More than a century ago, La Crosse was home to a violin-maker, Ole Tollefson. Tollefson was born in Norway in 1853. At the age of 3, he sailed with his parents to the U.S. The family settled in ...

Robert Gordon III can hear, and even see, the music inside a piece of wood before he transforms it into a finished violin. To demonstrate how, Gordon, a second-generation luthier, twisted a Douglas ...

Historical background -- Stradivari's workshop materials -- The violin forms and patterns -- Violin fittings and setup -- The dance master's kit -- The viola da gamba and viola d'amore -- The lute -- ...