#stradivari

“Violin” by Nicolò Amati, 1669,

The violins of Nicolò Amati (1596–1684), the preeminent violin maker of the Amati family of instrument builders, were known for their elegant design, responsiveness, and sweet sound, although they lacked the strength of violins by Stradivari and Guarneri "del Gesù." 

Nicolò Amati single-handedly carried on the Cremonese tradition of fine violin making after famine and disease in the years around 1630 had wiped out virtually all of the top violin makers; not surprisingly, violins from this period are very rare. 

Amati's many students included Andrea Guarneri, Giovanni Battista Rogeri, and possibly Jacob Stainer and Antonio Stradivari, among others.

12 Stradivari (album)

Janine Jansen

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Alexander Kyd and Robert Kyd – Scientists of the Day

Alexander Kyd, a British officer, died Nov. 25, 1826, which provides the occasion for this post; the date and year of his birth are unknown.

Italian luthier and crafter of string instruments Antonio Stradivari died on this day in 1737.

Stradivari is considered to be the greatest artisan in the field, and his patterns and craftsmanship are still favoured by many string instrument players today. Stradivari produced an estimated 1,116 instruments of which only 650 survived, including 'The Messiah' which you can see on display in our Music and Tapestry gallery.

'The Messiah' was made at the height of Stradivari's career, and represents the pinnacle of string instrument craft. Despite being built in 1716, the violin is almost unworn with carving is as crisp as the day it was made and the painted edge-work on the scroll intact. The violin owes its condition to the fact that it has always been a collectors piece. It earned its name from a collector in Piedmont who kept it in its case, but often boasted of it to his friends - like the Messiah, it was eagerly awaited but did not appear.

See it on display in Gallery 39.