Sesto Rocchi

Infobox Person
name = Sesto Rocchi


caption =
birth_date = 1909
birth_place = Reggio Emilia
death_date = 1991
death_place =
other_names =
known_for =
occupation = Violin maker
nationality = Italian

Sesto Rocchi [ [http://www.arteliutaria.it/photo/quartquint_rocchi_2.jpgSesto Rocchi photo] ] (1909 – 1991) was a violin maker from Reggio Emilia in Italy.

Biography

Sesto Rocchi (1909 – 1991) was born in Reggio Emilia, Italy. He started his violin making studies at the School of Violin Making at the Conservatory of Music in Parma under Gaetano Sgarabotto. After approximately 6 years of study, he moved to Milan to further his learning with Leandro Bisiach. [cite news | url=http://www.maestronet.com/m_library/world_strings/fall83.pdf | title=Bisiach Family | publisher=William Moening & Sons Ltd. | author=Philip J. Kass| date=1983 | accessdate=2007-04-05] Between 1956 and 1988 Sesto served on every prestigious violin making body including an appointment (1980) as the custodian of the Niccolò Paganini Guaneri del Gesu “Canon”.

He acquired over 17 international competition awards for his violins from 1952 – 1966. Sesto Rocchi made as many as ten quartets and a few antiqued instruments following in the steps of his masters, Sgarabotto and Bisiach. His experience in the Leandro Bisiach [cite news | url=http://www.maestronet.com/m_library/world_strings/fall83.pdf | title=Bisiach Family | publisher=William Moening & Sons Ltd. | author=Philip J. Kass| date=1983 | accessdate=2007-04-05] workshop where he made many instruments and where he could observe and copy antique instruments was extremely useful to his own career.

Rocchi Honored

To mark the 50th anniversary of the foundation of their club, the members of the Rotary of Reggio Emilia in Italy organized a tribute (in the spring of 1999) to noteworthy personalities of their town, including violin maker Sesto Rocchi (1909–1991). Rocchi’s work contributed to the rebirth of violin making in the region after the difficult times of World War II. [ [http://www.stringsmagazine.com/issues/strings80/MarketReport.shtml All Things Strings: Market Report ] ]

Quotes

"Sesto Rocchi’s inborn capacities, his personal involvement, the passion that inhabited him, but mostly the teachings that he received from Gaetano Sgarabotto in Parma and Leandro Bisiach [cite news | url=http://www.maestronet.com/m_library/world_strings/fall83.pdf | title=Bisiach Family | publisher=William Moening & Sons Ltd. | author=Philip J. Kass| date=1983 | accessdate=2007-04-05] in Milan helped him become one of the best Italian contemporary makers. His curious mind was always on alert, and his receptive attitude toward young people interested in violin making was remarkable."

—Gualtiero Nicolini, president of ALI (Associazione Liutaria Italiana), a teacher at the Cremona School of Violin Making, and an author of books on lutherie. [ [http://www.stringsmagazine.com/issues/strings80/MarketReport.shtml All Things Strings: Market Report ] ]

"I feel proud to have had him as a colleague and then as a friend. The legacy left by Rocchi demonstrates that even in the 20th century, it is possible to conduct the activities of a violin maker with nobility."

—Gianfranco Boretti, author of a book on Rocchi "Life for Violin Making". [http://www.stringsmagazine.com/issues/strings80/MarketReport.shtml]

Instruments

"His work is very precise and the varnish varies from a warm orange to brownish red. He was constantly occupied with varnish experiments and research. He used Stradivarian "Amatise" and Guarneri models. The sonority is always excellent". - 'Liuteria Italiana vol. 1' - Eric Blot [http://www.ericblot.com] 1994

"Rocchi is considered one of the finest modern Italian makers and many of his instruments are now being copied by shops and makers" - Life for Violin Making by Gianfranco Boretti [http://www.stringsmagazine.com/issues/strings80/MarketReport.shtml]

Viewed below, is a very fine example of this master's work. Sesto Rocchi violin 1975 made for his daughter.

References

[cite news | url=http://www.maestronet.com/m%5Flibrary/world_strings/index.cfm | title=Selected World of Strings Newsletters | publisher=William Moening & Sons Ltd. | author=Philip J. Kass| date=1982 | accessdate=2007-04-05]

* [http://www.arteliutaria.it/photo/quartquint_rocchi_2.jpgSesto Rocchi photo]
* [http://www.liuteria-parmense.com/eng/storia_900.htm Liuteria Parmense]

*Italian & French Makers - Jost Thoene vol. 3

*Dictionary of 20th Century Italian Violin Makers - Marlin Brinser 1978

*STRINGS' August/September 1999

*cite book | last=Blot | first=Eric | chapter=Emilia e Romagna I | title=Un secolo di liuteria italiana, 1860-1960 - A century of Italian violin making | location=Cremona | publisher=Turris | year=1994 | isbn=8879290266

*

*

*cite book
last = Boretti
first = Gianfranco
date=1994
title = A Life for Violin Making / Una Vita Per La Liuteria
publisher = TURRIS - CREMONA
location= Italy
pages=159
language=Italian & English
id = ISBN 88-7929-058-4

Persondata
NAME=Rocchi, Sesto
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Violin maker
DATE OF BIRTH=1909
PLACE OF BIRTH=Reggio Emilia
DATE OF DEATH=1991
PLACE OF DEATH=