Interesting French violin, by René Bazin, Lille 1936

A historical rarity of modern French violin making, this instrument by René Bazin (1906-1982) articulates the personal style of this highly interesting master. As one of the few luthiers within the famous French Bazin dynasty of bow makers, he underwent befittingly excellent training under Amédée Dieudonnée and Marcel Vatelot before he opened his own workshop in 1935 in Lille. This Rene Bazin violin – a very successful piece patterned after Stradivari – was crafted there in 1936, and its provenance is authenticated by a dated original label. Strikingly lovely tone woods, most notably the beautiful flamed maple used for the two-piece back and ribs, and the rich and luminous orange-brown oil varnish with its delicate crackling create formidable aesthetic accents: the instrument radiates a healthy self-confidence which matches the fine elegance of this distinctive model with its drawn-out beesting corners and slightly accentuated rounded edges. This instrument hails from a truly promising phase in René Bazin’s oeuvre, a period that was abruptly interrupted by World War II. As a prisoner of war, he ended up in Stuttgart, where he worked in Fridolin Hamma’s workshop until 1948. After a brief intermezzo in Suresnes near Paris, he settled in Munich in 1952 and established himself as a highly sought-after restorer; however, from then on he produced a very extensive oeuvre of his own work, in no small part because of his success as a restorer. As a reminiscence of René Bazin’s roots in the French violin making tradition and the totality of his flawless craftsmanship, we recommend this fine instrument because of its powerful and mature sound whose cultivated and sophisticated character will bring its musician great joy. The clarity and precision of its voice permits nuanced interpretations, and the instrument has been thoroughly set up at our workshop and is now ready to play.

 

 

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