Afew years ago, in the August 2018 issue, I wrote an In Focus article on an 1812 viola by Giuseppe Marconcini. Now I renew the family acquaintance with the viola shown here, made in 1777 by Giuseppe’s father Luigi Marconcini. The Marconcinis are not the best-known or most familiar exponents of the Ferrara school of making, but their instruments have a unique, very personal style that is clearly derived from the lutherie of that city.
It is said that Luigi Marconcini was born in Bologna at an unknown date. He might have moved to Ferrara in the mid-1760s, where he remained active until the year of his death in c.1790. As well as violins, violas and cellos, he made violas d’amore and a chitarrone is also known. His name appears on his labels variously as ‘Aloysius’ and ‘Aloisio’ (both variants of Luigi).