"Cornerless Italian & Spanish Basses"

[Ken Smith]

Lucio Buccarella,contrabbasso, with his Cornerless Bass by Antonio Mariani, 1678 Pesaro.


Bassist with the Italian Chamber Orchestra 'I Musici'. Scroll down the members page and see the Storioni Cello as well.

[Ken Smith]

Antoni Torelló, a Catalan and formerly Principal of the Philly Orchestra.



Three strings? Is that what he's playing? Christopher Williams from Barcelona was right on target in his post above (post#78, last page).

[Nick Hart]

Hey Ken -

Grillo said:

Beautiful Storioni, with best wishes from him and then the date.

[Ken Smith]

Thx guys. I knew it was something close to that but wanted to get his actual words. I guess he either believes it's a real Storioni or is just being polite. I guess if it was a Spanish Bass like the one Torello is playing (I think it's Spanish) then Grillo might have mentioned it, but then again maybe not. His Bass however is beautiful looking.

[Brian Glassman]

Ken, I just played in a Strauss Waltz Orch on New Year'sDay w/ Dennis Masuzzo (the big 5ths tuning advocate) in the section and he had a beautiful cornerless Italian that is supposedly from 1833 by Vincenzo Lucarini. I wish I had taken a picture of it. It has a similar shape to Mr. Grillo's bass and had a very fine sound and spread throughout the room. My Prescott held it's own next to it along w/ a really nice old Italian violin cornered bass that was from the late 1700's.

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Brian Glassman

Ken, I just played in a Strauss Waltz Orch on New Year'sDay w/ Dennis Masuzzo (the big 5ths tuning advocate) in the section and he had a beautiful cornerless Italian that is supposedly from 1833 by Vincenzo Lucarini. I wish I had taken a picture of it. It has a similar shape to Mr. Grillo's bass and had a very fine sound and spread throughout the room. My Prescott held it's own next to it along w/ a really nice old Italian violin cornered bass that was from the late 1700's.

Here's one I found from Italy, c.1840 but reported stolen in 2002;



Label Vincenzo Lucarini
Fecit in Faentae 1840

[Ken Smith]

One of the greatest makers in the 19th century, Giuseppe Baldontoni. This Bass from 1850.



This is the 3rd Baldontoni I have seen. Great looking Basses.

[Brian Glassman]

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Here's one I found from Italy, c.1840 but reported stolen in 2002;



Label Vincenzo Lucarini
Fecit in Faentae 1840

I do not think that is Dennis' bass. His is squatier shaped in the lower bouts and I belive he's had it longer than 2002.

BG