Gaetano Gadda Violin Mantova 1940

This violin was made by Gaetano Gadda in Mantova in 1940. Gadda was born in 1900 in Sorga, Verona, and has been one of the main proponents of the Mantuan style of violin making in the 20th Century. He was the apprentice of Stefano Scarampella, who was born in Brescia in 1843 and trained in Paris, only establishing his Mantova workshop in 1886, and it was this workshop that Gadda eventually took over in 1925 after Scarampella's death. He is known to have collaborated extensively on Scarampella's instruments in the older master's later years, and once he took over the workshop, Gadda explored several different models -- initially he took after Sofritti and the Emilia-Romagna tradition, but he eventually settled on his own version of a Guarneri de Gesu model around the 1940's. 

This violin is labelled "Gaetano Gadda di Mantova / premiato con Medaglia d'Oro / Allievo di Stefano Scarampella / Fece in Mantova anno 1940". The body measures 359mm along the back, 167mm across the upper bouts and 206m across the lower bouts. It has a two-piece back of well-flamed maple with a very tight grain, and matching ribs and scroll. The top is a widely grained spruce which narrows towards the edges, and the violin is finished with an amber-red varnish with some darker historical retouching on the upper treble bout, and ebony fittings. It is in good condition and sold with a certificate of authenticity from Eric Blot.

It has a rounded, bright tone, which retains its openness regardless of the intensity of playing or variations in contact point -- coming up to the bridge only adds to the projection and power of tone, carrying no extra noise or crunch which you often get with other instruments. It is very resonant, with a complex interweaving of overtones which facilitates an enormous variety of colour in every dynamic, making contrast and interest consistently easy to achieve. It is best suited to performance at a professional level, and would be most comfortable in solo and orchestral situations. 

Please contact us if you would like to book an appointment to try this beautiful Italian violin.