Antonio Stradivari Biography
(Luthier)
Born: 1644
Born In: Cremona
An Italian violin-maker, Antonio Stradivari was known to revolutionize the design of violins which are still now known for their amazing tonal quality. There are no significant proofs of his birth date, but he belonged to a family of nobles. At a very tender age, he started his apprenticeship with the famous violin-maker Nicolo Amati. Though there is no concrete evidence but many argue that Antonio initially worked as woodworker and might have been hired by famous instrument maker Amati to decorate some of his pieces. Later, Antonio began to produce instruments under his own label, but stayed with Amati till the time he gained a solid foothold in Cremona. As compared to Amati, Antonio’s early violins had smaller dimensions, but later he experimented with design and tone and developed ‘Long Strad’ or long violin. Stradivari’s influence was not only limited to Cremonese violins, but it also made an international impact. His designs have helped lay the foundation of most modern instruments. Antonio never revealed his workmanship secrets to anyone, but it was probably the perfect blend of materials, design and artistry which created such wonderful instruments, appreciated till now. Read on to know more about the life and works of this legendary instrument-maker