How did you start your career as a string instrument maker?
Newsletter for Cello Lovers - Winter 2017
In conversation with German Master Luthier Klaus Ludwig Clement Interview Editor | Clara Tsang (Founder of Hong Kong Cellist Society) Co-Editor| Sharon Chan Transcript | Vince Wan, Sharon Chan Photo | Cello Factory Limited Design | Tiffany Chan Hong Kong Cellist Society www.hkcellistsociety.org.hk Email | info@hkcellistsociety.org.hk Facebook | HongKongCellistSociety Published on 16 January 2018
My first job was working in a power electric company in pursuit of a German license. I was too lazy at school when I was little and my father told me that I had to learn a skill for my future. I actually took an university entrance exam but I was poor and needed to make a living, so I then ended up working in one of the biggest guitar and string making companies in Germany. That was how I started my career in the industry. I was playing guitar at the time and slowly fell in love with the art in making string instruments. The owner of the company later discovered my talents and gave me an opportunity to learn the skills. I began working a string instrument making profession in 1980 and took the professional examination in 1984. By the end of 1984, I was hired by Roderich Paesold. I made my first violin in 1982 when I was 27. I still remember that I sold one of my violins on display in a Paesold workshop to a Korean customer. Which type of string instrument do you prefer making? I preferred making violins at the beginning, but later I started to like the cello very much. I understand and can make both violins and cellos very well. Two years ago, I started to focus on making violas. In my opinion, viola is sophisticated to make and it is even more complicated to work with viola players. Making viola is a completely new challenge to me. I have gained some success recently and sold three viola prototypes in the Frankfort show last week. I always make the new instrument prototype three times as this gives me a better understanding to the instrument. Now I can say that I am good at making violas. For me, viola is not just a small-size cello or a large-size violin, but rather an instrument closer to double bass from a historic point of view. There are also more functions in it. I think Stradivari is good at making cellos and violins but not violas. Good viola is represented by Giovanni Grancino and Andrea Amati. Double bass is an exception. I don’t like making double bass because it uses a different sound system and is too big for me. As for guitars, I have also made some in the old days. Do you still remember some of your most impressive works? I have broken three or four of my work pieces because I didn’t think their sound quality was good enough. The last piece I made is the one I like the most so far-- a Giovanni Battista Guadagnini cello. It took me a long time to sell it and it is now in the hands of a lady in Korea. The sound of that cello is phenomenal, but it is also very difficult to master. I cut my finger when I was making that cello so literally it had my blood, sweat and tears. There are a lot of good cellos and violins I have made that I can remember. What I like is not only the instrument itself but also its personality, and how it interacts with the owner. Who owns the instrument, who is happy with it and how the owner develops music on it all make me excited. I have made a lot of tiny instruments for students which have left me beautiful memories.
I would like to share a story with you about a tall lady I met in Tokyo 3 years ago. A professional violin player, she came to me after a concert in Tokyo and told me that I had made her an instrument when she was 8 years old and then made her another one a few years ago when she was playing in Sapporo. Of course I could not remember her. But then, she opened her old Italian violin case with a tiny little box inside. She opened the box, in it was a small bridge on which I had written a blessing to her in 1988/89. The lady thought that I have given her luck on her career and thanked me for doing so. It was only an inexpensive bridge which cost a couple of Euros but it brought back some fond memories for us. You said you combined your scientific exploration on natural material to make an even better string instrument. How do you do that? To make a cello or violin, you start by learning the necessary skills -- the craftsmanship. With the skills, you will understand how to handle the necessary tools. Once you master the craftsmanship, you would need to study the history of people who made string instruments. You need to understand how those people from the 15th-17th centuries made a living and their backgrounds by visiting the museums frequently. Next, you have to master the sound. The wood quality and how you construct your instruments and the entire acoustic system are very important. You can only learn this by experience, by learning from your mistakes, and by discussing with your friends and players. Then finally you would understand the whole sound system. After this, you start with your sound studio and would get better with more experience. Using state-of-the-art measurement processes, such as modal analysis, we are able to investigate the function and construction of classical bowed string instruments. Based on these insights, we are able to achieve different sound ideals and optimize our instruments.
Are there any differences between violin/cello making in different countries? There is not much difference in violin making among different countries today. They are all very similar. But if you look back, violin making is not the same among different countries in 1930s and 1940s. While Stradivari was good on the inner body, French violin was very symmetric and the Germans focused more on the exterior. Where do you want your instrument making career to lead you to? I am a 60 years and 3 months old man. My hand conditions will decide how many more instruments I can make. I don’t think I can continue working like today for 9 or 10 years. I want to pass on my skills to young people, give them an opportunity and help them to become successful. I see a lot of power and fresh ideas from young people. I trust their talents and think that they are intelligent. For example, I have actually let two of my ex-colleagues start their own businesses. We still work together and I hope they can eventually learn everything from me and become better string instrument makers.
