Eduard Wemelsfelder's work philosophy.

Inspired by the great knowledge of the classical violin makers and the beauty and harmony their instruments radiate, it is my desire to be a modern maker, rooted in classical time.

I therefore chose, as you can read on the "Training" page, to follow my education at an international school for violin making and repair, the " Welsh School of Musical Instrument Making and Repair". This served as a basis for the almost nine years that I spent abroad in well known workshops to broaden my knowledge in different aspects: new instrument making, repairs, restoration, knowledge of old and new instruments and bows, and management.

Since the start of my business in 1993 this process of the integration of classic style and knowledge in the present time has become only more intense. Mostly international exchanges with colleagues, participation at international competitions, symposiums and the then yearly summer seminars under Jürgen von Stietencron give me the possibility to continue this process of insight and creation, and to provide it with new impulses.

By being an active amateur violinist I can understand the wishes and demands of both the player and the maker better and unite them.

It was no longer possible to combine making instruments the way I intended with a well-running all-round violin making business where attention had to be divided over the so many sides of the work.

At the beginning of 2001, I decided to concentrate 75% of my time on making and developing new instruments. By January 2002 this was almost 90%. It is a choice that has caused a great change. 20 years of preparation have preceded this!
It gives me the possibility to combine the knowledge and experience of that period in the making of new instruments that satisfy the high expectations and demands of the musician.

Violin makers and musicians can and must learn a lot from each other. Just as you can play the violin at many levels you can build a violin at many levels. During that growth process, the path to depth, you need masters in a broad sense. Those are teachers at the violin making school, employers, befriended colleagues with whom you can exchange your experience and insight, work seminars for very experienced violin makers, but also contact with musicians and not lastly: yourself.

By playing music yourself and gaining knowledge in the musician you learn what speed of sound and response mean. What it means to model sound. You have to learn to hear sound.
It is just as essential to develop this aspect as the violin making technical aspects. You learn this among others from musicians. Then you might be able to make instruments that have characteristics that can realise these important aspects for the player.
Musicians can also learn a lot from violin makers. Through mutual respect and recognition both can grow.