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
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
