JAVS Fall 2005

MODERN MAKERS PAUL SIEFRIED AND THE PORT TOVVNSEND CONNECTION

by Eric Chapman

Hi sco ri ca lly, the French cities of Paris and Mirecourt have been known as the seats of great bow making, home to some of the most renowned bow makers in the world. With the Aorescence of bow making in the U nired States, the idyllic coastal town of Pore Townsend, Washington, has emerged as the New World's "Mirecourr. " T he village of Port Townsend , located on a quaint peninsula north and west of Seattle, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Irs o ri ginal inhabi ta nts envisioned the location as a major port of enrry for the west coast. When char distincti on fell co San Francisco, the town became no ted fo r shipbuilding, especially for the revival of the craft of wooden boar building. String players know, however, that it is also the home of some of the finest bow makers of our time. O ne man who h as helped forge the repu ta

vides inspiration to many an aspiring luthie r. While he has worked at two impo rtant violin shops, he is largely a self- taught maker: a ra re feat, particularly at the inte rnat ional level. Though his pa rents loved music, and he had friends who were mus1c1ans, a career in music o r related endeavo rs was not o rig i nally considered. His turning poinr cam e when someone showed him a vio lin by Jams Ca rlisle, a good violinmal<.er who was most famous as the teacher of Rembert Wurlirze r. The encoun ter with Carlisle's creation was a mes merizi ng experience, and a career as a vio linmake r suddenly became a plausibl e concept. Siefri ed applied to the Bava ri an State School ofViolinmaking in M ittenwald, bur then elected co accept an entry- level position ar the shop of N ash Mo ndragon in

cion of Port Townsend is Paul Siefried.

The bow-making world was a quiet place in the mid- 1970s. When the Violin Society of America's 1nterna tional Competiti on took place in La Jolla, Cali fornia in 1978, a distin guished panel of judges from around rhe world sha ttered rhe quietude by ho no ring Siefried with three Gold Medals. At the rime, hard ly anyone kn ew his name. Where had a maker of such talent been hiding?

Siefried 's path co rhe top o f the bow-making establishment pro

~

~

San Francisco. The shop also employed Boyd Pou lsen, an instrument and bow-maker.

~

~

~

OLUM E 21

NUMBER2 _____________ 47