A Cultural History of the Violin in Nineteenth-Century London: From Instrument to Art

Tom Wilder
Boydell Press · 352 pp · ISBN 9781837652587 · £95

A Cultural History of the Violin in Nineteenth-Century London: From Instrument to Art – History

In A Cultural History of the Violin in Nineteenth-Century London: From Instrument to Art, Tom Wilder offers a deeply researched and intellectually ambitious exploration of how the violin evolved, during the 19th century, from a functional musical instrument into a highly fetishised cultural artefact.

Opening with the observation that “objects are not what they were made to be, but what they have become,” Wilder frames his study around a central transformation: the shift from valuing violins primarily for their tonal qualities to revering them as visual, historical, and symbolic objects. This metamorphosis, he argues, was not accidental, but the result of complex interactions between musicians, makers, dealers, collectors, institutions, and the press.

Wilder’s work sits deliberately at the crossroads of anthropology, art history, museum studies, and musicology, adopting a synchronic approach that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. Rather than focusing narrowly on makers or performers alone, he situates the violin within broader social, cultural, and economic currents—examining how developments in journalism, commerce, public institutions, education, and restoration practices shaped the instrument’s cultural status.

The book’s geographical and temporal focus is 19th-century London, a period when the city emerged as a global hub of the international violin trade. Firms such as W.E. Hill & Sons catered to a large, cosmopolitan clientele of players and collectors, helping to establish London as a centre of expertise, connoisseurship, and market authority.

Structurally, the volume is underpinned by Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of the “field of cultural production”, in which various agents compete and collaborate to assign meaning and value to cultural objects. Wilder applies this framework effectively, identifying performers, teachers, journalists, curators, collectors, makers, restorers, auctioneers, and dealers as key actors in the violin’s redefinition.

Across eight chapters, the book traces how these agents—sometimes consciously, sometimes inadvertently—contributed to the canonisation of the classical violin. The opening chapter examines the separation of art and craft during the 19th century and how musicians and collectors began to elevate certain instruments into an elite canon. Subsequent chapters explore how performers and teachers shaped public perception by playing, teaching, and trading violins, particularly as the availability of inexpensive factory-made instruments expanded access to musical education.

A pivotal role is assigned to the specialist violin press, whose influence extended beyond reporting into shaping taste and authority. Wilder demonstrates how tightly interconnected networks of dealers, collectors, and connoisseurs steered discourse, reinforcing particular narratives of value and authenticity.

Museum culture also emerges as a crucial force. The establishment of both public and private collections helped solidify the violin’s status as an object worthy of display, study, and reverence. This institutionalisation, Wilder argues, further distanced the instrument from its purely functional origins.

One of the book’s most compelling chapters addresses the sanctification of Cremonese violins. Through the work of makers and restorers, these instruments became templates of perfection. Restoration techniques evolved not only to preserve playability, but also to conceal damage, extend perceived longevity, and—critically—enhance market value.

The final sections examine the growing commercialisation of the violin trade and the emergence of connoisseurship as a form of market control. In this context, W.E. Hill & Sons occupy a central position. Wilder’s analysis of the firm reveals a business model that was simultaneously authoritative, manipulative, and outwardly dignified—shaping taste while presenting itself as an impartial guardian of tradition.

Minor criticisms include some repetition in the conclusion and the heavy use of footnotes, which occasionally interrupt the flow of Wilder’s otherwise elegant prose. Readers may also wish for more extensive use of the Hills’ diaries, which could have added further texture to an already rich narrative.

Nonetheless, this is a stimulating, candid, and meticulously documented study. Wilder’s willingness to reflect critically on his own trade—as an experienced violin maker and dealer—adds credibility and depth. Supported by a substantial bibliography, a detailed index, and 37 monochrome illustrations, the book stands as a significant contribution to violin scholarship.

For musicians, makers, historians, and collectors alike, A Cultural History of the Violin in Nineteenth-Century Londonoffers not just a history of an instrument, but a revealing account of how cultural value itself is constructed.

— The Violin Post Editorial Staff