Giuseppe Fiorini (1861–1934) was an Italian luthier and is considered one of the most important Italian violin makers. He built his first instrument at the age of 16 while working in Bologna. He established Rieger and Fiorini in Germany from 1888, then lived in Zurich during World War 1 and Rome from 1923. He donated the workshop tools, templates and drawings of

Stradivarius A Stradivarius is one of the violins, violas, cellos and other string instruments built by members of the Italian family Stradivari, particularly Antonio Stradivari (Latin: Antonius Stradivarius), during the 17th and 18th centuries. They are c ...

to the City of Cremona. He was honoured with a knighthood (Cavaliere) in 1927.

Early life and education

Fiorini was born at Bazzano,

Emilia-Romagna egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title ...

, the son and pupil of influential violin maker - Raffaele Fiorini. He built his first instrument at the age of 16 and worked in

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language, Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 1 ...

, from 1877 to 1888.

Career

Bologna

Fiorini worked in

, from 1877 to 1888. He ran his own violin studio in 'via Santo Stefano', and obtained mentions at various exhibitions. He won a prize at the Milano Exhibition of 1888, and the same year received the 'Gran medaglia d'oro' at the International Music Exhibition of Bologna.

Germany

In 1888, having married the daughter of Andreas Rieger, musical instrument maker, he moved to Munich and established the firm "Rieger and Fiorini" (1889–1914). He established himself in Germany, such that he was a founder of the German Violin-Makers' Society, and served as President for several years.

Switzerland

From 1915 until 1923 he lived and worked in Zurich,

Rome

In 1923 he settled in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. From 1925 his sight started to fail. William Henley, ''

Universal Dictionary of Violin & Bow Makers The ''Universal Dictionary of Violin & Bow Makers'' is a widely cited reference work providing information on approximately 9,000 violin makers. The work is based on the extensive notes of violinist and composer William Henley (1874-1957). Henley ...

'', Brighton 1959, 1973 and 1997

Reputation

By 1926 Fiorini had built 500 violins, 10 violas, and 10 cellos in the Stradivarian style, but with the individuality not to be simple replicas. He carefully examined the violins of Stradivari, using both the original diagrams and tools. He received medals at Exhibitions in Europe and America. He enjoyed personal friendships with Royalty, patrons of art, and eminent virtuosi in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, and

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

, plus contributed articles to journals.

Teaching

Fiorini was a leading personality of the international violin-making world, and an innovator of the technical and aesthetic aspects of the profession. In 1920 he bought Antonio Stradivari's workshop templates, tools, original drawings and models from the Marchesa dalla Valle di Pomaro, an heir of the

Count Ignazio Alessandro Cozio di Salabue Count Ignazio Alessandro Cozio di Salabue (1755–1840) was an Italian count known as the first great connoisseur and collector of violins. A trove of correspondence and memoirs on the history of violinmaking known as the ''Carteggio'' forms the b ...

. He then donated the whole collection to the City of Cremona to found a lutherie school. Fiorini is considered one of Italy's great masters of the 20th century. He was one of the best of the violin makers in Italy at the beginning of the 20th century, and part of a renaissance of violin making in Italy which was nearly a lost art. Gennady Filimonov
/ref> Among his pupils were Ansaldo Poggi,

Simone Fernando Sacconi Simone Fernando Sacconi (May 30, 1895 in Rome – June 26, 1973 in Point Lookout) was an expert Italian violin maker and restorer who studied fellow '' luthier'' Antonio Stradivari extensively during his lifetime. "While still at school he became ...

, Carlo Carletti, Paolo Morara, Wolfgang Türcke-Bebié, Giuseppe Castagnino, Pietro Messori and Arrigo Tivoli-Fiorini. Notes from Il Suono di Bologna (Sound of Bologna)

Death

Fiorini died in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

in 1934.

Honours

Fiorini was honoured with a knighthood (Cavaliere) in 1927.

References

* * * ''Il Suono di Bologna, Da Raffaele Fiorini ai grandi maestri del Novecento.'' Catalogo della Mostra nella chiesa di

San Giorgio in Poggiale, Bologna San Giorgio in Poggiale is a Baroque-style, deconsecrated, former Roman Catholic church, now serving as the Art and History Library of Fondazione Carisbo (the former owner of Carisbo), located on Via Nazario Sauro 20 in central Bologna, Italy. ...

2002. * Eric Blot, ''Un secolo di Liuteria Italiana 1860-1960 - A century of Italian Violin Making - Emilia e Romagna I'', Cremona 1994. * * ''Dictionary of 20th Century Italian Violin Makers'' Marlin Brinser 1978 * Regazzi Roberto, ''In occasione del 250º anniversario della morte di Antonio Stradivari per onorare la figura di Giuseppe Fiorini, Maestro Liutaio - Bazzano (Bologna) 1861 - Monaco di Baviera 1934. Una Immagine e una Biografia per celebrare la donazione della Collezione Salabue di Cimeli Stradivariani alla Città di Cremona'', Bazzano 1987 * The Strad, January 1984 ''Bologna, a living tradition of Violin Making'' * * *

Walter Hamma Walter Hamma (22 September 1916 – 11 August 1988) was a German violin maker. His father, Fridolin Hamma, was an influential violin maker. Walter Hamma was pupil of the violin making school in Mittenwald 1933-1935. He worked with Ferdinand Ja ...

, ''Meister Italienischer Geigenbaukunst'', Wilhelmshaven 1993, * Dati Luigi, Nicolini Gualtiero, ''"Giuseppe Fiorini il fautore della rinascita della liuteria italiana"''. Nel 150esimo anniversario (1861-2011), Bologna-Cremona 2011.

External links

History

www.ilsuonodibologna.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fiorini, Giuseppe 1861 births 1934 deaths People from the Province of Bologna Italian luthiers