‘I first met John Dilworth in 1979 when he made a quite exquisite
copy of my early Venetian viola. Apart from its beautiful appearance, this reproduction
has a fine tone and I have used it on many occasions. Since that time John has
made many fine instruments and many reproductions of a Maggini viola which I
also owned at one time. It has always been a pleasure to recommend John’s
instruments to colleagues past and present, and indeed we currently have three
Dilworth instruments in the ECO’
Quintin Ballardie OBE
FRAM
Director of the English Chamber Orchestra
‘I have been lucky enough to own two of John’s
violas, Maggini and Grancino model instruments. These are always a delight
to play due to the rich palette of colours they produce across the whole
range of the instrument with great ease. They are both finme examples
of the work of a master craftsman’
Johnathan Barritt
Principal violist, English Chamber Orchestra
Professor at the Royal College of Music
‘For the last ten years I have played almost
exclusively on my ‘Dilworth’ cello, a beautifully crafted
copy of the ‘Gore-Booth’ Stradivari. From the outset I was
impressed by its rich, full, but never strident tone, its evenness across
the whole range, and its ability to carry in orchestral solos in the
largest concert halls. It gives me immense pleasure to play in solo,
chamber and orchestral performances and continues to draw praise from
colleagues and audiences alike.’
Graham Bradshaw
Co-principal ‘cellist, BBC Symphony Orchestra
‘…in the world of modern instruments his
violins are unparalleled. They already sound ‘old’ when they
are brand new. Mine is no exception, and my last fourteen years with
it have been decisive. Monsieur Dilworth est sans pareil!’
Christian
Garrick
Jazz violinist extraordinaire
‘I have been playing a Maggini model viola made
by John Dilworth for over three years. Right from the start it had a
warm, even and very clear sound. The tone blends beautifully in an orchestral
section as well as projecting very clearly when playing solo. John is
a real craftsman. Using well-chosen wood enhanced by a beautiful varnish,
everything adds up to a viola that is as good to look at as it is to
play.’
Martin Kelly
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Academy of Ancient Music
‘Finding a viola with a ‘baroque’ set-up
is no easy thing. During the nineteenth century, most violas were ‘modernised’ and
made smaller- so finding an instrument and then restoring it to its original
set-up is a risky business. The ‘baroque’ viola that John
made for me is an ideal solution. Based on John’s highly successful ‘Maggini’ model,
my viola is a delight to play- it ‘speaks’ easily, has beautiful
tone quality throughout the range, and looks like a viola that might
have been made in Bach’s day.’
Nicholas Logie
Academy of Ancient Music and English Baroque Soloists
‘I have had the opportunity both to play and
hear John’s instruments in performance, and have thus learned that
when created by a master luthier, a modern violin, viola or cello can
possess the mellowness, soulfulness and maturity of sound more readily
associated with the old masters. I cannot recommend them highly enough’
Richard Markson
Cello soloist and conductor
Senior Fellow of Trinity College of
Music, London
‘John is an exceptional craftsman and restorer,
someone I trust implicitly with my instrument’
Lawrence Power
Viola soloist, Nash Ensemble and Leopold Trio
Links
Christian Garrick http://www.chrisgarrick.com
Benjamin Harte http://www.benjaminharte.co.uk
Tamsin Waley-Cohen http://www.tamsinwaleycohen.com
Brompton's Auctioneers http://bromptonsdirect.com
 The
Strad Magazine http://www.thestrad.com
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