Marino Capicchioni was born in Santa Mustiola in Republic of San Marino in 1895. Based in Rimini from 1932, acquiring medals in competitions and exhibitions in Italy, he became a violin maker of which artwork was demanded by top-ranked musicians in and outside Italy.
This violin was made in 1956 during his golden period. Clad in vivid red varnish, its sound has gorgeous strength as well as deep and warm feeling. When finishing the varnish foundation, he applied his own style to make winter growth rings of the spruce outstand, which consequently gives the instrument a majestic atmosphere.
This violin was used exclusively by Felix Ayo, a celebrated violinist, for more than 17 years as his main instrument in many recordings and concerts.
In 1955, he first met a Capicchioni violin made in 1939 by borrowing it from one of his friends, Anna Maria Cotogni, a violinist, to record Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons,” and then he immediately decided he wanted to own a Capicchioni. The next year, in 1956, Ayo visited Capicchioni in Rimini to take the newly finished violin. It has been said its varnish was still not completely dried, but he played it and got deeply satisfied with its warm and charming sound.
It is said that Henryk Szeryng, a great violinist of the identical time, said to the sound technician of Philips, trying to explain what sound he wanted in a recording.
“I want sounds of the violin like one owned by Felix Ayo!”