I visit Cremona - City of Violins

Olaf visits Cremona and shares his experience. Watch as he walks the same streets that the famous Masters would have walked, visits a maker, goes to the school of violinmaking, the violin museum and much more...

Master Violin Maker and Restorer Olaf Grawert shares a two days in the city of Cremona

00:00 Introduction
01:08 Exploring the Streets of Cremona: The City of Violin Making
03:20 Visiting my Old Friend Antonio... Stradivarius
03:27 Cremona's Clock Tower
03:39 Are Violins from Cremona Really Better?
05:12 Cremona's Museum of Violins
07:18 Visiting Cremona's School of Violin Making
09:16 Popping into my Friend's Workshop in Cremona
09:51 Like a Kid in a Candy Store
10:09 Conclusion

#myviolinmaker, #olafgrawertviolin #violin

[esquilotridente]

I've decided that I want to become a luthier. Since I'm portuguese and Italy is nearby, I wanted to go and study in Cremona and even started having italian lessons. However, the exams required to enter and attend that school are quite daunting, so I've started to look for alternatives... But I still really want to visit Cremona!!

[JamesCello]

Hi Olaf! I’m so excited to see your Cremona Vlog!

[AndKris]

Hello from Cremona!

Here there are not only violin makers but also luthiers who deal with other instruments, and it is amazing how despite this large number of professionals, there is no shortage of work and the school is internationally recognized. There are students who come from all over the world, from Chile, China, Japan... and some then decide to stay here in Cremona instead of going back to their own country.

(small note: footage from 2:18 to 2:27 is not from Cremona)

[kuromushimura]

My loved hometown (don't let my nickname fool you, I'm italian😜). Thanks for visiting and for all the nice words. I'm so glad you enjoyed your stay :)

[laurencelance]

Looking at this from a businessman's perspective, I'm thinking "There are 130 violin makers in this city. That means 130 guys beating each others brains out in trying to make a living and pay the rent. " Competition doesn't necessarily at all mean that the consumer would find a better values here. Much more likely the consumer is going to find a small number of very fine makers, and a much larger segment of people who import ( outsource) from places like China and rebrand them to sell here. It's got to be a very tough place to try and make a living.

[BeastOfSoda]

Now I'm curious to see the tools you bought! (I'm more interested in the craftsmanship aspects rather than the finished instruments too)

[RichardBuckman]

Can you do a video where you take a violin shaped cake (VLC) and do some work on it to upgrade it from a violin shaped object to a working violin?

[earanwe]

In 2013 I rode from Galiza to Cremona by bicycle, making a bike busking tour. 5K km just to visit the city. And I always make this joke that I rode all the way just to go to a hardware store (yes, Cremona tools 10:00). All the city is such a special place and it changed my vision of the craft at all

[hksmr]

On the train from venice to cremona now, thanks for your video!

[eldoubleu]

Thanks. I think my violin teacher may be considering a group trip and this one of the poll options :) I will show her and my fellow classmates the video. Good to see you again :)

[gregsanford]

enjoyed the video so much, thank you for sharing

[bluehoo]

We will be visiting Cremona for a week in May. I will be paying a visit to the tool shop, I may have to give my wife the credit card as I’ll be like a child in a sweet shop. Looking forward to further Cremona videos from yourself. Plus your up coming series of how to make a violin, it will be very informative for us amateur makers. Thank you for taking the time to publish all this YouTube content, I don’t repair violins but find it fascinating viewing how you manage to reconstruct what to me looks like a car crash. Take care 😊

[andrewgary]

Hi Olaf. Did you find any good tools for your workshop? (And did you have any good coffees?)

[Ilcannoneaficionado]

Nice video, please upload more about your Cremona trip, Thank you!

[tessabates]

This is so exciting to me! My family and I are going to Italy next month and Cremona is one of our stops! Thank you for sharing.

[cristinateller]

I wish we have a violin shop and luthier like you in Guam!

[amandas.]

Great video! How cool that you met some fans over there. I'm looking forward to the museum and school content!

[lotsabirds]

Welcome home! I'm looking forward to your upcoming videos!

[AnonySpaceHD]

Amazing trip, Olaf! I'm really excited about a video showing all the new tools you got!

[gil_evans]

Pleeeaase make a video about your work on the double bass in the background!