Chronology

The famous school of Cremona was established by Antonio Amati (1555-1640?), Girolamo Amati (1556-1630) and Girolamo’s son, Nicola (1596-1684).

In Brescia the first great master was Gasparo di Bertolotti da Salò (1540-1590). Giovanni Paolo Maggini (1580-1632) was his most important pupil. The school of Brescia declined after Maggini, while Cremona retained its uncontested first place.

The pupils of Nicola Amati were Girolamo Amati II (1649-1740), Andrea Guarneri (1626-1698), G.B. Rogeri (1666-1696), Francesco Ruggieri (1645-1700), Paolo Grancino (1655-1692) and probably also ANTONIO STRADIVARI (1644-1737).

Giovanni Maria Dalla Corna founded perhaps the violin making school of Venice. Elsewhere violin making schools appeared early in France, in Paris around 1550, then in Mirecourt, Nancy and Lyon.

Jacob Stainer (ca. 1621.1683, Absam, near Innsbruck in Austria) emerged as the first great violin maker north of the Alps.

His renown at one point outshone even that of the school in Cremona! H.I. Biber, Jean-Sebastien Bach, F. Veracini, Locatelli, Leopold Mozart played Stainer violins (although it was later discovered that Mozart’s violin was by Klotz).

Through an extraordinary stroke of luck, 3 instruments from Mozart’s family have been preserved. One of them, attributed to Aegidius Klotz, still bears the false Stainer label!

As late as 1774 a certain Löhlein indicated that Stainer and Amati’s violins, with their timbre similar to that of the flute, were preferred to those of Stradivarius. Unfortunately Stainer was to have no direct pupils and no companions.

Thus in the first half of the 18th century the school of Cremona was clearly dominant, especially in the person of Antonio Stradivari (1644-1757), who ESTABLISHED THE MODEL OF THE VIOLIN FOR ALL HIS SUCCESSORS. If his instruments were not prevalent amongst the musicians of his time, it would be wrong to conclude that they were not appreciated. Already during his lifetime Stradivarius was reputed throughout Italy. But the extent of his renown was recognised only much later.

There are three distinct creative phases in the work of Stradivarius: that in which Amati was clearly influent (from about 1666 to 1690); that of the "longish" models (1690-1700); and finally his golden age of maturity with its magnificent works. The violins with inlaid-work such as the 1679 "Hellier" are rarer; however there are numerous drawings and sketches by Stradivarius for such pieces. During his long life he produced some 1000 instruments.

His creations are representative of the apogee of the school of Cremona and the art of violin making in general.His sons Omobone and Francesco, as well as his pupils Carlo Bergonzi (1686-1747), Lorenzo Guadagnini (born ca. 1695, died ca. 1745), and many others perpetuated his tradition.The most prominent violin maker after Stradivari, Giuseppe Guarneri "del Gesù" (1698-1744) was the last representative of an illustrious dynasty represented by Andrea Guarneri (1655-1720) and Giuseppe G.B. Guarneri (1666-1739/40). The latter was the father of Giuseppe "del Gesù" (as well as of Pietro, born in 1695, died in Venice in 1762).

The surname "del Gesù" appeared around 1726 and comes from the sign JHS that appeared on the labels (indeed inside the violin, on the back, the violin maker would stick a label bearing his name, the date the instrument was completed and sometimes, the place of its manufacture; it is not out of the question that it bore further indications...).

Guarnerius’ reputation during his lifetime was not comparable to that of Stradivarius. A certain Pugnani was the first prominent violinist to make his violins famous, and after Paganini had played the "Canon" on a violin by Guarnerius, these violins were preferred to those of Stradivarius for their more powerful sonority. Characteristic of their aspect were also their larger size and sometimes even a bit of negligence. The work of Guarnerius comprises some 200 violins; unfortunately he lived to be only half as old as Stradivarius!

It is worth noting that alongside these "great" violin makers who enjoyed widespread renown worked many excellent, more modest masters...

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