ballon de paris

Though the modern instruments are slightly different from the original violins of the 16th century, they are still the same instrument. One of the differences is that it was common for violin makers back then to include their own personal touch to the instrument, like a small design on the violin’s body, for example. The first instrument of Amati has inscribed on its ribs (the side of the violin) “Pietate et Justitia” the motto of French King Charles IX for whom he created the violin.

Andrea Amati was well-praised for his violin making and soon established a school of violin makers. His school of violin making focused primarily on the technique of building violins. The method of creation, the different shapes and sizes of the instruments, the types of materials needed, and the basic format for instruments in the violin family. His standardization of the violin family first started within his Italian family, teaching his sons Antonio and Girolamo who would eventually pass the tradition onto Nicolò Amati, the grandson and most famous of the Amati family.

However rebellious Nicolò might have been, he continued his family legacy by teaching other protégés how to create violins with the same tradition of the finest craftsmanship. Two of his most well-known pupils also surpassed him in notoriety, Antonio Stradivari, and Andrea Guarneri.

Francesco worked most of his career just outside the walls of Cremona, Italy. There, he was assisted by his three sons as he closely followed the model of his teacher, Nicolò Amati. The Ruggieri tradition was carried on by Francesco’s son, Vincenzo Ruggieri, who was the only of his sons to pursue a successful career as a luthier.

Stradivari was born in Cremona to Alessandro Stradivari and Anna Moroni. His birth year is variously claimed to be 1644, 1649, or 1650. He is believed to have served an apprenticeship under Amati from 1667 to 1679. A label on one of his early violins reads "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Alumnus Nicolaii Amati, Faciebat Anno 1666" (Antonius Stradivarius of Cremona, pupil of Niccolò Amati, made in 1666). By 1680, Stradivari had established himself as an independent instrumentmaker at the Piazza San Domenico, and his reputation as a luthier was beginning to grow. He began to make his own instruments, moving away from Amati's work. He labeled his instruments with the Latin inscription. "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno (year)" (Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno ..., made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona in the year ...) He considers those made between 1698 and 1725 to be his best work, with 1715 as his peak. Some of the instruments made after 1730 are inscribed "sub disciplina stradivarii" and are known to have been made by his sons Omobono and Francesco. In addition to violins, he made harps, guitars, violas, and cellos, which are now estimated to total more than 1100 pieces. Today, about 650 of them remain. Antonio Stradivari died in Cremona.

Bergonzi's works feature outstanding materials, exquisite varnish, and consummate execution. A master in his own right, he is overshadowed only by his contemporaries Stradivari and Guarneri 'del Gesù'. READ LESS

His pieces, particularly his cellos, are sought after by orchestras, notable musicians or collectors, and many form parts of collections in museums. The record price for this luthier was $903,924 in 2010 for a violin

Montagnana was born in Lendinara, Italy in 1686. His father, Paolo, was a shoemaker. He made stringed musical instruments (violins, violas, cellos and double basses) in Venice. He was apprenticed in Matteo Sella's workshop (probably also associated with Matteo Goffriller) and after that he opened his own shop, active from 1712, located in Calle degli Stagneri, with insignia "Alla Cremona".

Montagnana met a Venetian woman living in the Calle degli Stagneri/Santo Bartolomeo district, Caterina Berti, whom he married. The couple lived in Venice and had six daughters.

Following the birth of their last child, Caterina began suffering from progressive paralysis, which eventually led to her death in 1748. It seems that this final blow was too much for Montagnana, who until then had been seeking refuge in his workshop and spending much longer time than usual on the meticulous details of his instruments. His health began to decline rapidly, for unspecified causes and, by February 1750, he was bedridden. His death certificate states that he died after being confined to his bed for one month with "hypochondria". He died in Venice, Italy in 1750. His workshop was then inherited by Giorgio Serafin, the nephew of Sanctus Seraphin.

