|
|
|
|
Gasparo da Salò
|
| |
|
| |
Gasparo da Salò (may 20 1540 - April 14 1609) is the name given to Gasparo di Bertolotti, one of the earliest violin makers of which many and very detailed historical records (documents and instruments) exist. His native village was Salò on Lake Garda, Italy. His father and uncle were clever violin players and involved in artistic works like restoration and construction of instruments. His cousin was a very famous musician and composer working first in Ferrara for the Este family and then in Rome in the papal chapel.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Gasparo da Salò' Start a new discussion about 'Gasparo da Salò' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Gasparo da Salò (may 20 1540 - April 14 1609) is the name given to Gasparo di Bertolotti, one of the earliest violin makers of which many and very detailed historical records (documents and instruments) exist. His native village was Salò on Lake Garda, Italy. His father and uncle were clever violin players and involved in artistic works like restoration and construction of instruments. His cousin was a very famous musician and composer working first in Ferrara for the Este family and then in Rome in the papal chapel. Gasparo did not found the school of Brescia, which came into existence in the late XV century with an anonymous master who sold three fine viols to Isabella d'Este Gonzaga in 1495, and the Micheli family in the beginning of XVI century and, later, roughly contemporaneously with the opening in the sixties of the century, of the workshop of Andrea Amati in Cremona, but developed it to a very high level. Is possible that there was a little violin making school in Salò where he learned; the matter is debated. In 1562 he transferred his business from Salò to Brescia, buying immediately a house with workshop, and from incoming tax documents (Polizze d'estimo) of 1568 we know that he had immediately a very good trade, buying rich houses and lands in Brescia and surroundings, and from that of 1588, that his trade was exported to France in the decades 1570 - 1580. Gasparo had five pupils, one from Marsiglia (south France).
It is debatable whether Gasparo da Salò or others like Gasparo Duiffopruggar or Andrea Amati were the first to produce the violin in its basically modern form; surely Gasparo, that in many historical documents is called "maestro di far violini" ("master to make violins")whereas Amati in no one documents is called violin maker or master of it, developed an instrument of modern character, very powerful in tone (the violins at that time had to play mixed with cornettos and trombones in open air places during processions) and very quick in response, that was after studied by Stradivari between 1690 and 1700. In this last years of studies on the growing of the violin in early times, come evident the opera of the Micheli dynasty from Montichiari (Brescia). However, Gasparo produced the complete sort of strings of the Renaissance (violins, violas (from 39 to 44,5 cm), cellos, viols of different sorts (with and without corners), double basses, lyras, in old and new style, some hybrid like lira-violas, and some ceteras, that found a great demand at the time, but also developed to a very high level the modern features of violin viola and cello; probably Gasparo's workshop was the most important of the second half of XVI century. The instruments from Brescia were more requested than Cremonese ones; a letter of Galileo Galilei of 1636 testifies it: "the instruments from Brescia are easy to buy...". Some of the violins were wonderfully decorated, others have some rough features of finishing but all always have a perfect beautiful tone. His instruments are now in the most famous museum and collections around the world. The sound is very strong, powerful, and speedy, but a little dark, typical of the Brescian school, like that of viola da braccio. Gasparo was also a clever double bass player; a document certifies this role: in 1604 Gasparo played in Bergamo, a town close to Brescia, and was paid the double of all the other players.
|
| |
|
|
