April 27, 1945
The music season of 1944-1945 marks two important anniversaries in the world of music and musicians, the 300th Anniversary of the birth of Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), the most famous violin maker who ever lived, and the 200th Anniversary of the death of Guiseppe Antonio Guarneri (1687-1745), the most celebrated of the Guarneri family of violin makers. To commemorate these anniversaries the Brooklyn Museum presents the first large exhibition of old and famous stringed instruments ever held in America. Following a preview for musicians, Museum members and their guests, this show, entitled “Fiddles of the Mastercraftsmen”, opened to the public on April 27.
The exhibition includes examples of instruments made by the Amati family, the Guarneri family and by Stradivari, all of whom worked in Cremona in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Other craftsmen from this famous Italian center of violin making whose work is shown are Lorenzo Guadagnini and Francesco and Vincenzo Rugieri. Included in the exhibition are instruments made by many other great craftsmen of this period, among them by Gagliano family of Naples, Matteo Gofriller and Santo Seraphin of Venice, J. B. Guadagnini of Milan, Maggini and Rogeri of Brescia.
Worthy of special mention is the Andrea Amati violin of 1574, one of a set of twenty-four instruments made for King Charles IX of France, and which is ornamented with the royal arms. Another early Amati violin of 1656 which, it is believed, was made for King Louis XIV of France is included in the exhibition.
Notable among the Stradivari instruments is the Paganini Quartet, two violins, a viola and violoncello which once belonged to the famous virtuoso, Nicolo Paganini.
In addition to these famous-name instruments, the exhibition includes some of the historic forerunners of the modern fiddles, such as pochettes, viola da gambas, and the so-called Marine Trumpet or Nun’s Fiddle. The finest stringed instruments from the Museum’s collection of Chinese and East Indian instruments are also displayed to emphasize the widespread use of this type of instrument. In addition to the instruments, several paintings by Maximilian Mopp, the painter and author of musical subjects, are exhibited. His canvases show many of the famous fiddles in use; notable among them is his large painting, “The Symphony” which has been exhibited in many cities of Europe and the United States.
In connection with this exhibition a series of six Sunday afternoon concerts are planned from April 29 through June 3, to be given in the Sculpture Court of the Brooklyn Museum at 1:30 p.m. Outstanding string players will appear in this series and perform on some of the famous instruments exhibited. On April 29 Isaac Feldman will use the “Spanish” Stradivarius violin made in 1723 and Gerald Warburg will use the “Vaslin” violoncello also made by Stradivarius.
The exhibition, which is installed in the fifth floor west wing gallery, will be on view through June 3.
Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1942 - 1946. 04-06/1945, 011-2. View Original
