Ludwig Aschauer, Mittenwald: fine master violin for soloists, 1954

Fine violin by Mittenwald master Ludwig Aschauer, son and successor of Leo Aschauer

For 37 years, Leo Aschauer served as director of the Mittenwald school of violin making, one of the most highly renowned institutes of its kind. Even in retirement, Leo Aschauer remained an influential figure in his guild. It was in 1954 that his son and successor Ludwig Aschauer made this exceptional master violin, an instrument of mature master craftmanship that was crafted and varnished cleanly and with the greatest care. With its excellent sound, it does justice to the solid reputation of Mittenwald stringed instruments. The premium tone woods came from the Karwendel region at Leo and Ludwig Aschauer’s doorstep, and on this violin they are emphasized by a luminous golden-orange oil varnish which effectively accents the even lines of the moderately grained spruce and the strong deep flames of the one-piece maple. This is very probably “moon wood,” i.e. timber that was cut down by the light of the moon in keeping with an old forestry tradition. With its powerful and precise sound, this powerful masterpiece will win over demanding musicians, and it is a faithful successor to the historic Italian instruments of Antonio Stradivari whose work it is patterned after. It has a crisp and immediate response and attains a radiant strength in its upper registers but remains clear and warm with a dark character in the lower registers. The violin is now over seventy, but the passage of time has left only minimal traces. It is now ready to play after having been set up carefully at our specialist atelier, and we recommend this fine violin as a benchmark of the quality of Mittenwald violin making in more recent history.