By Laurie Niles: People all over the globe - not just violinists - associate the name "Stradivarius" with arguably "the greatest violin maker who ever lived," Antonio Stradivari, who lived from 1644 to 1737 in Cremona, Italy.
But what about the other Italian violin makers who made fine instruments -- violins, violas, and cellos that still grace concert halls some 250+ years later?
Amorim Fine Violins Cremona has created a new Youtube series called "Stradivarius and Beyond: Old Italian Violin Makers' Untold Stories" that aims to tell the stories behind some of the lesser-known but still important makers of that era.
The videos will explore the lives of each violin maker, going into the historical backdrop of their times and how they were able to become masters of their craft.
The first video is about the Cremonese violin maker Lorenzo Storioni (1744-1816), who came after the time of Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesù, and seems to have been more influenced by the latter. Storioni, who was not from a family of violin makers, took a creative approach to the craft, using unusual materials and experimenting with designs and forms.
The video includes detailed descriptions of the 1768 "ex-Segelman" and 1778 "Countess Pestalozzi" Storioni violins, as well as demonstrations of both instruments by violinist Sofia Manvati. (You guessed it, Amorim is selling those two violins, but it's all still quite interesting!)
Enjoy!
You might also like:
- David Fulton Recounts His Multi-Million-Dollar Violin Journey in New Book
- Remembering Stradivari's Genius
- Review: Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Honors Stradivari Violins with Strad Fest LA (2014)
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