In focus: the ‘Sachs’ Stradivari violin of c.1666

Sachs crop

John Dilworth takes a close look at one of the very earliest violins attributable to Stradivari

Antonio Stradivari’s ‘Sachs’ violin offers a fascinating insight into the master’s development as a violin maker, giving clues to his still-mysterious origins. Already in full command of his technical skills, he was searching for his own stylistic and tonal expression with originality and imagination. Quite how he gained his knowledge of violin making, and from whom, is still one of lutherie’s unresolved questions.

Already subscribed? Please sign in

Subscribe to continue reading…

We’re delighted that you are enjoying our website. For a limited period, you can try an online subscription to The Strad completely free of charge.

  • Free 7-day trial

    Not sure about subscribing? Sign up now to read this article in full and you’ll also receive unlimited access to premium online content, including the digital edition and online archive for 7 days.

    No strings attached – we won’t ask for your card details

  • Subscribe 

    No more paywalls. To enjoy the best in-depth features and analysis from The Strad’s latest and past issues, upgrade to a subscription now. You’ll also enjoy regular issues and special supplements* and access to an online archive of issues back to 2010.

 

* Issues and supplements are available as both print and digital editions. Online subscribers will only receive access to the digital versions.