BBC Learning English Words in the News Defending the Stradivarius

13th January 2012

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. The BBC's Alan Johnston reports: 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 they liked the new ones best. But they've been unimpressed by this in a place called Cremona, the home 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, BBC News

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Vocabulary and definitions

when it comes to (something) has challenged the mystique goggles brand new liked the new ones best unimpressed by (something) home town media hype

regarding, in connection with (something) has questioned the specialness and strangeness a device to cover the eyes never used before preferred the new ones not made to feel admiration for (something) town where someone is from something which had its importance exaggerated by news outlets

recognised

accepted as the truth

More on this story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13856203 Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/01/120113_witn_violin.shtml

Words in the News bbclearningenglish.com

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