Stradivari Analysis

Many of Antonio Stradivari’s greatest instruments were made around his 70th birthday, which he celebrated in 1714. One of the greatest Stradivarius violins is the Titian which he made in 1715. It was named the Titian because its clear orange-red color resembled the work of the famous Venetian painter. The Titian has long been counted among Stradivari’s finest golden-period violins. It represents a blend of the design, techniques, styles, and accumulated experience at the time of its making. The earliest known owner was a French nobleman, the Comte D’Every. In 1922 it was acquired by celebrated violinist Efram Zimbalist who played it briefly. It is currently in the hands of soloist Cho-Liang Lin, who has performed with it since 2002.

Many violinists and cellists use Stradivari instruments in their work. Yo-Yo Ma currently uses the Davidov Stradivarius,Julian Lloyd Webber employs the Barjansky Stradivarius.

Ever since his father began teaching him as a child to play the violin and clavier, any keyboard instrument such as the harpsichord, Ludwig van Beethoven has been amongst the most renowned and influential composers of music. Despite the harsh punishments and mistreatment Beethoven suffered through while practicing with his father, he still managed to become a “prodigy” at a rather young age, having his first public recital at around seven years old. After his first recital role music played in his continued to grow, and soon after dropping out of school to pursue music “full time” he published his first composition.

Antonio Vivaldi, a major composer during the Baroque period, made significant changes during his time, from numerous works to a teacher at the Pieta to a priest. Vivaldi excelled writing in many genres; however, he is known mainly for his concertos (Hanning & Burkholder 264). In the case of the Baroque era, Antonio Vivaldi’s contributions profoundly impacted music for the violin, ushering in a period of popularity for the instrument.

Playing for kings and royalty, Beethoven’s talent was immediately recognized from a young age by his father and other fellow musicians. By his early 20’s, he had composed 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, 1 violin concerto, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, and a full opera - clearly a stupendous feat by itself, but tragically, a couple years later, he had begun strenuously overworking himself to the point of becoming deaf through idiosyncratic acts like dumping cold water on his head in order to stay awake. However, this did not stop him; "Live alone in your art! Restricted though you be by your defective sense, this is still the only existence for you” (Beethoven). For the rest of his life, Beethoven sacrificed his hearing for his undeniable - and even obsessive - passion for music - ultimately leading to the creation of some of classical music’s greatest compositions of all time. Ergo, with enough dedication and that 1% of talent, anyone - from an everyday student to the legends of the past - can truly be a “genius”.

Now after she is free, “She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome” (Chopin 1). She is thinking about future moment and happy moment in her life. “There would be no one to live for her during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence

Antonio Stradivari, a man known by many as on of the greatest luthiers of all time. The question at hand is why? From as early as the early 1700’s Stradivari was well known in the music world and still is. His instruments are reproduced in order to fool consumers into buying an instrument that has the same design as a Strad. There are also luthiers that try to replicate Stradivari’s beautiful design for their own satisfaction. Antonio Stradivari’s instruments have become socially and technically popular over time due to his superior craftsmanship, and for others, its large price tag. Stradivari’s life, affecting how his instruments were made, changed the perception of his instruments

Antonio Stradivari is quite often referred to as the greatest violin and stringed instrument maker to ever live. Much of this credit is given to Stradivari because people simply know his name. Countless violinists have expressed over the years the great frequency that people always ask them if they own a Stradivari instrument or not. The reality is, although Antonio Stradivari was certainly a master at his work, he was not the only one to create stringed instruments and certainly was not the first to do so. People remember Stradivari because of the quality of the instruments that he made. Much of our basis for stringed instruments to date has been, however, influenced by Antonio Stradivari. The basis for Stradivari’s influence on future generations of musicians and instrument makers was shaped by events that happened before Stradivari was born, the perfectionist way he established his workshop, his death, and the physics and name of his instruments.

