My Approach
Tuscany
In 2003 a group of Tuscan violinmakers founded the ALT – the Associazione Liuteria
Toscana (Association of Tuscan Luthiers). The initial goal was to write and
publish the book "Liuteria in Toscana – I Liutai del Novecento"
(Violinmaking in Tuscany – Violinmakers of the 20th Century), which was officially
presented in Cremona at the string instrument fair Mondomusica in October
2003. Since then, intensive activity has taken place. We regularly exhibit
at the Cremona Mondomusica
and the Frankfurt Musikmesse. Lately, we have been invited to exhibit at
various events in Montreal, Paris, New York, and London (see: News). We
also exhibit in Italy, mainly Tuscany, at different cultural events to represent
Tuscan violinmaking in the region.
So far our site: http://www.liuteriatoscana.org is available only in Italian, but an English version will be online soon.
I want to cite a few lines of the introduction to our book, written by Paolo Sorgentone, to give an idea of what I connect with my violinmaking in Tuscany:
“The soul of Tuscan violinmaking cannot be traced to a specific style, the lasting impression of a “founder,” a certain construction method or the use of particular materials. Right from its origins, Tuscan violinmaking demonstrated an ability to “welcome” the experiences of others, in order to elaborate upon them using the artistic taste and craftsmanship that have always resided in the region. . . .With all the Tuscan craftsmen, the influence of some distant school is clearly visible . . . and yet all of them were able to distinguish themselves, to elaborate the tradition they inherited. Variety, and the mental openness that derives from it, represent the true richness of contemporary violinmaking in Tuscany: here, the only recognizable constraints are good taste and ability.”
To apply it to myself:
I have lived and worked in six different countries and have learned about many different “schools” and techniques in the shops where I worked. The intensity of artistic beauties in Tuscany, combined with the pleasant countryside, put me into a special condition. It was an enormous pleasure to reflect upon the experiences I had collected over the years, and to pick out what I liked most. The only problem is in restraining the temptation to create in unconventional free-fantasy, which can lead to a violin not looking like it is supposed to. There is one cello around in which I could not control my free spirit; I hope the new owner enjoys the fun I had in making it.
In the meantime, I also have established a shop in Berlin, which has restored the balance between fun and serious work.