Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (often shortened to G. B. Guadagnini; 23 June 1711 – 18 September 1786) was an Italian luthier, regarded as one of the finest craftsmen of string instruments in history. Reprint with new introduction by Stewart Pollins, Dover Books, 2012. The Guadagnini family was known for their violins, guitars and mandolins.
Biography Giovanni Battista Guadagnini was born on 23 June 1711, in the hamlet of Bilegno, in what is now the Province of Piacenza in Northern Italy. Both his life and his career can be divided into four distinct periods, which correspond to the four cities in which he would live and work, Piacenza, Milan, Parma, and Turin.
Almost nothing is known about his early years until he moved to the nearby city of Piacenza in 1738. In 1742, his first violins start to appear. It is unclear from whom or where he learned his trade. Since he joined the woodworking guild, it is likely that he underwent an apprenticeship with a local woodworker; however, there is no evidence of any local instrument makers in Piacenza at the time.
In 1749 Guadagnini moved to Milan, where he continued to make instruments. The reason for his move is unknown, but was perhaps economically motivated as Milan was a much larger city with a larger and more active music scene. During this time a few of his instruments bear labels implying a relationship to Cremona—the home of the renowned violin makers Amati, Stradivari, and Guarneri—however no evidence exists that Guadagnini ever lived in Cremona.
In 1758 Guadagnini moved again, this time to Parma. He may have been drawn to the city by the recent appointment of Carlo Ferarri, a close musician friend from his time in Piacenza, to a position with the Ducal Court. During his time in Parma Guadagnini was also closely connected to the court, and in particular to the musical patronage of the Prime Minister Guillaume du Tillot. In his later years in Parma Guadagnini even received a direct salary from the court. In 1771, with the Court's financial fortunes in decline, Guadagnini asked to be allowed to leave.
He next moved to Turin. Two years later, in 1773, he began his historically important relationship with notable violin collector Count Cozio. Cozio purchased most, if not all, of Guadagnini's output during this time, and also supplied him with most of his wood and other materials. His business partnership with Cozio ended in 1777, though they continued to have dealings with each other. The Count is likely responsible for Guadagnini's marked shift to a more Stradivari-like style during this time, both by pressuring Guadagnini to more closely copy Stradivari and by providing Guadagnini with access to examples of Stradivari's work.
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini died in Turin on 18 September 1786.
Violin maker Guadagnini's work is divided into four distinct periods, which correspond to the four cities in which he worked over the span of his career, Piacenza, Milan, Parma, and Turin. His work in each new city changed in response to the availability of materials, the needs of the local musicians, and finally in Turin, his relationship with Count Cozio. Stylistically Guadagnini's work is generally less refined and polished than that of makers such as the Amatis or Stradivari, however with the same focus on tonal success. He is generally considered to be the last of the great historical makers, ranking just behind Stradivari and Guarneri. He is also possibly the last of historical makers to have used a varnish similar to what was used by classical Cremonese makers.
His instruments have sold for over $2,000,000 at auction.
Performers with Guadagnini instruments
