On these pages are links to illustrated articles we’ve written, highlighting some of the noteworthy and/or unusual instruments that Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins has handled as well as important makers worthy of study. The links are divided into three groups:
- Articles published on this website (immediately below)
- Articles we’ve authored for the Cozio Archive of the Tarisio website (where you will be prompted to sign up for a free login to view articles) Jump to Cozio Archive links
- Other externally-published articles (e.g., in The Strad magazine) Jump to other external articles links
Articles on This Website
Viotti and Tourte: A Tenuous Connection
Francois Xavier Tourte (1747-1835) is widely regarded as having created the greatest violin, viola, and cello bows of all time in his Paris workshop. Tourte is traditionally credited with establishing the standard weights, dimensions, and basic design that still endure today for the modern bow.
Giovanni Battista Rogeri, Part One: A Tale of Two Cities
The first violin was probably born in one of two towns in northern Italy, either Brescia or Cremona. Giovanni Battista Rogeri was the only important luthier of the 17th and 18th centuries to work in both.
Giovanni Battista Rogeri, Part Two: A Tale of Three Makers
In Part Two, we explore how the work of Giovanni Battista Rogeri (1642 – c. 1710), the only luthier of significance to work in both Brescia and Cremona, demonstrates a fusion of styles from both cities.
Vittorio Bellarosa, Last of the Neapolitans
Vittorio Bellarosa (1907-1978) was the last of an unbroken Neapolitan tradition of violin making that had begun in the 17th century with Alessandro Gagliano (1665-1732). He was a prolific maker whose work is nearly exclusively devoted to Gagliano-inspired violins.
David Tecchler: German Emigre, Roman Master
David Tecchler is widely regarded as the most important maker of the Roman school of instrument making. German by birth, Tecchler emigrated to Rome at the end of the 17th century and ran a highly successful business there for roughly 50 years.
Alfredo Contino, Heir to a Legacy
Alfredo Contino (1890-c.1963) was a minor master of violin making, but a master nonetheless. He was a member of the last generation of makers in a centuries-old Neapolitan tradition.
Music in Naples and the Gagliano Family of Violin Makers
The Gagliano family plays a significant role in the history of violin making. But it is impossible to discuss the prominence of the Gagliano family without an awareness of the importance of music in 18th century Neapolitan life.
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari, deservedly the most famous violin maker of them all, was born in 1644 and worked in Cremona, Italy. By 1690 he had become the dominant force in bowed string instrument building in Europe.
Cozio Archive Articles
The descriptions below link externally to articles we’ve authored for the Tarisio website.
Other External Articles
- “In Focus: A 1689 Cello by Andrea Guarneri“ from the July 2019 issue of The Strad magazine.
- “In Focus: David Tecchler, the Most Renowned Maker of the Roman School“ from the June 2018 issue of The Strad magazine.
- Soundpost Online is an online journal that was published by Stefan Hersh from 2000 through 2006. Over 90 articles by numerous guest authors were posted there, spanning a variety of stringed instrument-related top including the craft of violin making, how to buy a violin, connoisseurship, book reviews, teaching, performance, and more. Although new content is no longer posted there, the articles are still available to read.