Two famÂiÂlies have been credÂitÂed with makÂing the greatÂest vioÂlins of the clasÂsiÂcal periÂod: the StradiÂvari and the Guarneri. The first luthiers with those names were trained in the workÂshops of the Amati famÂiÂly, whose patriÂarch, Andrea, foundÂed a legaÂcy in CreÂmona in the mid 1500s when he gave the vioÂlin the form we know today, inventÂing f‑holes and perÂfectÂing the genÂerÂal shape and size of the instruÂment and othÂers in its famÂiÂly.
But there’s far more to the stoÂry of the vioÂlin than its famous ItalÂian makÂer names sugÂgest, though these still stand for the height of qualÂiÂty and presÂtige. VioÂlin-makÂing cenÂters arose elseÂwhere in Europe soon after the StradiÂvari and Guarneri set up shop. In France, the town of MireÂcourt became “synÂonyÂmous with French vioÂlins and the craft,” notes Corilon vioÂlins.
From 1732 on, French MireÂcourt craftsÂmen folÂlowed the strict rules of their guild to uphold their high stanÂdards, and apprenÂtices trained there were in demand far beyond the conÂfines of the town. They freÂquentÂly went on to found their own stuÂdios in othÂer cities, espeÂcialÂly Paris. SomeÂtimes they latÂer returned to MireÂcourt after sevÂerÂal years of sucÂcess elseÂwhere. As a result the local art of makÂing French vioÂlins had a strong effect on the outÂside world, whilst at the same time incorÂpoÂratÂing othÂer influÂences.
Famous MireÂcourt makÂers includÂed NicoÂlas Lupot, called “the French StradiÂvarÂius.” The priÂmaÂry influÂence came from CreÂmona, but “imporÂtant techÂniÂcal insights were adaptÂed from GerÂman vioÂlin makÂing.”
The city entered a new phase when DidiÂer NicoÂlas became the first to manÂuÂfacÂture vioÂlins seriÂalÂly in MireÂcourt at the turn of the 19th cenÂtuÂry. His facÂtoÂry “employed some 600 peoÂple, makÂing his busiÂness the first large-scale operÂaÂtion of its kind in the traÂdiÂtion-rich town in northÂern Frances VosÂges mounÂtains,” and inauÂguÂratÂing an indusÂtriÂal periÂod that would last until the late 1960s.
The post-indusÂtriÂal late-20th cenÂtuÂry saw the colÂlapse of MireÂcourt’s great vioÂlin-makÂing comÂpaÂnies, but not the end of the city’s fame as France’s vioÂlin-makÂing cenÂter, thanks in great part to NicoÂlas’ foundÂing of L’ÉÂcole Nationale de Lutherie, “where excelÂlent masÂters and vioÂlin makÂers keep the time-honÂored art alive and dynamÂic.” The city’s “guild herÂitage” lives on in the work of conÂtemÂpoÂrary makÂers like Dominique Nicosia.
A masÂter luthiÂer and instrucÂtor at the school in MireÂcourt, Nicosia shows us in the video at the top the time-honÂored techÂniques employed in the makÂing of vioÂlins in France for hunÂdreds of years, using metÂal tools he also makes himÂself. Watch the traÂdiÂtion come alive, learn more about the famous vioÂlin-makÂing city, which remains the bow-makÂing capÂiÂtal of the world here, and see Nicosia pass his skills and knowlÂedge to a new genÂerÂaÂtion in the video above from L’ÉÂcole Nationale de Lutherie.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Why VioÂlins Have F‑Holes: The SciÂence & HisÂtoÂry of a RemarkÂable RenaisÂsance Design
Behold the “3Dvarius,” the World’s First 3‑D PrintÂed VioÂlin
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness.
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