The Science of Siren Songs: Stradivari Unveiled is an in-depth conversation between Howard Burton and master violinmaker and acoustician Joseph Curtin, recipient of a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. This wide-ranging conversation explores Curtin’s long quest to characterize the sound of a Stradivari violin and the rigorous series of double-blind tests he and his colleagues developed to probe whether or not professional musicians can really tell the difference between a Stradivari and a modern violin.
The conversation also covers violin acoustics and how Joseph Curtin marries acoustic science to the art of violin making and merges time-honoured techniques with new materials and design.
This conversation will soon be released in a carefully-edited video format. Already available is an enhanced book developed from this conversation, while Joseph Curtin is also featured in two short documentaries – all details are below.
“Howard has an instinct for the long line, the complex idea, the larger story, and all the complications that make it interesting. He is articulate and funny, and more importantly, he brings to his conversations a physicist’s passion for getting to the bottom of things.” — Joseph Curtin
This enhanced book is available in electronic format via all major online booksellers, including:
Format: paperback, hardcover & eBook
Conversations About Anthropology & Sociology includes 5 books featuring in-depth conversations with:
- Joseph Curtin (Master Violinmaker and Acoustician)
- Mark Maslin (UCL)
- Ian Stewart (Warwick University)
- Frans de Waal (Emory University)
- Fred Gitelman (Former World Champion Bridge)
Joseph Curtin is also also featured in 2 short documentaries together with several other renowned experts.
