Her Saga Was Music to Their Ears

Congratulations to the magazine and Duane Noriyuki for the superb article on Rena Weisshaar and her violin (“Secrets Wonderful and Cruel,” Aug. 31).

As a former subscriber to Strad magazine, I have seen many attempts to describe the challenge facing practitioners of the art of the luthier. But none have equaled Noriyuki’s article, which captured, in almost poetic terms, the subtleties involved in each of Weisshaar’s moves. His descriptions celebrated not only Weisshaar’s mastery of her craft but the music itself.

I was once fortunate enough to meet Weisshaar, at a time when she repaired my cello. She richly deserves the tribute by Noriyuki. whose artistry matches that of his subject.

Kramer J. Rohfleisch

La Mesa

*

Wow! What an incredible article. Noriyuki’s documentation of Weisshaar’s labor of love was satisfying on so many levels, from the commitment to a passion and serving the muse to the acknowledgement that life is not just wood and strings, that we all must savor “the ocean’s song.” The writing was most evocative, and the photographs wonderfully echoed the critical passages of the wood’s odyssey and all the emotions wrapped up in it. Bravo to Noriyuki and his supporting cast for making your pages sing.

Ritt Henn

North Hollywood

*

The Noriyuki piece is absolute perfection in journalism. Everything--the details of Weisshaar’s life, her difficulty with her father-in-law, the technical tidbits about wood and violin-making, the anecdote about the restoration of the Red Diamond--is drawn together by the theme of serving something greater than one’s self, which makes this an unusual and profound article.

Including the story of Haroutune Bedelian and Nathan Milstein touches and inspires me and completes the whole article so that it reads the way a symphony plays. It ought to be made into a film, provided that the dignity and heart could be preserved. Thank you so much for printing it.

Kathleen MacMahon

Silverado, Calif.

*

The beauty of words also can bring on chills and resonate in one’s soul. Noriyuki’s article reads as perfectly as I imagine Weisshaar’s instrument sounds. Noriyuki may or may not know it, but he is a musician.

Bravo!

John Detwiler

Van Nuys

*

Congratulations on a stunningly beautiful piece of writing. This article elevates journalism to the level of memorable literature. We hope to see more of Noriyuki’s writing in the future.

Henry Bagish

Santa Barbara

*

In a time of journalistic mediocrity and tabloid sensationalism, Noriyuki has hit an all-time low. His article was embarrassingly sentimental and inappropriately melodramatic.

I was stunned by the numerous inaccuracies and half-truths. Most troubling was the unnecessary airing of family laundry and the negative remarks about my father, Hans Weisshaar, which served no purpose in showcasing my sister-in-law Rena and her accomplishments.

As I told Noriyuki, I remember my father as sensitive, kind, loving, intelligent and interesting.

He was a cultured, well-read and well-traveled man, with ethics and morals to be envied. Along with other people, I recall with pride that he was also a gifted and creative violin maker and artist, successful in his craft and respected by his peers.

Marguerite Weisshaar-Gebhardt

Studio City