Violins are one of a kind. Did you know that a man named Bronislav Huberman helped saves jews in the holocaust just by playing the violin. That's amazing that a small instrument could do that.The history of the violin is very special. The parts are all important and unique. How it has grown and used today is amazing! Next time you are listening to a song see if you can hear a violin or two in the

This is it. The moment I have been waiting for what feels like forever. I played the last note with the most strength and intensity that I could and shut my eyes as I lifted my bow in the air. I held my breath and kept my eyes closed but my ears open in order to wait for the audience’s reaction. Silence. I opened my eyes with anticipation, only to be disappointed. “Oh… it was my imagination,” I said out loud to the empty classroom. I set my violin down on a chair to the right of me and sighed. For once I thought that my spotlight moment had finally come to life, but it was just a dream.

Albert Einstein once said, “A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit, and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy?” The violin produces a very beautiful sound which depends on neither the violinist nor the violin. Its long history consists of its known creators and musicians, the process of its creation, and the types of violins. The people that make violins are called luthiers (luth-ee-ers). The earliest known Italian luthiers were Andrea Amati (1505-?)

Stradivari was actually well in touch with the results of other impressive instruments that had been constructed before his. He was able to gain experience by comparing the many instruments built by the early Brescian and Cremonese makers by deducing from them the aspects that made them unfavorable and applying these aspects to his own creative works. Every generation has contributed something to the construction of musical instruments, and Stradivari combined these centuries of contributions to create something astounding that opened up a new chapter in history. While it is a known fact that Stradivari got a lot of inspiration from previous violinmakers (Visconti, who is a well-known violinist, is said to have given advice to this “master” of violin construction), people insist that he was a natural born genius, so much so that he has been claimed to be a “superhuman”. Based on scientific principles, many different works have been written based on the unsurpassed tonal qualities found in his instruments. However, there has also been a daily study of Stradivari’s works that were compared to those of the craftsmen who came before him. When put to the test it was found that the density of the bellies and backs of Stradivari’s instruments were made based on the principles of Gasparo, in addition to the result of a gradual progression, which Maggini and Amatis had in common with him. Those who have examined his work have noted that Stradivari adjusted the thickness of his instruments, but there is no indication that he used any principles as a guide other than what has been derived from the practices of his forerunners. Stradivari left the backs and bellies of his instruments a little thinner (or stouter), with their backs displaying a larger variation than their

Traditional purposes of various events and situations, including an orchestra concert, become overshadowed by what society deems as eye-catching. As a composer, Igor Stravinsky takes it upon himself to discuss the issue at hand. Igor Stravinsky expresses his contempt toward the source that receives the public’s attention and respect, the orchestra conductors, through his abundant use of similes that create a despicable image of the conductors, his sarcastic diction which displays Stravinsky’s bitterness, and his metaphors that symbolize a greater meaning behind them. The mention of politics initiates a negative or rather, a tense mood, which works to Stravinsky’s advantage in portraying his disdain as he criticizes that “conducting, like politics, rarely attracts original minds, and the field is more for the making of careers and the exploitation of personalities - another resemblance to politics -

In the packed recital hall, an orchestra performs their warmup rituals. The venue boasts of chandeliers, perfect lighting, cushioned seats and richly carpeted aisles leading to the stage on which stands a Steinway grand piano in front of the orchestra. The pianist and conductor mount the stage. The soloist bows while the audience claps. Silence descends on the room and the performer takes a seat at the piano. Strains of beautiful music emanate from the instruments and fill the room. The pianist’s fingers fly across the keys. Amazed, the audience listens in total silence. One of the greatest composers had left his mark on this audience. The piece was the Concerto No.1 in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach. He was the greatest composer not just because of that piece but also considering music history, his personal story, his popularity during lifetime, the volume of his compositions, the make-up of his music, and familiarity today.

Nicoló Paganini was a famous Italian violinist born in the midst of The Enlightenment. He wrote a set of 24 Capriccis for the violin in the early 1800s, the most famous of which is the final caprice, simply referred to as “Caprice No. 24”. The final caprice exemplifies Paganini’s bold style and technique, which was a natural byproduct of the musical liberation that took place during the Enlightenment. His work would inspire musicians for centuries to come.