International research coordinated by theNational Research Council’s Institute for Bioeconomics (CNR-Ibe) has examined 314 sets of growth rings from 284 authentic violins by Antonio Stradivari, revealing significant data on the provenance of the wood used by the famous Cremonese violin maker. The investigation shows that Stradivari systematically selected high-altitude fir trees from Alpine forests, with a particular concentration in the Val di Fiemme area.
Trees grown during the Maunder Minimum (1645-1715), a climatic period characterized by colder temperatures and short growing seasons, developed a wood particularly suited to the construction of soundboards, a crucial element in the acoustic quality of the instruments.
