Bergonzi
Encyclopedia
Carlo Bergonzi was an Italian luthier
who apprenticed with Hieronymus Amati
, collaborated with Joseph Guarneri
, and is considered the greatest pupil of Antonio Stradivari
.
Bergonzi is the first and most noted member of the Bergonzi family, an illustrious group of luthiers from Cremona
, Italy
, a city with a rich tradition of stringed instrument fabricators. His parents lived next door to Stradivari in the Piazza San Domenico in Cremona. Bergonzi apprenticed under Stradivari and eventually was given all of Stradivari’s repair business. Since his repair services were in high demand, Bergonzi was unable to devote the time to producing many of his own instruments. Bergonzi violin designs were based on the Stradivari and Guarneri templates.
Bergonzi labels vary, but typically record date, name, and location:
The Kreisler Bergonzi
, named after violinist Fritz Kreisler
. At one time it was also owned by violinist Itzhak Perlman
. Both Kreisler and Perlman performed and recorded with it.
It is known that many instruments that bear his label are inauthentic. A cello once owned by Pablo Casals
was for many years thought to be a Bergonzi because of the label it bore indicated: "Carlo Bergonzi . . . 1733." It was later found to have actually been made by Matteo Goffriller
.
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
who apprenticed with Hieronymus Amati
Amati
Amati is the name of a family of Italian violin makers, who flourished at Cremona from about 1549 to 1740.-Andrea Amati:Andrea Amati was not the earliest maker of violins whose instruments still survive today...
, collaborated with Joseph Guarneri
Guarneri
The Guarneri is the family name of a group of distinguished luthiers from Cremona in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries, whose standing is considered comparable to those of the Amati and Stradivari families...
, and is considered the greatest pupil of Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
.
Bergonzi is the first and most noted member of the Bergonzi family, an illustrious group of luthiers from Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, a city with a rich tradition of stringed instrument fabricators. His parents lived next door to Stradivari in the Piazza San Domenico in Cremona. Bergonzi apprenticed under Stradivari and eventually was given all of Stradivari’s repair business. Since his repair services were in high demand, Bergonzi was unable to devote the time to producing many of his own instruments. Bergonzi violin designs were based on the Stradivari and Guarneri templates.
Bergonzi labels vary, but typically record date, name, and location:
The Kreisler Bergonzi
Kreisler Bergonzi
The Kreisler Bergonzi is an antique violin made by the Italian luthier Carlo Bergonzi from Cremona in 1740.The violin is named after violinist Fritz Kreisler...
, named after violinist Fritz Kreisler
Fritz Kreisler
Friedrich "Fritz" Kreisler was an Austrian-born violinist and composer. One of the most famous violin masters of his or any other day, he was known for his sweet tone and expressive phrasing. Like many great violinists of his generation, he produced a characteristic sound which was immediately...
. At one time it was also owned by violinist Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
. Both Kreisler and Perlman performed and recorded with it.
It is known that many instruments that bear his label are inauthentic. A cello once owned by Pablo Casals
Pablo Casals
Pau Casals i Defilló , known during his professional career as Pablo Casals, was a Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor. He is generally regarded as the pre-eminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest cellists of all time...
was for many years thought to be a Bergonzi because of the label it bore indicated: "Carlo Bergonzi . . . 1733." It was later found to have actually been made by Matteo Goffriller
Matteo Goffriller
Matteo Goffriller was an Venetian luthier, particularly noted for the quality of his cellos.Although it is known that Goffriller was born in Brixen, little else is known of him prior to his days in Venice before 1685...
.
Bergonzi family of luthiers
- Michele Angelo (ca. 1722-1758), Son of Carlo I.
- Zosimo (ca. 1725-1777), Son of Carlo I.
- Carlo II. (1758-1838 Cremona), son of Michele Angelo
- Nicola (ca. 1746-1796) son of Michele Angelo