Defending the Stradivarius

Lovers of the much-revered Italian Stradivarius violins have dismissed news that they may not be as good as modern violins. The results of a test in the US have shown that most players prefer the sound of a new instrument.

For generations, lovers of classical music have believed that when it comes to the violin, there is nothing finer than the sound of a Stradivarius. But research in America has challenged the mystique surrounding the famous old instruments.

Tests involving more than 20 professional violinists were conducted in a hotel in Indiana. The violinists were made to wear goggles that blinded them.

They couldn't tell whether they were playing an antique Stradivarius, or a brand new instrument. And most of the musicians decided that theyliked the new ones best.

But they've been unimpressed by this in a place called Cremona, thehome town of the Stradivarius violin. At the instrument museum there, a spokesman said the American survey was no more than "media hype".

He said that for hundreds of years the world of music had recognised the quality of the Stradivarius.

Alan Johnston

Dinleyin

when it comes to (something)

söz konusu (bir şey) olunca, (bir şey) denince

has challenged

doğruluğunu tartışmak, tartışmaya açmak; meydan okumak

mystique

esrarlı hava, gizem; bir şey ya da kişiyi özel ya da ilginç kılan esrarlı özellik

goggles

koruyucu gözlük; gözleri koruyan büyük gözlük

brand new

yepyeni, hiç kullanılmamış

liked the new ones best

en çok yenilerini beğenmek, yenilerini tercih etmek

unimpressed by (something)

(birşeyden) etkilenmemek; (birşeyin) hayranlık ya da takdir kazanmaması

home town

memleket, bir kişi ya da nesnenin köklerinin dayandığı yer

media hype

medyanın abartması, bir konunun öneminin basın yayın kuruluşlarınca abartılmış olması

recognised

kabul etmek, doğruluğuna katılmak, (o şekilde) tanımak

Link : http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkce/ingilizce_dersleri/2012/01/120116_le_stradivarius.shtml