Dolce Violins

Moses Sedler

Paul Alexandre Mangenot – Violin Maker – Mirecourt France

Paul Alexandre Mangenot – Violin Maker (1862 – 1942) Paul Mangenot served his apprenticeship with Paul Bailly before going on to work at some of the most important French violin making workshops of the time. Mangenot worked in Lille at the workshop of Joseph Pierre Hel, and in Paris at the renowned violin workshop of Charles Jean Baptiste …

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Paul Bailly – Violin Maker – Paris France

Paul Bailly Violin maker (1844 – 1907) A member of a family of Mirecourt violin and bow-makers, Paul Bailly was born in 1844 and studied with Jules Gaillard before moving to Brussels to work for Nicolas Vuillaume. He then moved to Paris to work for Nicolas Vuillaume’s famous brother, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume. He travelled extensively, working …

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Honoré Derazey Violin Maker – Mirecourt France

Honoré (Jean-Joseph) Derazey Violin maker Honoré Derazey was born in Darney France, a small town near Mirecourt in 1794. He apprenticed in Mirecourt before moving to Paris to work for a number of shops including J.B. Vuillaume between 1830 and 1839. In 1840 he returned to Mirecourt to establish his own workshop which quickly became …

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Antique violins – Why violinists love to play centuries old violins

Like a fine wine, violins just get better with age. Vintage violins allow us to touch and listen to the past, bringing our musical lineage to life. When you play an antique violin, you become a part of history. The instrument’s voice sings the story of its long journey to you. Maybe it began its …

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Professional Violas – Why Owning a Modern Viola is the Best Choice

High-profile string players are always raving about their antique instruments from master makers. Yo-Yo Ma famously plays an eighteenth-century Domenico Montagnana cello, and Hilary Hahn’s violin of choice is a Jean Baptiste Vuillaume copy of an even older model, Niccolò Paganini’s beloved Guarneri del Gesù “Il cannone.” But what about violists? While there are some …

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Mirecourt – A Storied History of French Violin Making

Early Violin Making in Mirecourt The origin of violin-making in the northeastern French city of Mirecourt is debated, but a vibrant picture emerges from 17th century records. As many as 50 luthiers were operating in Mirecourt in the 1600s, and the oldest surviving apprenticeship contracts date as far back as 1629. The Mirecourt Guild and Expanded Economy In 1732, …

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Understanding Violin Cost: 3 Things You Need to Know About a Violin’s Price

Congratulations! You’ve decided to play the violin. Maybe you’re a beginner, or perhaps you’re looking to take your study to the next level. Either way, you’re probably in the market for a new instrument. There are many factors involved in choosing a violin. But one of the biggest is violin cost. Violin prices can range …

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