William F. “Jack” Fry Little did I know that a casual meeting with Jack Fry at Norman Paulu’s
home in 1975 would evolve into a life-changing experience. Jack had
stopped over to show Norman some bows that he had made and the discussion
later turned to a violin in Chicago with a big reputation. It was the
Sanctus Serafino that I acquired later that year. It was also the beginning
of a long association with Jack, and my awakening to the unknown about
violins as I played his instruments for him and discussed his theories
and hopes for rediscovering the structural mysteries of the great Italian
instruments. As the years progressed, the Token Creek Festival presented
Jack in forums and demonstrations, culminating in a concert in 2004
in which the ensemble played exclusively on Fry instruments (available
on CD, TCR
111). Most prized among Jack’s many awards was his election
to the Galileo
Academy of the University of Padova, Italy, for his discoveries
in violin acoustics. Jack leaves an amazing legacy as scientist, seeker
of musical mystery, colleague and friend. It is hard to imagine a world
without him. He did, indeed, find the truths he sought and there is
great solace in that fact. – Rose Mary Harbison Solving the Stradivarius Secret
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