Andrea Amati Violin Consort
The original instruments on which mine are modeled are:
Violin D.8:2, c. 1564, now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford England
Violin 3366. Before 1577, now in the Shrine to Music Museum in Vermilion, South Dakota USA
Viola D.8:1, c. 1574, now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford England
Bass Violin (Violincello):
Cello 3351, c.1560 - 74, now in the Shrine to Music Museum in Vermilion, South Dakota USA
When Andrea Amati made violins in the 16th century, he made violins as matched sets, or consorts of instruments. The most famous of these is a set of instruments he made during the 1560s and 1570s for the court of Charles IV in France. His mother, Catherine de Medici, loved to dance, imported the instruments and musicians from her Italian homeland for the ‘ballets” and other dances at the French court. The violin as a consort instrument was used through out Europe during the 16th and early 17th centuries for dance music and polyphonic compositions.
I have spent years collecting measurements and information about the extant instruments from this great maker and I am pleased to offer instruments modeled on his work.
The instruments are made with fine materials with careful attention to detail. Before varnishing the instrument is coated with a silicate ground that was developed by David Rubio and has come to be known as the “Rubio Soup.” The varnish I use is made from amber resin according to a 16th century formula and colored in between coats with a madder-lake distilled according to the method devised by David and Nest Rubio.
Instruments are available with 16th century style fittings and setup; or early baroque setup, or late baroque setup.
Large pattern, (left), and small pattern, (right), violins.
A set of these instruments can be heard on recording by The King's Noyse.
Some of these include:
"The King's Delight" 17c ballads for voice and violin band, #HMU 907101
"Canzonetta" 16c canzoni & instrumental dances, #HMU 907120
"Mascharada" Music at the Bucheburg Court of Ernst III #HMU 907165