Violin by Matthias Albanus
Bozen, ca. 1680
Catalog 4. Violin – Matthias Albanus – Bozen, ca. 1680
On aesthetical, constructional and accoustical grounds one of the most noble creations of the collection, this violin combines stylistical elements of the Stainer and the Amati Traditions. The extraordinarily beautiful scroll could easily match the quality of those of Stainer. The work on the magnificent back, the edging, the inlays have nothing to envy its Italian counterparts. The cut of the sound holes and the balanced archings recall the early members of the Amati Family. The red varnish, which under the loop shows fine crackling, also point to Albanus.
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This violin has very obviously been made on the pattern of the Brothers Amati, Antonius & Hieronymus, as shown by the following sketches.
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The compass markings were used to trace the design of the Albanus violin. The black line, however, is not the purfling, but is the sketch of the purfling on a violin known to have been built by the Brothers Amati. One notes the nearly exact correspondence. If one were to take only the right side of the photo, then the congruence is nearly perfect. The slight deviations on the left side may be caused by the distortion of the photograph, most likely not taken perfectly perpendicular to the violin. (Sketch and analysis by Roland Houël, Mirecourt, France)
This master from Tyrol reached the stately age of 99, which explains why his style underwent some modifications along the way. Basically he worked along the lines of Jakob Stainer and Nicolò Amati. The scroll on this violin is particularly beautiful, the back is finely modelled, the red varnish shows signs of cracquelé, typical of his work.
The illustrious master, Arcangelo Corelli owned and performed on a violin by Matthias Albanus as well as one by Andrea Amati.
Among the many musicians who have performed on this violin are José Vázquez, Christa Opriessnig, Wolfgang Leitner and Wang-Yu Ko.
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Wang-yu Ko, this time with the Johann Georg Thir violin,
as soloist in a Corelli concerto grosso, Castle of Kremsegg, June, 2008
| Body length | 354 mm |
| Upper width | 167 mm |
| Middle width | 107 mm |
| Lower width | 200 mm |
| Rib height | 31 mm |
| String length | 320 mm |