wood, and many other factors.         

More interesting is the combination of all those factors. To learn about the influence of each feature on each other, keeps inviting me to continue to search and experiment every day.

       

            

One-piece violin back  Guarneri 1733

                                          

Viola back purfling

Another very important point, is the fact that wood is (or was) a living material. Even when coming from the same tree, no two pieces are identical. This means that it is nearly impossible to find an exact formula. By consequence, for every instrument, for every piece of wood, again I have to decide what to do.

Only through many years of work, can one build up the necessary skill and experience to do so.

This is why I only want to make use of hand work, avoid serial work and limit the use of machines. I wish to be in contact with the wood as close as possible during the whole process ; from the selecting and year long drying of the wood, over the bending, carving, thicknessing, till the varnishing and finally stringing of the instruments.

Only by doing so, can I learn to be guided by the density, elasticity, acoustical and all other characteristics of the wood.

    There are few things I enjoy more

than working in my atelier in all

tranquility.

Sometimes, after having switched

on the radio, I suddenly realize I’m

not working anymore, I’m just

listening to the music...

This doesn’t happen so often, but

when it does, beleive me, it doesn’t

happen because they are playing

loud...   

VIOLA  D’AMORE

  F  Kuijken : original model

POCHETTE VIOLIN

  F  Kuijken : original model

BASSE DE VIOLON

  G Bourbon :   1702

   

F.K. original model modern violin

Baroque violin bridge

Violin F-holes  Guarneri 1733

Nicolo Amati 1666

Cello scroll

Viola d’amore

L.Guersan gamba head

                                                                                                     Copyright  © Filip Kuijken 2009

Cello  F.K. original model

Cello  D. Montagnana 1739

“Sleeping Beauty”

Violin scroll

If you would like more information about models, materials used such as the woods, varnishes, strings etc., or about prices and conditions, please contact me by one of the following methods:

Violin F-hole N. Amati 1666

Cello before varnishing

Following is a short list of the models I use most often. All instruments can be made in modern, classical or baroque position. Other models, not on this list, can also be made.

VIOLIN

A. Stradivari : The Betts

Maria ex Muir Mackenzie

G. Guarneri “Del Gesu” :

Soil (ex T.Varga)  

Cannone (Paganini)

Kochansky

N. Amati : Alard

M. Gofriller :

J. B. Guadagnini : Lachmann-Schwechter

J. Stainer :

C. Bergonzi :

D. Montagnana :

A. Amati :

F. Kuijken  original model

Violino Piccolo : P.  Borlon

VIOLA

A. Guarneri : Conte Vitale

J. B. Guadagnini :

A. Stradivari : The Gibson

A. Amati :

P. Rombauts :

F. Kuijken : original model

CELLO

A.  Stradivari :    De Munck

Davidov

D.  Montagnana :   Sleeping Beauty

G. B.  Guadagnini :

Simpson

A. Amati :

F. Kuijken : original model

Cello Piccolo (5-string) :  F. Kuijken

Or please visit me in my atelier

(please make an appointement prior to visit)

Address :

458 Oaza Warime, Kazo-Shi

Saitama-Ken 347-0025

Japan

E-mail :

filip@kuijkenviolins.com

Tel/Fax :

+81 (0480) 650056

1704

1694

1733

1742

1741

1649

1666

1700

1776

1679

1736

1717

1564

1566

41.1 cm.

40.0 cm.

40.8 cm.

47.0 cm

42.0 cm.

1676

1785

1734

1574

1730

1712

1739

1740

1759

1777

158?