Stradivari, Antonio

(born 1644?, Cremona, Duchy of Milan—died Dec. 18, 1737, Cremona) Italian musical-instrument maker. An apprentice of Nicolò Amati (from c. 1666), he established his own business in Cremona, eventually working with his sons Francesco (1671–1743) and Omobono (1679–1742). Though he made other instruments (including harps, lutes, mandolins, and guitars), few survive, and after 1680 he concentrated on violins. Moving away from the Amati style, he developed (c. 1690) the “long Strad.” The Stradivari method of violin making created a standard for subsequent times; he devised the modern form of the violin bridge and set the proportions of the modern violin, with its shallower body that yields a more powerful and penetrating tone than earlier violins. The period 1700–20 is considered the peak of his productivity and quality.

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