Among musical instruments, the Stradivarius has no peer. Violins crafted by the master Antonio Stradivari are renowned for their rich, powerful sound. For years, musicians and scientists have sought to unravel the secrets of Stratavarius method. Just what is it that makes a Stradivarius so resonant? There have been many theories, some believe it was the formula for the varnish, others say it was a secret Italian manufacturing method. Modern climatologists have come up with a new explanation--it may have been the weather.
Two researchers, Henri Grissino-Mayer, a University of Tennessee tree ring scientist and Lloyd Burckle, a Columbia University climatologist, studied Strataverius methods, and published their conclusions in the journal Dendrochronologia. (That's the scientific study of tree rings to you and me). They believe it was the sharp dip in temperatures of the Little Ice Age that created the wood that made the violin that so many revere.
