Giovanni Battista Guadagnini

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Giovanni Battista Guadagnini

Background information
Also known as J.B. Guadagnini
Giambattista Guadagnini
Born June 23, 1711(1711-06-23)
Bilegno in Val Tidone, Italy
Died September 18, 1786 (aged 75)
Turin, Italy
Occupation(s) Luthier, pedagogue
Years active 1729-1786

Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (J.B. Guadagnini; Giambattista Guadagnini; June 23, 1711 - September 18, 1786) was an Italian luthier, regarded as one of the finest craftsman of string instruments in history. His violins are often referred to as "poor man's Strads"[citation needed] which alludes to the work of Antonio Stradivari, who is generally considered to be the greatest violin maker of all time.

Contents

Biography

Guadagnini was born in Bilegno in Val Tidone near Piacenza, current Emilia-Romagna. He practiced his craft from about 1729 until his death and his work is divided into four main periods corresponding to and named after Parma, Piacenza, Milan, and Turin, the four cities in Italy where he lived and worked. The instruments of his later period, Turin, are generally considered to be his best work, and tend toward higher valuations.

Guadagnini's father, Lorenzo, his son, Giuseppe, as well as some other members of the Guadagnini family continued in the line of violin making through several generations.

He died in Turin in 1786.

Performers who have used or are using Guadagnini instruments

Violinists
Violinist Date & place of manufacture Instrument name Comments Reference
Riccardo Brengola 1747, Piacenza "Contessa Crespi" [1]
Goran Končar 1753, Milan
Adolf Brodsky 1751, Milan ex-Brodsky
[2]
Zakhar Bron 1757, Milan [3]
Julia Fischer 1750 [4]
Carl Flesch ex-Henri Vieuxtemps [5]
1772 In December 2007, Garrett fell after a performance and smashed his Guadagnini, which he had purchased four years earlier for US$1 million.[1]
Arthur Grumiaux ex-Grumiaux [6]
Willy Hess 1740s [7]
Joseph Joachim 1767, Parma ex-Joachim [8]
Bernardo Moreira de Sá 1765 ex-Bernardel
David Kim 1757 on loan from The Philadelphia Orchestra [9]
Franz Kneisel 1752 ex-Kneisel [10]
Mikhail Kopelman 1773 [11]
Jan Kubelik 1750 ex-Kubelik [12]
Pekka Kuusisto 1752 [13]
Tasmin Little 1757 [14]
Viktoria Mullova 1750 [15]
Maud Powell 1775, Turin now at the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan [16]
Linda Rosenthal 1772, Turin [17]
Leon Sametini ex-Sametini [18]
Yvonne Smeulers 1785 [19]
Lara St. John 1779 Salabue called "the Resurrection" by St. John [20]
Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio 1757 [21]
Vanessa-Mae 1761 [22]
Henri Vieuxtemps ex-Henri Vieuxtemps [23]
Henryk Wieniawski 1750 ex-Wieniawski [24]
Eugène Ysaÿe 1754 ex-Eugène Ysaÿe [25]
Cellists

Bibliography

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This article is part
of the Fiddle & Violin series.
Basic physics of the violin
Fiddlers
History of the violin
Luthiers
Musical styles
Making and maintenance
Playing the violin
Violin construction
Violin family of instruments
Violinists

References

  1. ^ Wagner, Thomas (2008-02-14). "Violinist: Fall Fractures $1M Fiddle", The Associated Press, Associated Press. Retrieved on 15 February 2008. 
  2. ^ Natalie Clein
  3. ^ Aitchison Mnatzaganian cello makers, restorers and dealers

External links

Persondata
NAME Guadagnini, Giovanni Battista
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Luthier
DATE OF BIRTH 1711-06-23
PLACE OF BIRTH Bilegno in Val Tidone
DATE OF DEATH 1786-11-18
PLACE OF DEATH Turin