|
Violin maker in Bremen, specialist of the Cremonese making
Cremona by the time of Antonio Stradivari
Sunday July the 20th, 11 a.m., Auditorium Fabre Museum
The talk of Mr Roger Hargrave is about the social, economic,
geographical and political status of the Italian peninsular at the time of the
Cremonese violin makers and how all of these factors affected the quality and
type of instruments that were being produced.
The talk begins by describing the geographical importance of the area. How the
various trade routes that passed through the area helped to provide Cremona with the raw
materials that the violin makers required access to their markets, and even skilled craftsmen
for their workshops.
It will also offer a plausible varnish reconstruction based upon what was
available at that time. This will include possible reasons why Cremonese and Venetian varnishes
differ. The talk will also say something about the overall political situation and how
this affected both their work and sales.
Perhaps most importantly it will show how large and productive these northern
Italian workshops often were and how essential they were to the regions prosperity.
Finally it will examine the reason for the decline of violin making in Northern
Italy. A decline that was happening even during the lifetime of Antonio
Stradivari.
|