Many of his instruments were modeled after and derived from his family tradition, but eventually Giusseppe developed his own unique style. Today, fewer than 200 of his instruments survive. And due to the rarity and quality of his violins, their sale prices have been seen to exceed $10 million USD.

To many people this list is just the tip of the iceberg of the worlds most cherished violin makers. Often the best violin is the one that you already have and and can make music on. Keep on practicing and playing and maybe one day you will have the opportunity to see or even play one of the above listed violins.

Almost nothing is known about his early years until he moved to the nearby city of Piacenza in 1738. In 1742, his first violins start to appear. It is unclear from whom or where he learned his trade. Since he joined the woodworking guild, it is likely that he underwent an apprenticeship with a local woodworker; however, there is no evidence of any local instrument makers in Piacenza at the time.

In 1749 Guadagnini moved to Milan, where he continued to make instruments. The reason for his move is unknown, but was perhaps economically motivated as Milan was a much larger city with a larger and more active music scene. During this time a few of his instruments bear labels implying a relationship to Cremona the home — of the renowned violin makers Amati, Stradivari, and Guarneri however no evidence — exists that Guadagnini ever lived in Cremona.

He next moved to Turin. Two years later, in 1773, he began his historically important relationship with notable violin collector Count Cozio. Cozio purchased most, if not all, of Guadagnini's output during this time, and also supplied him with most of his wood and other materials. His business partnership with Cozio ended in 1777, though they continued to have dealings with each other. The Count is likely responsible for Guadagnini's marked shift to a more Stradivari-like style during this time, both by pressuring Guadagnini to more closely copy Stradivari and by providing Guadagnini with access to examples of Stradivari's work. Giovanni Battista Guadagnini passed away in Turin on September 18, 1786.

His violins have a delicate and unique sonic character. He tuned many stringed instruments, studying their unique structure and sound characteristics, and developed his own style. In 1921, he began to study stringed instruments in earnest at a small musical instrument shop called the "Ballon de Paris. He realized the importance of smoothly neutralizing the distortion of sound that occurs in the high and low registers of a stringed instrument and worked to find a solution. One of his specialties is the "vicuña method," a technique that uses vicuña wool to disperse the density of sound. In 1983, this method was granted a patent for a new technology. Vallon de Paris is a company specializing in musical instruments and acoustic instruments by the sons and brothers who inherited the skills from the Garel family

They have spent many years studying the unique sounds of their instruments, many string players have played Balon de Paris instruments, and they have retained their technology and philosophy, combining modern design with high-performance speaker technology to meet the needs of many music lovers.

Louis Garrel's technique was passed down to four generations. Today, his first grandson is a violin tuner and his second grandson builds speakers using family techniques.

In 2005, Curtin was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. In 2013, the “ex-Ricci” Curtin & Alf violin sold in auction for $132,000, a world record price for work by living makers.

His instruments are bold and have lots of character. From their aesthetic qualities to their sound profiles, they never disappoint. Edgar makes many different models, from Guarneris to Strads and although each instrument has its own personality, they are all powerful and projecting.

Stefan-Peter Greiner makes exclusively antique looking instruments. The aesthetic quality of his instruments is nearly unmatched and he is therefore one of the most highly regarded luthiers today.

He has been attracted to musical instruments since when he was a child. During his double bass studies at the Conservatory, Scipioni had the chance to know a Viola da Gamba maker, which helped him make his first bass, giving a start to his passion for violin making.

Besides being played by top-level musicians, Scipioni’s instruments have also been recognized in competitions. In 2013, he won the prize for the quality of tone at the ISB convention in Rochester (NY), and in 2020 won the first prize at the Makers competition held by the “Società Filarmonica di Trento,” among others.

His cellos are extremely well made, both aesthetically as well as acoustically. Their sound is powerful yet perfectly balanced between dark and bright. One of the most characteristic features of his instruments is their clear and full tone in every register.

His use of techniques based on generations of learning allow him to craft very precise and beautiful instruments and the varnish is exquisite. His violins tend to sound powerful and project extremely well with a nasal quality reminiscent of the old masters.