Antonio Amati

Summary

Antonio Amati (c. 15374 March[citation needed] 1607) was an Italian luthier, active from 1560 to 1605.

Biography edit

Born in Cremona, Andrea Amati's son and Girolamo Amati's brother, Antonio worked first with his father, then with his brother, in the same workshop. With the latter, he refined his construction technique and style. For about ten years, they co-signed their works with their Latinized names: "Antonius & Hieronymus Amati"

Instruments edit

The instruments with the common label of Antonio and Girolamo can hardly be assigned to the individual brothers, even for experts. They worked extraordinarily cleanly and experimented on the construction of the violin, especially on the contours, vaults and f-holes. Characteristic is a recessed gorge, which is responsible for the warm tone of their exhibits.


Andrea Amati
c. 1505–1577
Antonio Amati
c. 1537–1607
Girolamo Amati
1561–1630
Nicola Amati
1596–1684
Jacob Stainer
c. 1618–1683
Antonio Stradivari
1644–1737
Girolamo Amati II
1649–1740
Andrea Guarneri
1626–1698
F. Stradivari
1671–1743
O. Stradivari
1679–1742
Pietro Guarneri
1655–1720
Giuseppe Guarneri
1666–c. 1739/40
Giuseppe Guarneri "del Gesu"
1698–1744
Pietro Guarneri "de Venice"
1695–1762
  • solid lines = Pere-Fils (father to son)
  • dashed lines = Maitre-Eleve (master to student)

See also edit

Bibliography edit

  • William Henley's Universal Dictionary of Violin & Bow Makers, Brighton, Amati, 1973.
  • Cacciatori, Fausto: Il DNA degli Amati, Cremona 2006, ISBN 978-8889839119.
  • Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart (MGG2), Personenteil Vol. 1, Bärenreiter, Kassel 1999.
  • Stefan Drees: Lexikon der Violine, Laaber-Verlag, Laaber 2004, ISBN 978-3-89007-544-0.
  • Walter Kolneder: Das Buch der Violine. Bau, Geschichte, Spiel, Pädagogik, Komposition. Atlantis Musikbuchverlag, Zürich 1993, ISBN 3-254-00147-8.
  • Philip J. Kass: The Stati D’Anime of S. Faustino in Cremona: Tracing the Amati Family 1641-1686, Violin Society of America, 1999.
  • Philip J. Kass: Nicolo Amatl: His Life and Times, Journal of the Violin Society of America, 15-2. 1996.

External links edit

  • La famille Amati