Antonio Stradivari

This passage is about the violins that Antonio Stradivari made.

Lexile Level: 690L

Categories: History People & Places Art & Music

Have you ever heard of a Stradivarius? It's not a disease or a dinosaur species. It's a kind of violin. In Italy during the 1700s, Antonio Stradivari came to be known for making the best violins. Any violin he made is called a Stradivarius. They are prized by musicians. One Stradivarius even sold for over three million dollars! Stradivari used special materials and methods, some of which are unknown today. Three kinds of wood were used in the instrument. Each wood was best for different parts of the violin because each made a different sound when the instrument was played. Stradivari also treated the wood with natural chemicals and fastened together the pieces of wood with handmade glues. His painstaking efforts resulted in the greatest sound quality. To try to solve the mystery of this sound, scientists have x-rayed and analyzed the violins. But how Stradivari got that great sound is still a mystery. It always will be.