Every tree has its individual characteristics. Sound, stability, and weight: qualities that start with the tree and eventually are expressed in the violin.
Historically a lot of attention was paid to the choice of wood and the moment of felling depending on the purpose that you had in mind (building houses, ships, bridges and also musical instruments). Knowledge and insight about all aspects were handed down.

In the present society a lot of this has been forgotten. Mostly there are still a few mostly superficial criteria left for the choice of wood. Persistent misconceptions have also developed.
Aspects such as the position of the sun and moon are reduced to summer and winter while in addition to the sun(seasons) the moon has a constant influence on the sap streams in the tree and the waters on earth. Think of tides. Recognising these influences is a historical fact, passed down from generation to generation and based on factual experience. This knowledge is separate from any philosophy or religious idea, is thousands of years old and was available to people who had to do with it practically. Farmers, foresters, architects but also people in their daily lives. This tradition and knowledge is still living and current in population groups in different (mountain) areas.

For years Eduard Wemelsfelder has gone into the historical knowledge and awareness of the different aspects that are important when selecting wood. He does this by studying writings, by practical experience and personal exchange with people who often from different fields than violin making are aware of the influences on the quality of the wood.

Eduard Wemelsfelder realises the consequences of this insight and in 1999, together with five foreign colleagues, he began selecting, buying and processing wood for building his instruments from the basis: the living tree.

Through the sound of the living tree, its place of growth, form and size of the tree and by carefully choosing the moment of felling by the forester in coherence with among others the position of the sun and moon, Eduard Wemelsfelder has been able to guide and influence the final quality of his instruments, particularly their stability and sound.

Up