SASKATOON — The University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Amati quartet recently took an international journey to be studied by music experts, shining a spotlight on how the renowned Amati family crafted and styled their fine instruments almost 350 years ago.
Housed at USask, the Amati quartet includes a viola, cello, and two violins that were handcrafted in Cremona, Italy, in the 1600s by members of the famous Amati family, considered the world’s first great luthiers who crafted globally treasured string instruments. Today, due to their age and rarity, many Amati instruments are kept only in private collections or museums. Up-close photographs of the intricate detailing on USask’s collection of instruments can be found
“The Amati family is considered foundational in the history of violin making, and is credited with shaping the modern violin, viola, and cello as we know them today, by standardizing the design and dimensions of the instruments,” said Dr. Véronique Mathieu (PhD), an associate professor of violin in the USask College of Arts and Science School for the Arts, and the David L. Kaplan Chair in Music.
The USask Amati instruments travelled with Mathieu to Indianapolis to be featured at the Violin Society of America’s (VSA) 50th annual convention. The theme of the VSA’s convention was the Amati family, and the rarity of having a complete Amati quartet made USask’s collection a perfect fit to share at the event. During the week, the quartet was on display and studied amongst some of the most important Amati instruments in the world.
“String instrument makers, music historians, and restorers learn a lot by studying fine instruments crafted by renowned makers, so the president of the VSA reached out to me to bring our instruments, as it would be the only complete quartet represented,” said Mathieu. “The instruments were on display all week in the rare instruments room for study.”
Studying the creations of different Amati family members showcases the progression of their craftsmanship and offers deeper insights into their methods and stylistic growth, factors of key interest to modern-day string instrument makers and players.
The cello from the USask collection was the only Amati cello present at the event. The cello is an especially unique piece with a storied history, crafted in 1690 by Girolamo Amati II and lost for decades in an attic in the Earl of Plymouth’s Castle in England, along with other fine instruments. It was later recovered and eventually became part of USask’s collection. On the back of the cello, a red seal depicts the joint arms of the Earl of Plymouth and the Clive family of India, commemorating an earlier marriage in the family.
USask is honoured to be the home of this collection of fine instruments, assembled by Stephen Kolbinson, a local grain farmer from Kindersley, Sask. Kolbinson developed a passionate curiosity for old Italian instruments, and travelled the world looking for instruments to add to his collection. A close friend of Kolbinson, Murray Adaskin played an important role in USask’s acquisition of the Amati instruments in 1959. In offering the quartet to the university, Kolbinson wanted to ensure that his treasured collection of instruments would continue to be used in ways that benefit the people of Saskatchewan.
In this spirit, the USask Amati quartet is presented in the Discovering the Amatis concert series each year. The series is curated by Mathieu and offers an opportunity for the public to hear the rare instruments played live by top Canadian musicians. Concerts take place on select dates in USask’s Convocation Hall.
An upcoming concert on December 8, 2024, is open to all members of the USask community and the general public who wish to attend. The concert will feature cellist Sunnat Ibragimov, and pianist Robert Koenig. .
— Submitted by USask Media Relations
