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Reggio Emilia
History of violin making in Reggio Emilia
Besides the great Italian violin makers undisputed masters , I think it's fair to also mention others born in the city or in the province of Reggio Emilia. Famous or not , they still represent the human and cultural roots to which I feel I belong . These are short biographies, short notes certainly not exhaustive, but they want to testify to the existence of a strong tradition of violin making in Reggio Emilia . Encouraged by an honorable past , I hope that there might be a possible future for us young people .
Mario Bedocchi
(1880 – 1955)
He was born in Reggio Emilia in 1880. Before he begins making the luthier , he started working with his father as a carpenter and furniture maker .
Bedocchi was self-taught and lived the completion of the work as the primary goal. Out of 80 competitors , in 1923 he won a competition of violin making in Rome.
The violin was for him the ultimate musical instrument .
Some of his instruments are in the United States of America.
He attached great importance to the paint , constantly varied colours from golden yellow to red ; paints used alcohol.
He was also a good restorer . Mario Bedocchi built even bows , pegs, keyboards, snare wires and for the most part all the accessories for his violins .
The timber had them arrived from the former Yugoslavia and Germany and during the war had some difficulties in raising them . Sometimes he used local maple . During the war he also made a violin with a cutting board, because he could not find another material. To build a violin Bedocchi took more than a month and earnings were scarce . Although this he was able to make study the two children: son as a violinist and daughter as an elementary school teacher .
At the same time the violins and guitars , Bedocchi built violas, cellos and basses.
He dead the age of 74 in 1955.
Adrasto Bolondi
(1906 – 1965)
That of Adrastus Bolondi is a singular history . Born in 1906 in Ciano d' Enza began building stringed instruments and guitars around the years 1920-22 . The violin making was his highest aspiration , but had to engage in outside employment to support his family . The design of the instrument was made by him and the shape of his guitars is extremely personal . It's considerable the number of lyra - guitars over. Adrastus was specialized in the construction of guitars but his ambition was to get to make good violins . The violins are made on the basis of a personal design . In particular, the handle is flat , the curl is original and some violins have the upper part of the case formed in a way similar to that of his patented guitars.
He was a self-taught , with no particular qualifications ; at the age of 16 he was able to grapple with the violin making . When Bolondi built his unique guitars, definitely not raised any issue with respect to the classical model ; in the violins , in spite of the liberties with which Bolondi loved to try his hand , classical elements emerged in his stringed instruments .
He participated with success in national and international competitions in 1930 also made an exhibition of his instruments in the city.
Adrastus Bolondi died in 1963 at the age of 57 years .
Sesto Rocchi
(1909 –1991)
He was born in San Polo d ' Enza October 4, 1909 . "My parents liked very much that a son dedicated himself to an instrument. It is my duty to thank them , because then I began to love music and to continue my life in that direction. The classes were evening , because the teacher was available for the popular school from 8.00 up to 12.00 p.m . The school was a fun evening , a way to find each other, and relieve oneself . I carried my violin under my arm , and I must say I was not very gentle with it. In fact, one evening, in making a fight with a friend, the violin fell and broke. Who had the courage to write home about what had happened ? My parents and my classmates 'ones had to sustain a decent charge to allow me to attend the school . So I tried to do it by myself , thinking a little ' presumptuously to be able to adjust it . It was easy opening the violin and I still remember the emotion I felt , curious to find out how it was done inside . It was very difficult to put it back , but I think I managed somehow. In the end it seemed to me that the violin was adjusted better than the original".
Sesto Rocchi began his training at the School of Violin Making of the Conservatory of Parma, under the direction of Gaetano Sgarabotto . After six years , he moved to Milan to study with master luthier Leandro Bisiach , in whose laboratory was able to not only build several violins but also study the construction of antique violins , which would have been of great use in its business free profession . " Bisiach argued that the maker had to be strict with himself, because the instrument from the point of view of the construction technique had to be perfect . When the musician plays an instrument , can not find fault giving him problems. The luthier has a responsibility.
The tests of the instrument were a ritual that continued for several days. The issuance of all of the notes had to be perfect . It is important to position correctly the soul of the instrument; a lot of days were spent to find the correct position . "
His violins have allowed him to receive numerous international awards. In 1980 he was appointed curator of Paganini's violin called Cannon, by the famous luthier Guarneri del Gesù.
He made at least ten complete quartets , as well as many individual instruments , often inspired by antique models . " The skill of a luthier is not measured by the amount of the instruments, but from a constant study and comparison. This profession is dedication and sacrifice and you can never say that you have learned enough . "
Sesto Rocchi dies in Reggio Emilia July 20, 1991 at the age of 81 years.
Raffaele Vaccari
(1908 – 1994)
Raffaele Vaccari was born October 23, 1908 in Lentigione fraction of Brescello, where he lived all his life . Each member of his family had music in his blood : the father played the trombone , and while his brothers played the trumpet , accordion and drums , he played the violin , because he was too frail to master a woodwind instrument . His first attempt to construct a violin was completely self-taught and the outcome certainly not excellent , but then, having regard to its tenacious constancy , his father put him in the shop by Amedeo Simonazzi , luthier in Novellara . The knowledge of the artisan, however , was not enough therefore he had attended the Violin Making School of Parma for 5 years , where he obtained a license in 1934. His teacher was Gaetano Sgarabotto . Since then he built violins in increasing amounts , in relation to the spread of his fame both in Italy and abroad , reached fame in spite of his reluctance .
So said Vaccari about being a luthier and about himself : "" "We luthiers are a particular category . We are united even though we see very little, at least in my case. I have worked and studied with Sesto Rocchi and with different makers of Parma, where I went to school . Rocchi comes to visit and brings me the world news . He is one who hes travelled around . He did well because it has become great . It is a different type of me. I'd die far away from here . My instruments go around at my place . I send my violins in North America , Holland, Switzerland, New Zealand. Currently I have at least twenty orders , and people wrote to me from all over the world and I should live at least another 30 years. The eyesight and the hand are everything for a luthier . The eyes must go beyond the work and predict what will happen . Do you know how I consumed my eyes ? Each instrument by luthier requires a work of great perfection. I've never built quartets and I don't like buildibg cellos very much . It isn't so for the violin : it's my favourite instrument . I love the violin and the viola too . Each violin has its own personality and who is expert is able to identify it . I love my job and I racommand it to a joung man only if he has it inside . I interrupted it for 10 years, during the war , but the passion has taken over as a result ".
In the end it was the eyes that gave him away , preventing him from continuing to build his violins . Raffaele Vaccari died on 24 October 1994. After his death his original work tools, he had built almost entirely with his own hands , were donated to the community of Brescello and they enrich a section of the Museum of Don Camillo and Peppone .
Bibliography:
" In the form of instrument. Luthiers reggiani "
texts and research by Gianfranco Boretti, Reggio Emilia, May 1985.
"Mario Bedocchi, master luthier" by Lanfranco Spaggiari, strenna 1982 Pious Workmen's Institute, Reggio Emilia
"My life with violin making" autobiography Sesto Rocchi, from the website Sesto Rocchi Open Chamber Music Festival".
"Not to forget Raffaele Vaccari (Faiòl)" by John Santelli, October 2008".