Gaspare Lorenzini
Piacenza, c.1780

Gaspare Lorenzini worked in Piacenza his entire career, until the impressive age of 87. He was thirteen years junior to the most famous Piacenese maker, Giovanni Battista Guadagnini, with whom he was closely associated. Lorenzini’s name is not especially well known, largely because most of his best instruments were probably mistakenly attributed to Lorenzo Guadagnini, Giovanni’s father. Nevertheless, Lorenzini’s instruments are highly regarded examples of the Guadagnini School.

This marvelous instrument is one of his especially rare violas and is a desirable contralto size (40.4 cm). It has a lush tenor sound suitable for solo or chamber music.