Stradivari and Guarneri — the Mystery of the Cremonese Golden Age
Antonio Stradivari, born 1644, and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, born 1698. Emerging from Nicolò Amati's workshop, these two great masters left behind masterworks in the 'golden period' of the 1700s-1720s that no one has surpassed. Why are 300-year-old instruments traded for hundreds of millions of yen and still the finest? Varnish theory, wood theory, Little Ice Age theory — the mystery of the sound and the culture of loaned masterworks.
A Century of Concentration in Cremona
As we saw in the previous article, the violin was born almost simultaneously in Cremona and Brescia. But from 1600 to 1750, Cremona became the overwhelming center. Its source was the Amati workshop — from the pupils of Nicolò Amati (1596-1684), grandson of Andrea Amati, came two legendary craftsmen.
Stradivari — 1,100 Made in a Lifetime, 650 Surviving
Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) was a long-lived craftsman who reached the age of 93. He is said to have trained in Nicolò Amati’s workshop. From the Latin form “Stradivarius,” his instruments are known as “Stradivarius (Strad for short).”
- Made about 1,100 instruments in his lifetime
- About 650 survive (including violins, violas, cellos)
- Golden period: the 1700s-1720s — works from this time are most highly valued
- Famous examples: “Messiah” (1716, surviving nearly unused), “Soil” (1714, played by Perlman), “Dolphin” (1714)
The Strad’s hallmark is a brilliant, far-carrying sound — reaching every corner of a large hall. The tone most sought by today’s concert soloists.
Guarneri del Gesù — the Short-Lived Genius
Giuseppe Guarneri (1698-1744) is called “del Gesù (of Jesus)” from the “IHS” mark (Greek letters for Jesus) he inscribed on his instruments. He died young at 46, and only about 150 survive — far fewer than Strads.
- A somewhat rougher style than Strad, but a dark, thick, powerful sound
- Less esteemed than Strad in his lifetime; his fame soared in the 19th century when Paganini favored his instruments
- Paganini’s beloved instrument “il Cannone (the Cannon)” is a del Gesù (1743)
Strad (brilliance) vs. del Gesù (power) — these two lineages still divide soloists’ preferences today. Heifetz and Hahn are del Gesù players, for instance.
Why Is a 300-Year-Old Instrument the Finest?
The greatest mystery in violin history — why no modern technology can surpass a Strad or del Gesù. There are several theories:
Varnish Theory
The idea that the Strad’s varnish formula is a lost secret. It is said to have contributed elasticity and sound transmission, but even chemical analysis has not achieved a full reproduction.
Wood Theory
The idea that in the cold climate of the Little Ice Age (c.1645-1715), Alpine trees grew slowly and evenly, producing dense, homogeneous wood. That same wood can no longer be obtained.
Aging Theory
The idea that over 300 years of playing and drying, the wood’s cellulose transformed and its acoustic properties improved. This fits performers’ sense that “an instrument that is played matures.”
The “Can’t Tell in Blind Tests” Theory
Recent double-blind tests have found that even top players could not reliably distinguish a Strad from a fine modern instrument. On this view, the value of masterworks carries a premium of history, rarity, and brand beyond acoustics.
No conclusion has been reached. This very “unsolved mystery” is part of the appeal of violin culture.
The “Price” of Masterworks and the Loan Culture
Strads and del Gesùs trade for hundreds of millions to over a billion yen:
- The “Lady Blunt” Strad sold in 2011 for about US$15.9 million (then about ¥1.3 billion)
- del Gesùs, being fewer, can be even more expensive
Young virtuosos cannot afford them themselves. Hence a loan culture arose:
- Foundations, banks, and private collectors own masterworks and loan them to promising players
- In Japan, the Nippon Music Foundation holds many Strads and del Gesùs and has loaned them to Suwanai, the Goto siblings, and others
- As a player gains world fame, they may be “upgraded” to a better masterwork
There is even a sense that “the instrument chooses the player” — masterworks are handed down less as personal property than as the cultural heritage of humanity.
Modern Makers — the Craftsmen Who Chase the Masterworks
Even after the Cremonese golden age, master makers appeared:
- G.B. Guadagnini (1711-1786) — a master after Strad, with his own sound
- J.B. Vuillaume (1798-1875) — 19th-century France. Famous for exquisite Strad copies; he also restored Paganini’s instrument
- Modern Cremona — makers from around the world gather in Cremona, and there is an international making school
- Japanese stringed-instrument making — since the 20th century, Japanese makers have placed high in international competitions
Today’s finest handmade instruments run from several million to tens of millions of yen. They may not reach a Strad, but they amply meet professional needs. The option of “a masterpiece even when new” is expanding.
The Significance of the Cremonese Golden Age
| Maker | Dates | Surviving | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrea Amati | c.1505-1577 | very few | founder of Cremona |
| Nicolò Amati | 1596-1684 | dozens | the workshop that trained two masters |
| Stradivari | 1644-1737 | about 650 | brilliant, far-carrying |
| Guarneri del Gesù | 1698-1744 | about 150 | dark, thick, powerful |
In just one century, in a single city, the summit of instrument history was built — and no one has surpassed it since. Where the piano is a “constantly progressing industrial product,” the violin is an instrument that “eternally chases a lost golden age” — this asymmetry lies at the heart of violin culture.
From This Article to the Next
We have traced the summit of the violin as an instrument — the Cremonese golden age and the mystery of the masterworks. From the next article we enter the music. First, the Baroque concerto — the era in which Corelli built the foundations of violin technique and the concerto grosso, and Vivaldi perfected descriptive music in [The Four Seasons].