身為提琴製作大師，您是如何開展這項職業生涯? 我第一份工作是在德國一家電力公司上班，當時想考個專業牌照。少時 我並不勤奮求學，父親郤要求我將來一定要學門專業。我如一般人參加 考試進入大學，可是，貧窮的生活迫使我要賺錢維生 – 輾轉我來到德國 一間最大結他和弦樂器製造公司工作，這樣子開始了我的提琴製造之旅 。
香港大提琴家協會會報- 冬季2017
專訪德國造琴大師 Klaus Ludwig Clement 採/曾鳳 文/Sharon Chan 採訪 編輯 | 曾鳳 (香港大提琴家協會創辦人) 副編輯| Sharon Chan 文字 | Vince Wan, Sharon Chan 攝影 | Cello Factory Limited 平面設計 | Tiffany Chan Hong Kong Cellist Society www.hkcellistsociety.org.hk 電郵 | info@hkcellistsociety.org.hk Facebook | HongKongCellistSociety 出版日期 2018年1月16日
當時，我還真的有彈奏結他，慢慢地我愛上了製作提琴的技巧。後來， 公司老闆發現了我有這方面的才華，讓我接觸這門專業手藝。我於1980 年加入製造提琴這個專業領域，1982年也就是我27歲時製造了自己首把 小提琴，1984年我參加提琴製造專業考試，同年底獲Roderich Paesold 聘用，在Paesold工作室售出自己第一把小提琴給一位韓國顧客，至今 仍記憶猶新。 您喜歡製作哪種弦樂器？ 開始時我較傾向於製作小提琴，後來我又愛上大提琴。現在我已掌握了 如何製作這兩種樂器的技巧並且可以製作出精美的小提琴和大提琴。二 年前，我開始了製作中提琴。於我而言，製作中提琴是複雜，與中提琴 家合作更複雜 。所以製作中提琴對我是全新的挑戰。不過，近期我的工 作已有一些進展，在上週法蘭克福的琴展中成功售出三把中提琴原型。 製作一件新樂器時，我總是做三次原型以便自己可以更好地理解這件樂 器。現在，我對自己製作中提琴亦充滿信心，中提琴不是小一號的大提 琴，也不是大一號的小提琴，中提琴就是中提琴！如果從樂器史的角度 看，中提琴是更接近低音大提琴的一種樂器，而且，中提琴的功能多樣 。我個人認為Stradivari的大提琴和小提琴遠勝於其中提琴，而Giovanni Grancino和Andrea Amati的中提琴就很棒。 低音大提琴是完全不同的發音樂器，屬於另外的領域，對我而言低音大 提琴它實在是太大了，我不喜歡製作低音大提琴。不過早期，我倒是製 作了一些結他。
您還記得自己最印象深刻的一些作品嗎？ 我曾親手毁掉自己3-4件作品，因為我覺得它們的聲效不夠完美。我製 作的最後一把Giovanni Battista Guadagnini大提琴是我至今最愛，這把 大提琴費時甚久等待有緣人，如今它被一位韓裔女仕所擁有用作演奏。 這把琴音色驚人，絕不容易駕馭。製作它時我也弄傷了手指，所以你看 ，這把琴裡有我的血和淚 。 我製作過很多大提琴和小提琴，我喜愛的不單是樂器本身，還有它的個 性以及它如何發揮與演奏者之間的互動。誰擁有了這件樂器，誰為之喜 ，誰以之演奏出美好的音樂，這些種種都令我興奮滿足。我也為學生們 製作了許多小型樂器，這些回憶都如此美好。 跟你分享三年前我在東京邂逅一位高個子女孩的故事：她是一位專業的 小提琴演奏家，東京一場音樂會之後，她前來拜訪我，告訴我，她8歲 時曾使用我為她製作的樂器，幾年前她在日本札幌演奏期間，我又為她 製作了另一把琴。我當時對她的記憶模糊。隨後她打開隨身的一個陳舊 意大利小提琴琴盒，看見那細小的琴橋，大概在1988/89年間我曾在這 小小的琴橋上寫了些祝福的字眼。這位女孩謝謝我當年對她的祝福，認 為這為她帶來了好運。這不過是一個非常廉宜的琴橋，大概是幾歐元， 但它卻為我和這位女仕帶來了美好的回憶。 您說您將自然物料的科學探索應用於製作更好的提琴上，請問您是怎麼 做的呢？ 無論製作大提琴還是小提琴，必須學習的技巧就是匠藝，然後你去理解 掌握所需的工具。一旦匠藝嫻熟，你需要去學習研究過往製琴大師的歷 史及作品，頻繁的參觀博物館去瞭解15-17世紀這些大師如何維生及他 們的背景。
接下來，你必須掌握聲效。木材的質量、製作的方法和整個聲效系統是 非常重要。必須從製作中累積經驗，從錯誤中學習，和你的朋友及演奏 者討論。最後，你會漸漸理解整個音效系統。 最後在音效工作室開始製作試驗，透過最先進的聲學測量程序，如模擬 分析、聲音輻射和進入導納的測量結果，研究古典弓弦樂器與的功能和 結構。而基於這些研究成果，我們能夠獲取不同的理想中的聲音及改進 優化我們的樂器。 經驗越豐富，收獲便越多。 不同的國家製作的小提琴/大提琴有何區別嗎？ 今時今日，不同的國家製作出的小提琴分別並不大，它們普遍相似。如 果回顧30和40年代不同國家製作的小提琴的歷史，分別還相當大。 Stradivari以提琴內部優良著稱，法國的小提琴非常對稱，德國人又較講 究琴的外觀。 您對自己製作提琴的職業前景有何展望？ 我己是一個60歲零三個月的老人，及後還能製作多少把提琴實在得問問 我這雙老手。我不認為10年後還能像今天一樣工作。我希望可以培訓更 多年輕人，給他們機會，幫助他們成功。我在年輕人身上看見許多力量 和新思想。我信任年輕人，認為他們很聰明。我讓二位前同事展開他們 自己的事業，我們仍然在合作，但我希望他們可以從我身上學到所有， 成為更好的提琴製作師。