All Historical articles – Page 9
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Antonio Stradivari violin c.1716 ‘Paul Godwin’
One notable feature of the Stradivari is the angled grain when looking at the side of the scroll
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Premium ❘ FeatureHistorical lutherie methods: Salts of wisdom
Remy Gug examines the treatment of wood described in several manuals of the 16th to 18th centuries, in this article from July 1987
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Premium ❘ FeatureDouble Bassist magazine: Matteo Gofriller c.1708 bass
Barrie Kolstein marvels at a magnificent 18th-century instrument by Matteo Gofriller, in this feature from the Autumn 2001 issue of our now-discontinued sister publication, Double Bassist
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: G.B. Guadagnini cello 1750
The Guadagnini cello has intense deep reddish-brown varnish to spare
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Premium ❘ FeatureDouble Bassist magazine: The Master’s Voice - Bottesini's bass
Made in 1716 by Carlo Antonio Testore, this stylish double bass was once the companion of Giovanni Bottesini. Stefan Krattenmacher examines the instrument and its history, in this Summer 2000 article from our now-discontinued sister publication, Double Bassist
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FocusAlchemy and wood treatment in Cremonese instruments
Wenjie Cai and Hwan-Ching Tai discuss the possible influence of alchemy in Cremonese wood treatment, in this extract from the December 2021 issue
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Premium ❘ FeatureWood treatment: Choosing resonant wood
Rémy Gug examines a method of selecting wood for making instruments. From January 1991
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Michele Angelo Bergonzi violin c.1750
Bergonzi used plain maple for the ribs but opted for a beech scroll with widely projected eyes
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Premium ❘ FeatureDouble Bassist magazine: The Merchant of Venice
Taken from our now-discontinued sister magazine, Double Bassist, this Winter 1996 article sees Barrie Kolstein admiring a beautiful bass by the maligned 18th-century luthier Francesco Gofriller
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Premium ❘ FeatureLutherie in the US: An American Dream
Violin making in the US was built on the aspirations of a few woodworkers with talent – and in two centuries it has evolved into a multimillion-dollar industry. Ahead of the publication of a new book, The American Violin, co-author Philip Kass traces the advancement of American lutherie and shows ...
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Gennaro Gagliano cello 1734
The Gagliano scroll is a perfect example of the Neapolitan style
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Focus‘The first maker of what is unambiguously a double bass’
In this extract from the December 2021 issue, Thomas Martin, George Martin and Martin Lawrence examine the beginnings of bass making in Venice
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Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: An 1807 violin by William Ferguson
David Rattray details an instrument by the Scottish maker
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Premium ❘ FeatureMaking Matters: The imitation game
In 1927 a cache of documents came to light, purportedly from the Stradivari workshop – and fooled some of the leading experts of the day. Carlo Chiesa explains how the case turned out to be an elaborate forgery
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Giuseppe Antonio Rocca violin 1844
The Rocca is clearly modelled after the most famous Stradivari violin, the ‘Messiah’
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FocusPierre Aloysius Josephs: the first bow maker of the San Francisco Bay Area
In this extract from the November 2021 issue, Raphael Gold profiles the bow making work of Pierre Aloysius Josephs and his family
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi double bass c.1770
Landolfi’s choice of wood ranges from plain maple scrolls to highly flamed backs
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Pietro Guarneri of Venice violin 1725
Known as the ‘Reine Elisabeth’, this is the most expensive instrument bought by the Dutch Musical Instruments Foundation
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Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: Team Player
Sam Zygmuntowicz examines the large proportions of this 1796 Mantegazza viola, which give it a powerful sound that makes it ideal for string quartets. From December 2003
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Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: From Strad to Slava
The ’Duport’ cello is a fine example of Stradivari’s ‘Form B Piccola’. Samuel Zygmuntowicz examines Rostropovich’s own instrument, in this article from October 1997