Music & Musical Instruments - Overview
The Museum's music collections contain more than 5,000 instruments of American and European heritage. These include a quartet of 18th-century Stradivari stringed instruments, Tito Puente's autographed timbales, and the Yellow Cloud guitar that belonged to Prince, to name only a few. Several of these rare instruments can be heard in performances of the Smithsonian Chamber Players and in other public programs. Music collections also include jukeboxes and synthesizers, square-dancing outfits and sheet music, archival materials, oral histories, and recordings of performances at the Museum. The vast Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated Sheet Music is a remarkable window into the American past in words, music, and visual imagery. The Duke Ellington and Ruth Ellington Boatwright collections contain handwritten music compositions, sound recordings, business records, and other materials documenting the career of this renowned musician.
"Music & Musical Instruments - Overview" showing 2 items.
Amati Violin
- Description (Brief)
- This violin was made by Nicolo Amati in Cremona, Italy in 1675. Nicolo Amati (1596-1684) was from the third generation of the famous Amati family in Cremona. The son of Hieronymous I, Nicolo is commonly regarded as the greatest maker of the family. He is renowned for having
- developed refinement, elegance and attention to detail not seen in the work of earlier makers. While using a variety of models, he developed a favorite large pattern of exquisite proportions which is known in our time as the “Grand Pattern” Amati. These instruments, with bodies of greater length and width than others of his output, have powerful voices suitable even for the modern soloist. The violin is made of a two-piece table of spruce, back of two-piece slab maple with irregular fine gently descending figure with broad figure at the upper bout corners, ribs of similar maple, grafted maple neck terminating in the original pegbox and scroll of even medium figured maple, and golden-orange-brown varnish.
- Description
- This violin has an original printed label:
- Nicolaus Amatus Cremonen
- Hieronymi Fil. ac Antonij Nepos Fecit 1675
- Nicolo Amati (1596-1684) was from the third generation of the famous Amati family in Cremona. The son of Hieronymous I, Nicolo is commonly regarded as the greatest maker of the family. While using a variety of models, he developed a favorite large pattern which is known as the "Grand Pattern" Amati.
- This instrument from the last decade of Nicolo Amati's life is built on the "Grand Pattern" and is a good example of the period, but it lacks the fluid elegance and grace of earlier examples. It is possible that this violin was constructed and finished with the help of students in the shop and with the aid of Nicolo's son, Hieronymous II (1649-1740), who was himself a fine maker but lacked the power and gift of his father.
- It is difficult to overestimate the impact of Nicolo in the development of the violin. He took the work of his grandfather and uncle to new heights of excellence. He then passed his influence, knowledge and aesthetic to students who included Andrea Guarneri, Francesco Rugieri and Antonio Stradivari. It is possible that Jacob Stainer may at some point have studied with Nicolo, but if not, his work was certainly influenced by the genius of this Cremonese master.
- date made
- 1675
- maker
- Amati, Nicolo
- ID Number
- 1979.0548.01
- accession number
- 1979.0548
- catalog number
- 1979.0548.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Amati Violin, the "King Louis XIV"
- Description (Brief)
- This violin was made by Nicolo Amati in Cremona, Italy in 1656. Nicolo Amati (1596–1684) was from the third generation of the famous Amati family in Cremona. The son of Hieronymous I, he is commonly regarded as the greatest maker of the family. Nicolo took over the business on his father’s death in 1630, a time when Cremona was devastated by famine followed by the plague. The only remaining maker of any consequence in Italy, his survival assured the craft of violin making in Cremona would endure.
- In 1949 Emil Herrmann writes that “the back and table are decorated with double purfling and inlaid fleur de lys which, on the table, are inset with rubies and emeralds,” and this violin “was made to order for the Royal Family of France, most probably for King Louis XIV.” Computed Tomography scans indicate these gem stones are actually the density of glass, and while it now bears the Louis XIV attribution assigned by Herrmann, there is no documentation of the violin’s association to French royalty.
- Description
- The importance of the Amati family of violin makers cannot be overstated. In the 17th century, Nicolo's grandfather, Andrea Amati, appears to have created the form of the violin, viola, and cello as they are known today. Andrea's two sons, known as the "Brothers Amati," continued the family business, as well as his innovative spirit. The larger tenor viola was commonly played in their time, and while they made many of them, the "Brothers" are generally credited with introducing the smaller contralto viola, the size regarded as more suitable today. As with Jacob Stainer, the influence of the Amatis spread across Europe, influencing contemporary makers as far away as England and the Netherlands.
- Nicolo Amati (1596-1684) was the last of the highly esteemed Amati violin makers and is considered the most refined craftsman of the Amati family. He took over the business on his father's death in 1630, a time when Cremona was devastated by famine followed by the plague. His survival assured the craft of violin making in Cremona would not only endure, but also exceed the pioneering work of earlier generations. The only remaining maker of any consequence in Italy, Nicolo regained a productive shop by 1640. Over his ensuing career he trained the next generation of Cremonese masters including Andrea Guraneri, Francesco Rugeri, Giovanni Rogeri, Giacomo Gennaro, and Antonio Stradivari. Jacob Stainer may have been one of his pupils as well.
- Like his forebearers, Nicolo's production led him to develop yet another Amati innovation. Known today as the "Grand Amati," this slightly larger model violin is the most desirable for modern musicians. In general, his instruments are highly regarded for their elegant quality of sound and easy response to a musician's touch. Nicolo's lifetime achievement is judged as much by the preservation and impetus he gave to violin making as it is by the fine instruments he crafted in his mind and with his hands.
- Date made
- 1656
- maker
- Amati, Nicolo
- ID Number
- 2000.0100.01
- accession number
- 2000.0100
- catalog number
- 2000.0100.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center