GMM22 Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 Stradivari and Joseph Guarneri are almost universally accepted as the two best violin makers. Is there any consensus on who is number three? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nertz Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 Katorina Guarneri .........:-) If I already owned a Strad and a Del Gesù violin I'd probably be looking for a great Carlo Bergonzi to buy next... for cellos and violas my list would be different (partly because of availability...) and Strad is the only name I would want on all three lists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiingfiddler Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 A strong case could be made for G B Guadagnini as number 3 violin maker. Besides Strad and del Gesu, GBG seems to be a favorite for copyists. A number of top-notch performers, the late Franco Gulli and the young Gidon Kremer, played GBG's. The relative abundance of GBG's also helps their popularity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omobono Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 How about a round of aplause here for Andrea Amati celebrating his 500th this year? Fairly widely regarded as the father-figure of the violin in that he essentially settled on a form that has lasted ever since. Failing that, what about Nicola Amati, teacher of Stradivari and just about everyone else that mattered in Cremona. http://www.entetriennale.com/mostra_2005_it.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Darnton Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 Yes, I would have put Andrea Amati at number one, myself, since without him we probably wouldn't be having this discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacob Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 Michael, if I were sure you weren't watching this board, I would have been tempted to nominate Stainer for #3, but since you are indeed watching, I won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skiingfiddler Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 I guess your answer depends on your criteria: -- Most coveted by violinists: Stradivari and del Gesu clearly top 2. Third? Maybe GB Guadagnini -- Highest priced violins: Again Stradivari and del Gesu are top 2. Third? Probably another early to mid 18th century Cremonese, maybe Carlo Bergonzi. --Best known to the general public: Stradivari, Amati because of use in crossword puzzles. Third: Michael Darnton. Google "darn violin" to see why. --Most influential in development: Andrea Amati, Nicolo Amati (at one point in history, about the only maker to survive the plague, and carry on violin making), Stradivari, del Gesu, Stainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
techfiddle Posted December 23, 2005 Report Share Posted December 23, 2005 Where do the Vuilliumes fit into this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvin Goldsmith Posted December 24, 2005 Report Share Posted December 24, 2005 Vuillume?...Very good, but not great (in my opinion) The eye tends to bounce off a Vuillume rather than being attracted in and the tone is ok but not great. My third choice would be The Brothers Amati....Something about their work just wows me...particularly their scrolls and corners. Alternatively....I think violin making is most interesting now since the demise of the great Cremonese period. There are some great makers working now...Perhaps number 3 is alive and working in our time..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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