This spring I spent a lot of time choosing a new violin. This involved a lot of trips to the violin shop, each time returning home with another borrowed instrument or bow. It was fun, but after a while it got to be a lot of work giving each candidate enough playing time. My violin teacher and her husband, who is a luthier, patiently helped me through the selection process.

The winner is pictured above. It is labeled “Vissenaire Freres, Lyon” and dated 1876. Who knows — I gather labels get slapped on violins in a fairly cavalier way. I spent more than would seem reasonable to the average citizen, but far less than I might have. I enjoy playing it and that seems to be the point.