Violinists ViolinistDate & place of manufactureSobriquetCommentsReferenceMadeline Adkins1782ex-ChardonOn loan from Gabrielle Israelievitch, previously played by Jacques IsraelievitchFelix Ayo1744 Riccardo Brengola 1747, Piacenza Contessa CrespiAdolf Brodsky1751, Milanex-BrodskyZakhar Bron1757, MilanChloe Chua1753, MilanBartu Elci-Ozsoy1760ex-VidasLoaned by Conservatoire de Paris. The violin, made by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, was previously owned by Romanian-born violinist Raoul Georges Vidas (1901–1978) and was donated to the Conservatoire de Paris by the late virtuoso's mother Anna Vidas.Chloe Chua1753On Loan from the Rin Collection Amaury Coeytaux 1773Andrew Dawes, Robert Uchida1770, Parma Dawes, de Long TearseRichard DeakinEnglish chamber musician and soloist, currently teaching at RAM in London, was using one in 1980s and likely still is.Dorothy DeLay1778, TurinJulia Fischer1742Carl Flesch1750sex-Henri VieuxtempsDavid Garrett1772In December 2007, Garrett fell after a performance and smashed his Guadagnini, which he had purchased four years earlier for US$1 million. He now uses it for mainly his outdoor crossover performances.Kai Gleusteen1781the tigerDavid Greed1757Owned by the Yorkshire Guadagini 1757 Syndicate.Arthur Grumiaux1752ex-GrumiauxDavid Halen1753 Jascha Heifetz 1741, Piacenza ex-Heifetz Provenance – by Rembert Wurlitzer in 1946 and Dario D'Attili in 1991Marlene Hemmer1764Peter Herresthal1753, MilanWilly Hess1740sJoseph Joachim1767, Parmaex-JoachimIda Kavafian1751Bomsori Kim1774, TurinDavid Kim1757On loan from The Philadelphia OrchestraMin-Jeong Koh 1767 Goran Končar 1753, MilanMikhail Kopelman1773Jan Kubelik1750ex-KubelikPekka Kuusisto1752On loan from the Finnish Cultural FoundationJack Liebeck1785ex-WilhelmjWayne Lin1779, TurinTasmin Little1757, MilanMauro Lopes FerreiraHaldon Martinson1750Being used in the Boston Symphony OrchestraLorin Maazel1783, TurinStefan Milenkovich1780, TurinViktoria Mullova1750Ginette NeveuPurchased early spring, 1949. Involved in an air crash later that year, in which Neveu died. Scroll later apparently appeared in Paris, having changed hands several times.David Plantier1766Simone Porter1745On loan from The Mandell Collection of Southern California William E. Pynchon 1779, Turin Purchased 26 March 1957. Played in San Francisco Opera until 1998Linda Rosenthal1772, TurinLeon Sametini1751ex-SametiniMari Samuelsen1773, TurinOn loan from ASAF (Anders Sveeas Charitable Foundation, Oslo).Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio1757 Mayumi Seiler 1740, PiacenzaIttai Shapira1745, PiacenzaSini-Maaria Simonen1760On loan from the Finnish Cultural FoundationRoman Simovic1752On loan from Jonathan MouldsYvonne Smeulers1757Called the "Lady S"Lara St. John1779SalabueCalled "The Resurrection" by St. JohnLyndon Johnston Taylor1777 Veriko Tchumburidze 1756, Milanloaned by Deutsche Stiftung MusiklebenHenri Temianka1752Built based on the Petro Guarnerius model. Certificate of Joseph Vedral, violinmaker, Holland, 28 September 1929Vanessa-Mae1761GizmoPablo Valetti1758Pavel Vernikov1747, Piacenzaex-Contessa Crespi, ex-BrengolaOn loan from Fondazione Pro Canale. Worth $1.5 million in 2016. Stolen in December 2016.Henri Vieuxtemps1750sex-Henri VieuxtempsHenryk Wieniawski1750ex-WieniawskiBob Wills1784Described as 157 years old when bought in 1941 for $3,000, Wills later claimed in an interview that he gave it away "to a friend of mine in Tayxas" and bought another for $5,000.Audrey Wright1753ex-AlsopOn loan from the Alsop Trust. Previously played by Madeline AdkinsEugène Ysaÿe1754, Milanex-Eugène YsaÿeLi Chuan Yun1784On loan from the Stradivari SocietyElina Vähälä1780
Violists Li-Kuo Chang plays the 'ex-Vieuxtemps' G.B. Guadagnini viola, Parma c.1768. Geraldine Walther plays a G.B. Guadagnini viola, Turin 1774.
Cellists Nicolas Altstaedt plays a G.B. Guadagnini cello made in 1749 (body size: 70 centimeters) Natalie Clein plays the "Simpson" Guadagnini cello (1777). Kristina Reiko Cooper plays the "ex-Havemeyer" Guadagnini cello made in 1743. David Geringas plays a G.B. Guadagnini cello made in 1761. Maxine Neuman plays a 1772 Guadagnini. Han-na Chang plays the G.B. Guadagnini cello made in Milan in 1757. Gilberto Munguia plays a G.B. Guadagnini cello (1748). Saša Večtomov played a G.B. Guadagnini cello made in Milan in 1754. Sol Gabetta plays a G.B. Guadagnini cello (1759). Carter Brey, principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, plays a Guadagnini made in Milan in 1754. David Finckel plays a G.B. Guadagnini cello (1754)
Groups Australian String Quartet (ASQ) plays four matched instruments: a violoncello (c.1743), and a violin (1748–49), both made in Piacenza, and a viola (1783) and another violin (1784) made in Turin.
See also Enrico Marchetti Paolo Guadagnini
References
Bibliography Cozio Archive Giovanni Batista Guadagnini.
External links
""Bach es un horizonte de infinitas posibilidades" . Archived from Diario de Sevilla on 12 Marzo, 2021.