Andrea Guarneri

GUARNERIUS, Andrea Born 1623, died 1698 Cremona Italy. First apprentice of Nicolò Amati from c.1640. He lived in the Amati house until 1646, but returned 1650-1653, before establishing his own workshop in the Piazza San Domenico, the first significant violin making shop in the city other than the Amati atelier. It was identified by the sign of St Theresa which also appears on his labels. His eldest son, Pietro, moved to Mantua, but the younger, Giuseppe, became his assistant and successor. Through them Andrea’s influence on the course of violin making became enormously important. His own work is possessed of great character and is closely allied to the Amati form. In execution it lacks the perfection of Amati, but certain touches give it immediate distinction. The arch is generally rather pinched, the purfling points strongly deflected across the corners, and the eye of the scroll has a heavy tail leading into the first turn. His varnish is a rich golden amber. Perhaps his most important work is in the development of the viola and cello. Contralto violas from his hand are the first great instruments of their type from Cremona, and his cellos, built on a highly arched and voluptuous model, are also of very great importance. Andreas Guarnerius Cremonae sub / titulo Sanctae Teresia. 16..

The name of ” Guarnerius ” is probably known to every possessor of a Violin throughout the world. The familiar style is attached to scores of copies and non-copies every week, and despatched to the four quarters of the globe. Little did Andrea imagine that he was destined to be the means of lifting his patronymic of Guarneri to such a giddy height! Andrea Guarneri, like Andrea Amati, was the pioneer of the family: but for his influence we might never have had the extraordinary works of his nephew, Giuseppe. How full of interest would the smallest events of Andrea’s workshop life prove if we could only ascertain them ! We know that in early years he was working at the side of Stradivari in the shop of their common master, Niccolo Amati. With what delight would any record, or even anecdote, of those golden days in the history of the Violin be received by the lovers of the instrument! The bare idea that these three men were living in daily close converse is sufficient to awaken interest of a lively nature in the mind of a lover of Fiddles. Unhappily, however, no Boswell was at hand to dot down events, of small value when passing, but of great consequence to after time. Andrea Guarneri for some years worked upon the model of his master, though he afterwards changed the character of the sound-hole.* At the same time the form of the instrument became flatter, and the scroll showed signs of originality. The varnish is much varied, but is generally of a light orange colour of beautiful hue ; it sometimes has considerable body, but when so, lacks the transparency of light-coloured varnishes. The Violoncellos are of two sizes. The wood in the Violoncellos is often very plain, but possesses singular tone-producing qualities. The Violins of this maker are among his finest efforts; the workmanship is excellent, but has not the fine finish of Amati.

b. about 1626 at Cremona; d. there Dec. 7, 1698 ; was buried in the Church of San Domenico the following day. He was descended from an ancient and noble Cremonese family, and was the head of the celebrated family of makers known by the Latin form of their name,” Guarnerius.”
Pupil of Antonio and Girolamo Amati; later, about 1641, of Nicola Amati, a fellow student being Antonio Stradivari. He was one of the witnesses at N. Amati’s marriage in 1645, but was not with him in 1646, but was again there in 1653. While influenced by Ant. and Gir. Amati he made on a large pattern, but then for many years followed Nicola’s pattern. About 1670 the character of his sound-holes changed, his model became flatter, and the scroll showed much character; this was probably when the influence of Stradivari began to be felt, one of whose earliest followers he became; but throughout he always retained a quite original and distinctive style of his own.
Some of his instruments are beautifully made, especially his violins, which, in good condition, are very rare ; violas, of which three are known, suggest, both in size and in a general way, Maggini’s work ; a violoncello is known, very beautiful not only in wood and varnish, but also in tone. As a rule he used good wood and excellent varnish, which varied greatly in colour from a golden yellow to orange, or even darker rose colour. The sound-holes also vary, but are generally straight; the pattern is slightly arched, the sides often low ; the tone is brilliant, but does not carry well; the work is neat, but not highly finished.
Labels: ” Andreas Guarnerius fecit Cremonen sub titulo Sanctae Teresiae, 1650″ (similar labels are dated 1670, 1675, 1690, and 1696);
and ” Sub disciplina, Andreae Guarnerii in ejus officina sub titulo S. Teresiae Cremonae, 1676.”
He married, in the Church of San Clemente, Dec. 31, 1652, Anna Maria Orcelli (d. Jan. 13, 1695). He lived in Piazza San Domenico, now Piazza Roma. Two of his sons, Pietro Giovanni and Giuseppe Giovan Battista, were makers.

Sohn des Bartolommeo und der Stammvater der berühmten Cremoneser
Geigenmacherfamilie. In fast allen Urkunden wird der Name allerdings
Guarnieri geschrieben, auf den Zetteln der einzelnen Mitglieder der Familie
findet man aber stets die Schreibart Guarnerius vorgezogen. Andrea war einer
der ersten Schüler Nicola Amati’s und kommt bereits 1641 in den Acten der
Pfarrei St. Faustino und Giovita mit der Bemerkung vor, dass er ein Mitbewohner
des Hauses Amati und 15 Jahre alt sei. Es lässt darauf schliessen,
dass Amati ihn besonders schätzte, da er ihn zum Zeugen bei seiner Vermählung
mit Lucrezia Pagliari genommen hatte (23. Mai 1645). Wenige Jahre
später, am 31. December 1652, heirathete er selbst Anna Maria Orcelli
(† 13. Januar 1695), aus welcher Ehe sieben Kinder, vier Töchter und drei
Söhne, hervorgingen. Andrea’s Geigen sind grösser als die seines Lehrers,
wenn er sich auch anfangs genau an dessen Modelle gehalten hat. Später
nahm er die Wölbung flacher, veränderte die F-Löcher und erfand eine eigene
Schnecke, sein Lack ist verschieden, gewöhnlich orangefarben. Der Ton ist
recht gut, und am besten sind seine Violoncelli, die er, wie fast alle Cremoneser
in zwei Grossen machte. Ausser vollen Geigen fertigte er auch »halbe« an; eine
solche aus dem Jahre 1644 besitzt die kgl. Sammlung alter Musikinstrumente,
in Berlin. — Zwei von seinen Söhnen sind gleichfalls Geigenmacher geworden.