Stradivari's Genius: Five Violins, One Cello, and Three Centuries of Enduring Perfection
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.43 (894 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0375760857 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-09-10 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
In the course of his long career in the northern Italian city of Cremona, he created more than a thousand stringed instruments; approximately six hundred survive, their quality unequalled by any subsequent violin-maker. This magnificent narrative invites us to share the life, the intrigue, and the incomparable beauty of the world’s most marvelous stringed instruments.. In this fascinating book, Toby Faber traces the rich, multilayered stories of six of these peerless creations–five violins and a cello–and the one towering artist who brought them into being. Blending history, biography, meticulous detective work, and an abiding passion for music, Faber takes us from the salons of Vienna to the concert halls of New York, and from the breakthroughs of Beethoven’s last quartets to the first phonographic recordings. Antonio Stradivari (1644—1737) was a perfectionist whose single-minded pursuit of excellence changed the world of music
Caroline Lim said Interesting. Stradivarius violins are reknown for their beauty and powerful voices. This book traces Antonio Stradivari's life, that of his children, and more importantly, the journeys made by 5 violins and 1 cello made by him. The Lipinski, the Viotti, the Messiah (which almost never was played), the Paganini and the Khevenhuller are the violins and their owners are followed. Interesting Overview Brandon Slocumb I really enjoyed this book. It contains a short but thorough (especially considering how little is known about the early life of Stradivari) biography and explanations of the violin making process before delving into the history of 6 particular instruments. I think I would have preferred that the history be divided into chapters that followed each individual inst. Excellent book that anyone interested in classical music should enjoy Brunhilde Excellent book that anyone interested in classical music should enjoy. Good detail of instrument construction and illustrates pride of old world craftsmanship. Highly recommended.
As the Cremonese violins passed through the hands of musicians, the instruments' rich tone and penetrating sonic power stimulated a new style of virtuoso violin-playing that held Europe's concert halls enthralled. This engaging appreciation celebrates the maestro's legacy by following the adventures of six of his instruments. And as time passed and the violins' value soared, they spawned whole new industries in collecting, appraising, curating and faking them. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. From Publishers Weekly One of modern technology's greatest embarrassments is its inability to produce violins with the awesome musical qualities of those made almost 400 years ago by Stradivarius. Faber's stylish account savors Stradivari's marvelous acoustics and the individual personalities