Riccardo Genovese Violin Montiglio Italy 1929

This violin was made by Riccardo Genovese in 1929 in Montiglio, a town in the north-west of Italy. Genovese was a violinist, organist, and pianist who grew up in Montiglio, only beginning his training in violin-making in 1920, when he was in his late 30's. He was apprenticed to Annibale Fagnola, another Montigliesi violin-maker who had studied in Turin, and who is well known for carrying the Turin tradition of making into the 20th Century. Most of Genovese's exemplary work comes after this time, in the 1930's, once he had settled back in Montiglio after a brief spell working in Lecco, in northern Italy. He usually worked using a Pressenda model, preserving the Turin tradition like his mentor, and his violins also often carried a characteristic red varnish with some variance in transparency and the degree of crazing.

The violin is labelled "Riccardo Genovese - Fecit / Montiglio - anno Domini 1929".The body measures 354mm along the back, 165mm across the upper bouts and 206mm across the lower bouts. It has a two-piece back of well flamed maple with a moderately tight curl, and matching ribs and scroll. The top is a lightly grained spruce, and the violin has a red-brown varnish with rosewood fittings. It is in good condition.

It has a bright and sweet sound that projects with ease and feels balanced across all registers. It produces a full and direct tone, especially at forte dynamics, yet still has a delicate and light quality to it at the softer dynamics. As such, it is most suitable for a player at a tertiary or professional level, especially for solo or chamber formats.