Ricardo Morales (and Victoria) watch Amy Oshiro (wife & mother) play on her beautiful Telosphore Barbe c 1880 that they acquired from me. This Barbe was one of the principal workers in the Vuilluame workshop and it bears many similarities to the violins coming out of that great shop. Only later in his life did he make instruments that have his his label. Accompanying this violin is a great letter from the noted French maker Gustave Bazin stating this was the finest example of T Barbe’s work that he had ever seen.
Amy tells me she uses the violin very often for her playing in the Philadelphia Orchestra where she feels it warmth and power projects beautifully…..and when Ricardo agrees too you know you have a good fiddle!
You might think Ricardo would be busy and immersed enough with his role as principal clarinet of the Philly O…..well you would be wrong. His boundless enthusiasm spills (or gushes) into the violin world – bringing an endless interest in instruments, character of sound, makers and just about everything else relating to string instruments.I think in a big way this is just an outgrowth of his lifetime of fussing over his clarinets – and that that endless search has now evolved into violins.
As he builds a collection of some of the finest new violins being made today its a pleasure to help him adjust, work on and admire along with him what these great things can do.
