German Violins- Welcome to Beverley Music Centre
Whilst it is estimated that the violin as we recognise it today was first made in Italy between 1400 and 1520, it seems that the violin making craft did not reach Germany until the mid 1600s. However, since violin making started in Germany, it wasn’t long before German Violin makers (Luthiers) were playing a key role in developing the instrument and achieving the same level of fame and fortune as their Italian counterparts. There is also a lot of evidence to suggest that German immigrants played a fundamental role in developing the lute and violin making traditions across many Italian cities
Whilst the most valuable violins from the 17th and 18th centuries are commonly considered as Italian, many of the respected Italian Violin Makers such as Tecchler, Goffriller and Steiner were actually German.
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German Violins - Early History
The history of German violin making is a fascinating one, as it has been heavily influenced by a combination of social, political, artistic and economic factors.
The small town of Fussen, is seen as the birthplace of German violin making, although the earliest violinmakers were really experimenters working on a range of stringed and plucking instruments including lute and gamba. In fact, the German luthiers of the Middle Ages gained a reputation for creating unique and bespoke ‘wooden stringed instruments’ to order, often designing and building instruments for players looking for a particular sound. This type of experimenting and creativity is still evident in antique german violins found and sold today, as they often exhibit slightly unusual design methods.
German Violins through the Ages
Starting in 1618 the thirty years war effected the whole of Europe, and forced many of Fussen’s early violin makers out of the town, eventually settling in towns throughout Europe. Whilst the art of Luthiery died out in Fussen, the skills learnt in the years previous sprang up in towns and cities. Even today, in violin making schools and establishments throughout Germany, Italy and France, you can trace the history back to those who once resided in Fussen.
With the advent of the industrial revolution in the later 1800’s, some master violinmakers began taking advantage of developments in technology to capitalise on demand. Using new assembly line techniques, violin makers increased production significantly by hiring in talented wood carvers who could work quickly on manufacturing the instruments.
One of the key towns responsible for the success of violinmaking during the industrial revolution was Markneukirchen. Slightly later, towns such as Klingenthal saw a slightly different making technique develop, known commonly as the ‘cottage industry method’. Against this was a method aimed at increasing production, whilst keeping costs low, where wood carvers would do their work at home and then take their work to the master violin maker for final assembly.
After the first world war, the introduction of power tools and mechanisation of the production process accelerated production whilst reducing costs.
During the 1980’s, the fall of communism in Eastern Europe and the improvements of trade links with China, both of which benefited from cheap labour, made violins much more affordable to the western buyer. Whilst China developed a reputation for introducing low quality instrument making, some Chinese Luthiers actually produced produced high quality violins. Invariably though, this was European violin makers working with Chinese production companies.
Famous German Violin Makers
Jacob Steiner
Born in 1621, Jacob Steiner was one of the first well known German luthiers. Experts believe we received his violin making training from the Amati family of craftsmen, due to the similarities of the varnish he used with the Amati violin varnish.
Matthias Klotz
Born in 1656, Matthias Klotz founded the famous violin-making centre in Mittenwald. Originally influenced by Steiner's work, he was commonly known and credited for crafting dark, warm-toned violins. Over the years, his outstanding work and violin making traditions have been carried on by his descendants, and Mittenwald has been made famous by his name.
Leopold Widhalm
Leopold Widhalm was labelled by his German peers and violin making experts throughout Europe as the most talented luthier of his time. Born in Austria, he worked on old lutes for several years before moving to Nuremberg, where he worked in the instrument shop owned by a lady who later became his wife.
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