All Rise...

Judge David Johnson is master of the wooden block.

The Charge

A couple of plucky Italian crafstmen.

The Case

What are your thoughts on violins? Do you enjoy them? Would you consider yourself a fan? Do you have photos of various violins hanging from ratty clotheslines in your apartment? Then this DVD is for you!

From the eggheads at PBS comes Violin Masters: Two Gentlemen of Cremona, an hour-long documentary that examines the art and science that goes into violin craftsmanship.

This hot violin info is grounded in an exhaustive profile of two legendary violinmakers: Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu. The former is likely known to non-violinistas, the latter is more of an under-the-radar craftsman but highly well-regarded in his own right.

Violin Masters utilizes a mixture of precise Alfred Molina narration, interviews with historians and musicians, and candid violin-playing footage to tell its story. The DVD case makes a big deal of noting that interviewees include Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, Midori, and Joshua Bell, who (for the viol-inclined) are good gets.

As is usually the case with these PBS releases, the subjects are so specific that fans of the spotlighted topic are likely to get the most out of it. But Violin Masters is a feature executed nicely enough that anyone interested in its unique subject matter will be pleased—especially if you find yourself relatively ensconced in the gravitational pull of musicianship.

A No-frills DVD: standard definition 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, Dolby 5.1 Surround (surprise!), no extras.

The Verdict

Nobody's stringing you along here.

Give us your feedback!

Did we give Violin Masters: Two Gentlemen of Cremona a fair trial? yes / no

What's "fair"? Whether positive or negative, our reviews should be unbiased, informative, and critique the material on its own merits.

Share This Review

Follow DVD Verdict

Other Reviews You Might Enjoy

• Heinrich Himmler: Anatomy Of A Mass Murderer
• Jim Morrison: His Final Hours
• Depeche Mode: Songs Of Faith And Devotion
• The History Channel Presents: The Race To The Moon