VOA标准英语2009年-Secret of the Stradivarius Found by Texas Chemi

A scientist in Texas believes he has found the secret of the Stradivarius and other highly prized violins made about 300 years ago in northern Italy. He thinks chemical treatment of the wood with preservatives¹ did the trick, but some music lovers find that hard to accept.
　
Joseph Nagyvary

Retired² Texas A & M University chemistry professor Joseph Nagyvary wanted to play the violin as a child, but World War II and the communist takeover of his native Hungary dashed that dream. After he left Hungary, he studied chemistry and also learned how to make his own violins.

Examining violins across northern Italy in the 1960s, he found that only instruments like the famed Stradivaris from Cremona and some others made in Venice had escaped damage from wood-eating worms.

"My conclusion was that in these two cities someone treated the wood with preservatives," he said.

Nagyvary began testing various preservatives to see if they affected³ the sound of violins he makes at a workshop behind his home in Texas. His breakthrough came from collaboration⁴ with colleagues in the Geology Department at Texas A & M University.

Professor Ray Guillemette utilized⁵ high technology, in the form of a microprobe machine that tests the chemical make-up of a substance.

"There are times when the machine is not in use, evenings or on weekends, and I got permission from my department to use several hours of microprobe time to solve this very interesting problem," Guillemette said.

He used tiny fragments of wood removed from Stradivari violins when they were being repaired, burned them in a laboratory oven and then tested the ash with the microprobe, which revealed the presence of such chemicals as sulfur⁶, chlorine and boron.

"These are not present in any natural woods and they show up as very distinct from the natural woods," he said.
　
A Stradivarius violin

Such chemicals are commonly used as preservatives and this bolstered⁷ Professor Nagyvary's theory that chemical treatments of the wood had inadvertently produced a better instrument.

While many musicians welcomed his research, Nagyvary says collectors and dealers⁸ in antique instruments were not pleased.

"It is easier to sell a Stradivari violin for $5 million when you say it is a product of some sort of mysterious divine inspiration," Nagyvary said.

While his research has been praised internationally, he says the music world is not so enthused.

"I could say that, with one or two exceptions, almost the entire industry was very negative, very antagonistic⁹ to a scientist wanting to do this kind of research," he said.
　
Brian Lewis

But Nagyvary has found enthusiastic support from many violinists like University of Texas at Austin Music Professor Brian Lewis, who agreed to test one of the violins Nagyvary made in his workshop.

"It has got a nice sound, I like it," he said.

But Lewis cannot say this new "Texas" violin is as good as a Stradivarius, because an instrument needs to be played for many years to develop its full potential.

"It would be a really great thing to compare what one of his violins sounds like after 30,000 hours of playing, because all of those Strads have been, quote-unquote, 'played in," Lewis said.

Violins made by Joseph Nagyvary and others using his technique may one day achieve the tonal excellence¹⁰ of the Stradivarius, showing that great music can come from chemistry.

1 preservatives   

n.防腐剂( preservative的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The juice contains no artificial preservatives. 这种果汁不含人工防腐剂。
• Meat spoils more quickly without preservatives. 不加防腐剂，肉会坏得快。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

2 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

5 utilized   

v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• In the19th century waterpower was widely utilized to generate electricity. 在19世纪人们大规模使用水力来发电。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The empty building can be utilized for city storage. 可以利用那栋空建筑物作城市的仓库。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 sulfur   

n.硫，硫磺（=sulphur）

参考例句：

• Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain.炼钢厂排放出的硫形成了酸雨。
• Burning may produce sulfur oxides.燃烧可能会产生硫氧化物。

7 bolstered   

v.支持( bolster的过去式和过去分词 )；支撑；给予必要的支持；援助

参考例句：

• He bolstered his plea with new evidence. 他举出新的证据来支持他的抗辩。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The data must be bolstered by inferences and indirect estimates of varying degrees of reliability. 这些资料必须借助于推理及可靠程度不同的间接估计。 来自辞典例句

8 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

9 antagonistic   

adj.敌对的

参考例句：

• He is always antagonistic towards new ideas.他对新思想总是持反对态度。
• They merely stirred in a nervous and wholly antagonistic way.他们只是神经质地，带着完全敌对情绪地骚动了一下。

10 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。