Berlin, 26 June 2016 – Jost Thoene, musician,
historian, dealer in high-end string instruments and publisher, is passionately
devoted to the work of Italian master violin maker Antonio Stradivari. In lavish
publications he has been documenting Stradivari’s entire instrument production
with uniquely outstanding precision. Volumes V-VIII have now been published and
presented to the press and an exclusive audience.
Yehudi Menuhin played a Stradivari violin; so did
Itzhak Perlman. Frank Peter Zimmermann and Anne-Sophie Mutter currently play on
Stradivaris. Between 1667 and 1737 around 1,000 string instruments – including
violins, violas, cellos and pochettes – left Antonio Stradivari’s workshop in
Cremona, Italy. Over the course of three centuries many of them have been lost
or irreversibly damaged; however, around half of the original production
remains in perfect condition to this day. Their current market value amounts to
a total of around 1.5 billion US dollars.
When Jost Thoene published the first four volumes of “Antonio
Stradivari” in 2010 he set a benchmark for this kind of documentary literature.
Moreover, he caused quite a stir among musicians, violin makers and music
lovers. Today, his famous and unique Stradivari encyclopaedia is being expanded
with four more exclusive volumes.
In this lavish photographic documentation, 152
Stradivari instruments are listed, scientifically described and historically
documented. All of the instruments are reproduced in their original size – some
of them on three-page, fold-out plates. Documenting some 300 instruments in
total, volumes I to VIII now cover around two thirds of Stradivari’s instrument
extant production worldwide.
Details
▪
Each instrument is reproduced in
its entirety from the front and the back, with a 1:1 view of the top, back, ribs
and scroll.
▪
The consistency in the colour of
the photographs has been ensured by a special drip-off printing process and meticulous
proofs.
▪
Each instrument’s history has been
investigated and documented by art historian Dr Christian Eder.
▪
Each instrument is precisely
described and classified within Stradivari’s complete oeuvre and creative
periods by musicologist Johannes Loescher.
▪
Each instrument has been
dendrochronologically analysed (a method used to determine the age of historic
wood) by violin maker Arjan Versteeg in order to prove that the spruce wood
dates from Stradivari’s time. Another spectacular result of the research is
that several instruments could be shown to originate from the same tree trunk.
The dating of certain instruments had to be accordingly rectified.
▪
A special DVD is included with the
publication that provides 360 degree reproductions of selected instruments,
enabling the observer to magnify and turn the instruments virtually in order to
view them from all angles.
▪
In collaboration with “Violin
Forensic” in Vienna it was possible to reproduce one instrument using
high-definition CT data; the result is a completely transparent ‘glass model’ that
can be accessed horizontally and vertically at the computer. Thus, even the tiniest
aberration of the wood or the smallest trace of a repair becomes visible.
▪
In light of new research, several
instruments could be attributed a byname or an existing byname could be corrected.
▪
The DVD includes the measurements
of each documented instrument, including reproductions of the archings (which
will be of special interest to violin makers).
▪
The DVD also provides sound
examples of several documented Stradivari instruments, with performances by violinists
Joshua Bell, Frank Peter Zimmermann, Sean Carpenter, Clemens Hagen and others.
Bibliographic data
Antonio Stradivari
Volumes I-IV, comprising
1.323 pages, 1.662 reproductions, 19 fold-out plates, DVD - Cologne,
Jost-Thöne-Verlag, 2010
Limited edition 2,000 copies, linen-bound ISBN 978-3-00-031644-9
EUR 2.150,00
Limited edition 100 copies, leather-bound/gilt edges ISBN 978-3-00-031644-9
EUR 5.350,00
With contributions from Florian
Leonhard, London; Carlo Chiesa, Milan;
J & A Beare, London; Jost Thöne, Cologne; Alessandra Barabaschi,
Bonn; Jost Thöne, Cologne
Volumes V-VIII, comprising
1,344 pages, 1.680 reproductions, 24 fold-out plates, DVD - Cologne,
Jost-Thöne-Verlag, 2016
Limited edition 2,000 copies, linen-bound
978-3-00-050178-4
EUR 2.450,00
Limited edition 100 copies, leather-bound/gilt edges
978-3-00-048981-5
EUR 5.850,00
With contributions from Dr. Christian Eder, Cologne;
Johannes Loescher, Cologne;
Jost
Thöne , Sean Carpenter, New York; Arjan
Versteeg, Munich; Dr. Rudolf Hopfner, Vienna; John Dilworth, London; Jost Thöne,Saig
Contact
Jost Thöne Titiseestrasse 19 79853
Lenzkirch Germany 0171 64 63 597 presse@jost-thoene-verlag.de www.jost-thoene-verlag.de