by Alessandra Assi
Nestled in the green valleys of the Swiss canton of Aargau, the Wilhelm Geigenbau violin making shop boasts 62 years of experience in the construction, restoration and maintenance of stringed instruments. Founded in Suhr in 1962 from the passion of the couple Rolf and Brigitte Wilhelm, the family-run business continues today with their children Claudia and Mark, who has taken over the management. In addition to creating quality instruments, for years Geigenbau has also been interested in the topic of sustainability and protection of tropical woods, such as ebony and rosewood: used and appreciated for centuries in violin making for their great aesthetic and acoustic qualities, they are however increasingly vulnerable due to excessive market demand and irresponsible deforestation. We interviewed Boris Haug, son-in-law of Mark Wilhelm and expert in the research and use of alternative solutions, in view of the 2024 edition of Cremona Musica International Exhibitions and Festival.
Since 2018 you no longer use tropical woods to build your instruments. How did you come to this decision?
It is a question that I have been asking myself since 2007, and which has led me to try several different materials. Unfortunately, we no longer have the ecosystem and biodiversity that violin makers had three hundred years ago: just think that the ebony species naturally existing in Madagascar have been completely dried up, decreasing from 50 to just one. The variety and quality of the available wood has decreased accordingly, and violin makers have been forced to adapt to this disastrous trend. The promulgation at European level of the Supply Chain Act in 2024 invites companies to be more transparent about where and how the raw materials they use have been obtained; exploring more ecological alternatives has therefore become a necessity. After various searches, I managed to find two solutions that satisfied me in terms of consistency and sound characteristics: Sonowood and Ebonprex.
What is it about?
Sonowood involves the use of fir, maple or beech wood (the most sustainable types) that are densified until they reach properties very similar to natural ebony. Ebonprex, produced in Vicenza, is obtained instead from beech sheets, which are glued unidirectionally with resin.
How were these solutions received by the market, and what do you expect from the new edition of Cremona Musica?
We have received growing interest in our alternative products, year after year, and for the upcoming event we plan to consolidate this trend: the discussion regarding sustainable materials is spreading like wildfire among colleagues and professionals. There is an increasing awareness of the poor quality of ebony and the problems we are encountering on an ethical and commercial level, and I am very happy to be able to discuss it with them at the fair; furthermore, this year there will be a lot of artisans present at the Triennial International Violin Making Competition. It will be a precious opportunity for discussion and openness, we can’t wait!
In cooperation with TGmusic.it
