This book contains a brief account of the history of Cremona violins - the rise and fall of the art that dominated over two centuries - and is primarily devoted to The physics behind the violin acoustics, specifically the research of William F "Jack" Fry over the past four decades and more. it chronicles his early research and The evolution of his ideas leading to a holistic approach to its acoustics, In sharp contrast to The conventional "reductionist" approach. With rare insights, he has come closer than anyone before in reproducing the sound of the great Italian masters. This historic achievement makes the book extremely valuable for violin makers, violin researchers, and young and aspiring violinists who would like to own excellent-sounding instruments with all the desirable characteristics of old instruments at affordable prices.

Cremona is a reference point for the art of violinmaking in the world and boasts some of the most significant monuments of the past, like the Cathedral, the Baptistery, and the splendid Town Hall square. The museums testify not only the archeological importance of the town and the famous art of the Renaissance painters, but also the history of the celebrated violinmakers, among which the Amati, Guarneri del Gesù, and the great Antonio Stradivari: the theaters celebrate the music of Monteverdi and Ponchielli. The relationship of the town of Cremona with the river Po is direct, energetic, and instinctive. This guide leads you on a visit to Cremona, the city of Violinmakers. The famous Stradivarius was from Cremona. Cremona is famous also for its rich cuisine, here it is illustrated in many details. The guide includes photos and descriptions of the attractions, churches, and museums, as well as travel info. It has a complete section with the history of the town. Several itineraries are included for bicycle trips in the area.

*A RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK* 'Utterly enthralling - a beautifully-written voyage of discovery that takes us deep into the heart of music-making' Deborah Moggach From the moment she hears Lev's violin for the first time, Helena Attlee is captivated. She is told that it is an Italian instrument, named after its former Russian owner. Eager to discover all she can about its ancestry and the stories contained within its delicate wooden body, she sets out for Cremona, birthplace of the Italian violin. This is the beginning of a beguiling journey whose end she could never have anticipated. Making its way from dusty workshops, through Alpine forests, cool Venetian churches, glittering Florentine courts, and far-flung Russian flea markets, Lev's Violin takes us from the heart of Italian culture to its very furthest reaches. Its story of luthiers and scientists, princes and orphans, musicians, composers, travellers and raconteurs swells to a poignant meditation on the power of objects, stories and music to shape individual lives and to craft entire cultures.

In the grand manner of Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice's new novel moves across time and the continents, from nineteenth-century Vienna to a St. Charles Greek Revival mansion in present-day New Orleans to dazzling capitals of the modern-day world, telling a story of two charismatic figures bound to each other by a passionate commitment to music as a means of rapture, seduction, and liberation.

Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann (commonly abbreviated as E. T. A. Hoffmann; born Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann; 24 January 1776 - 25 June 1822), was a Prussian Romantic author of fantasy and horror, a jurist, composer, music critic, draftsman and caricaturist. His stories form the basis of Jacques Offenbach's famous opera "The Tales of Hoffmann," in which Hoffmann appears (heavily fictionalized) as the hero. He is also the author of the novella "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King," on which the famous ballet "The Nutcracker" is based. The ballet "Coppelia" is based on two other stories that Hoffmann wrote, while Schumann's "Kreisleriana" is based on Hoffmann's character Johannes Kreisler. Hoffmann's stories were very influential during the 19th century, and he is one of the major authors of the Romantic movement."

Along with the instruments of Stradivari and del Gesù, the violins of Giovanni Battista Guadagnini have long been favored by professional musicians. This 1949 volume remains the most comprehensive study of G. B. Guadagnini's life, work, and legacy. Includes a catalog of masterpieces and a new Introduction by an authority on musical instruments.