The Violin-Makers of the Guarneri Family (1626-1762) (Dover Books On Music: Violin)

The media could not be loaded.  This is one of the only books out there that talks directly about this family and not all the other luthiers of the period. This classic reprint details the history, techniques, labels, fine details and other points of the instruments made by the Guarneri family. Most of the photos are in black and white since it is a reprint, but there is an inserted section with color photos the instruments. Some of the details may be historically inaccurate today, just a warning I don't know which, but since it's been almost a century since it was written, some things may have changed. But then again it was writing two hundred years after the family's last maker, so it's probably a safe bet. If nothing else, it does give a good look at what scholar were writing about back then.

This book does a very good job educating anyone about the history of fine Italian violins. I have always loved reading about the violin makers from Cremona, and this book goes into good depth about the Guarneri family.

I bought this book because there is a little in the Wikipedia regarding Guarneri violins. This book has two chapters dedicated to the best violin maker of this family - Guarneri Del Gesu, who is regarded as comparable to Antonio Stradivari. There are not only black and white photos of the violins of different periods, but also some good color photos of the famous Guarneri violins. The appendices contains dimensional information about the Guarneri violins made in different period. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in Guarneri violins and the history of the violin.

A beautifully written book about the Guarneri family's luthier members. It discusses the history of the time, the politics, the interpersonal relations, and the influence of the various cities and trends. A wonderful book and a fantastic companion to the Stradivari family book by the same authors.

Excellent summary of the family history of the Guarneris and their superb violins.

My father is a professional violinist and though his dream is to own one of these masterpieces he was amazed at the richness of the work and the pictures of these fine musical instruments. If this is a category of your interest then you will be very pleased!

recommended by a great luthier friend as a beginner "must read" book. He was totally right!

This is a wonderful book for those interested in learning about the history of the making of the violin. I myself am a violinist, and can appreciate everything there is to know about the violin. I highly recommend this book to anybody who loves the violin.

Wegen des "altmodischen" Englisch schwierig zu lesen. Die Autoren wurden noch im 19. Jahrhundert geboren.

From what I can see there has been very few stones left unturned if any, deserving of a place in any library dealing with stringed instruments It is a work of scholarly achievement of the highest order would i buy it again? yes indeed Is it worth the money? YES and then some

This is a lovely book by three brothers Hill on the five Guarneri violinmakers, one of whom, Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri (known in English as Joseph Guarnerius del Gesu), rivals Antonio Stradivari in the playing qualities and originality of his productions. These Hills (William Henry, Arthur F. and Alfred Ebsworth)represent a generation in a family whose eminence as makers, restorers and dealers in violins goes back to the 18th C and continues to the present (I visited their shop in London in 1976). The brothers wrote at a time (the original publication of the book was by their firm, in 1931) when the great Italian violins had dispersed out of Italy but were still concentrated in Europe, not yet scattered over the globe. In the course of the Hill's business many of these instruments passed through their hands and they exercised unparalleled opportunities to observe and compare. An earlier book covered the life and work of Stradivari. The Guarneri book appropriately pays most attention to del Gesu, but also gives due regard to Andrea Guarneri who started the violinistic dynasty in Cremona, Andrea's two sons Pietro Giovanni (known as Peter Guarnerius of Mantua) and Giuseppe Giovanni Battista (known as Joseph Guarnerius filius Andrea, the father of del Gesu), and the other son of Giuseppi Giovanni,Pietro(known as Peter Guarnerius of Venice). The achievements of del Gesu are widely known; outstanding violins of his were the favoured concert instruments of such storied virtuosos as Paganini, Ysaye, Kreisler and Heifetz. A surprise to me was the story of Pietro of Mantua who took up employment as both violinist and maker to the ducal court of Mantua after leaving his father's shop. His instruments, the Hills say, typically excel the other Guarneris in workmanship, finish and beauty, the varnish in particular being often exquisite. The tonal qualities of these instruments are typically very fine and Pietro's works might well have excelled Stradivari's and del Gesu's in the esteem of modern concert soloists had he not worked always to a high-arched model that somewhat constrained the volume and carrying power of the instrument. An opinion I've noted elsewhere (not in the Hill's book) is that Pietro's violins are best suited to chamber music. Nevertheless, they've been favoured by some eminent soloists, e.g., Joseph Szigeti.The book includes a good selection of colour plates which give a good impression of typical features of the Guarneri violins. The language of the text has a charming Ewardian ring, also a strong stamp of deep connoiseurship of great violins and their makers. It appears the typeface of the original has been preserved, an elegant and fitting touch. The price of the book is modest and I can't imagine a better introduction to the Guarneri violinmakers than this. Those wishing more detail and illustrations of highest quality will find these elsewhere, mostly in bits, in journals and in costlier books. For my part, I'm grateful to Dover for making this significant and thoroughly enjoyable book once more available.

Written during the late 19th/ early 20th century, this is a wonderful book by the extremely well-renowned, violin-dealing Hill family. The style can be slightly antiquated in places, & the reader needs to flick back from time to time, checking which Guarneri is being referred to. But, with many illustrations (a number in colour), including close-ups of f-holes, & fantastic detail from specialists whose hands many of these instruments have actually passed through, this is a gem. The period covers that of the first Guarneri (Andrea, 1626; taught by Amati), to the last (Petrus, 1762), with central focus on the only violin-maker considered an equal to Stradivari; the divinely named, Joseph Guarneri 'del Gesu'. On a personal level, I loved the style and intimate tone - tales of del Gesu's non-conventional life (apparently he spent some time in gaol), matched by his spontaneous approach to violin-making, which revealed seemingly erratic instruments that challenged fundamental ideas about violin construction; also with a chapter on del Gesu tone! I suspect this will appeal to the slightly rebellious violin-lover. In brief, a brilliantly entertaining study, for the patient reader.