Il mistero di Stradivari
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The Mystery of Stradivari
Studies and Legends on Antonio Stradivari from 1872 to 1937
- Edited by Luca Bastiani
- Bastiani Toto Collection
A Journey into the Birth of the Myth
The Mystery of Stradivari is a unique work, offering a fascinating journey into the historical and cultural construction of the myth of Antonio Stradivari. Through a selection of photographic excerpts from period documents—articles, essays, publications, catalogs, and rare materials—the volume shows how the celebrated Cremonese violin maker became, between 1872 and 1937, an icon of Italian music and cultural identity.
The project originates from the private collection of Luca Bastiani, a violin maker and scholar of the history of violin making, and was subsequently enriched thanks to the collaboration with Francesco Toto, also a violin maker. From this partnership was born the Bastiani Toto Collection, a rare and coherent documentary collection, representing a unique testimony, the fruit of years of research, passion, and philological care.
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Description / Il mistero di Stradivari
Contents of the Work
The volume is divided into three main sections:
Introduction and Preface
They contextualize the editorial project and illustrate the selection method, the documentary value, and the cultural value of the collected materials.
Main Body: 40 Selected Works (1872–1937)
A chronological sequence of photographically reproduced texts (excerpts), which testify to the progressive mythologization of Stradivari. The authors include historians, writers, critics, scientists, and journalists, including:
- P. Lombardini, J. Okraszewska, A. Panzini, G. Accorretti, G. Cenzato, R. Bacchetta, C. Bonetti, W. Scevcenko, G. Somenzi, and many others.
- Documents from the official celebrations of the Stradivarian Bicentenary (1937) and rare testimonies such as Antonio Stradivari's Double or Violins for Eighty Million.
The topics covered range from historical research to literature, from acoustic science to cultural propaganda, outlining a rich and varied panorama of "Stradivarian mania."
Documentary appendices and an Index of Names
The volume is completed by rare materials such as:
- The Catalog of the Exhibition of Ancient Cremonese Violin Making (1937)
- The Catalog of the First National Art Fair ancient
- Articles and publications celebrating 1937
- A detailed index of names for easy consultation and research
Key themes and cultural value
A reading of the volume reveals some major themes:
- The progressive construction of the Stradivari myth between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
- The role of the Italian press, critics, and popular culture in spreading his legend
- The profound relationship between violin making, national identity, and art history
- The importance of the official celebrations of 1937, which established Stradivari as a symbolic figure of Italian culture worldwide
- The transformation of violin making from an artisan craft to an artistic and cultural
Who is this book intended for?
- Luthiers and musicians, who will find valuable historical sources and references
- Scholars and researchers interested in Italian cultural, musical, and artisanal history
- Aficionados of Stradivari, classical violin making, and the history of Cremona
- Libraries, archives, foundations, and cultural institutions
- Anyone who wants to understand how a myth is born and spreads through historical sources
Publishing information
- Title: The Mystery of Stradivari. Studies and Legends of Antonio Stradivari from 1872 to 1937
- Editor: Luca Bastiani
- Collection: Bastiani Toto
- Publisher: Luca Bastiani Liutaio
- Publication Year: 2025
- Format: Illustrated volume with color photographic reproductions
- Contents: Selected excerpts from original documents
- Language: Introduction and preface in Italian and English; All documentary excerpts in Italian, reproduced from original contemporary sources (1872–1937)
- Pages: Over 400
Promotional Notes
"More than a simple anthology, this book is a documentary map of the Stradivarian myth. A tool for understanding how history, criticism, the press, and the imagination transformed a violin maker into a legend."