Contemporary Italian violin by Giovanni Lazzaro, Padua 1990

Amongst our selection of contemporary violins, one particularly interesting work is this Italian instrument by Giovanni Lazzaro which was made in Padua in 1990. It is one of Giovanni Lazzaro's earlier pieces, crafted shortly after he completed his studies at the famous violin making school of Cremona and opened his own workshop in Padua. This instrument thus serves as a summation of the young liutaio's career from his training and the influences of his teachers Riccardo Bergonzi, Giancarlo Guicciardi and Igor Moroder before he set out to further enhance his studies of the historic classics of Italian violin making. Under Hans J. Nebel and Vahkn Nigogosian – former assistants of Simone Fernando Sacconi at the legendary Rembert Wurlitzers workshop in New York – and other great restorers, he grew to become a highly sought-after restoration expert who now works for many leading musicians from Italy's finest ensembles. This particular violin is a rare opportunity to acquire a top-quality Giovanni Lazzaro at a very affordable price, an instrument which clearly follows in the footsteps of great Cremonese masters and merges all of the finest features of both traditional and modern Italian violin making. Meticulous and accurate craftsmanship is evident in the delicate purfling, and the radiant golden-yellow varnish was lavishly applied. The one-piece back of gently flamed maple impressively demonstrates the magnificent quality of the tone woods Giovanni Lazzaro selected. Our luthier received the instrument in perfect crack-free condition, thoroughly set it up and made it ready to play. Its is compelling in part because of its warm sound which has a lucid brightness in higher notes, and across all registers it is defined by a maturity that is surprising for an instrument of its age.