Amati
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- For the Mazda luxury car marque, Amati, see the main Mazda article
Andrea Amati (before 1511 – before 1580) was the first maker of violins whose instruments still survive today. Indeed he seems more or less responsible for giving the instruments of the modern violin family their definitive profile. A small number of his instruments survive, dated between the years of 1564 and 1574 and most bearing the coat of arms of Charles IX of France.
Andrea Amati was succeeded by his sons Antonio Amati (born c. 1540) and Girolamo Amati (1561 – 1630). The "brothers Amati", as they were known, implemented far-reaching innovations in design, including the perfection of the shape of the soundhole. They are also thought to have pioneered the modern alto format of viola (rather than the older tenor violas).
Niccolò Amati (December 3, 1596 – April 12, 1684) was the son of Girolamo Amati. He was the most eminent of the family. He improved the model adopted by the rest of the Amatis and produced instruments capable of yielding greater power of tone. His pattern was usually small, but he also made a wider model now known as the "Grand Amati", which have become his most sought-after violins.
Of his pupils the most famous were Antonio Stradivari and Andrea Guarneri (the first of the Guarneri family of violin makers).
The last maker of the family was Nicolo's son, Girolamo Amati, known as Hieronymus II (February 26, 1649 – February 21, 1740). Although he improved on the arching of his father's instruments, by and large they are inferior and no match for the greatest maker of his day, Antonio Stradivari.
See also
- Amati Quartet
- Luthier - provides links to articles about other famous makers of stringed instruments
National Music Museum: http://www.usd.edu/smm/ Of the 14 known Andrea Amati instruments four of them are located at this museum.A viola from 1560: http://www.usd.edu/smm/Violas/Amati3370/3370AmatiViola.html
A violin from 1560: http://www.usd.edu/smm/Violas/Amati3370/3370AmatiViola.html
A violin from 1574: http://www.usd.edu/smm/Violins/Amati5260/5260AmatiViolin.html
And then "King" cello made after 1538 (circa 1545). [The world's oldest existing cello]
Amati, Antonio and Girolamo (the Brothers Amati):
Violino Piccolo, Cremona (1613) http://www.usd.edu/smm/Violins/AmatiViolinoPiccolo/3361ViolinoPiccolo.htmlAmati, Girolamo:
Violin, Cremona (1604) http://www.usd.edu/smm/Violins/Amati3423/3423AmatiViolin.html Violin, 7/8-size, Cremona (1609) http://www.usd.edu/smm/Violins/Amati3364/HAmatiViolin.htmlAmati, Nicolo:
Violin, Cremona (1628) http://www.usd.edu/smm/Violins/AmatiNicolo/3356NAmatiViolin.html
External links
References
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