​Peter Paul Prier, Salt Lake City, 1970

Peter Paul Prier (b.1942, d.2015) was an extremely influential violinmaker in the United States. A German immigrant who studied at the violinmaking school in Mittenwald, he founded the “Violinmaking School of America” in Salt Lake City in the early 70s where he handled many great Italian masterworks. Most of todays’ American makers (and many dealers) have studied with Prier including the renowned Samuel Zygumutowicz and our own Charles Liu. The late Joseph Silverstein stated that Prier’s work was “the gold standard” in the US and throughout the world. Although many instruments from the violin making school bear his name on the label, this violin was made personally by Peter Prier. It boasts lovely materials, beautiful translucent varnish on a golden ground and has extraordinary workmanship. It is also imbued with some personality. Many professional violinists use his instruments today and this Guarneri del Gesu model would be best suited to an active performer looking for a slightly compact instrument with a big sound. Its tone is robust is very robust and direct and it plays very comfortably.

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