Hill, W.E. & Sons

views updated

Hill, W.E. & Sons

Hill, W.E. & Sons, firm of violin makers and music dealers in London. The founder of the firm was Joseph Hill (1715-84). He was an apprentice to Peter Wamsley, and established his business in 1750. He had 5 sons, who were violinists. William Ebsworth Hill , a great-grandson of the founder (b. London, Oct. 20, 1817; d. Hanley, April 2, 1895), adopted the present name of the firm; his instruments took 1st prize at the expositions in London (1851) and Paris (1867). His sons, William Henry HillM (b. London, June 3, 1857; d. there, Jan. 20, 1927), Arthur Frederick Hill (b. London, Jan. 24, 1860; d. there, Feb. 5, 1939), and Alfred Ebsworth Hill (b. London, Feb. 11, 1862; d. there, April 21, 1940), collaborated in the writing of Antonio Stradivari, His Life and Work (London, 1902). William H., Arthur F., and Alfred E. Hill also wrote The Violin-Makers of the Guarneri Family (London, 1931). The Ashmolean Museum at Oxford contains a valuable collection of stringed instruments, including a 1716 Stradivari violin with a bow dated 1694, presented by Arthur F. Hill. The firm continued under the direction of the descendants of the founder, Andrew Hill (b. London, July 3, 1942) and David Hill (b. London, Feb. 28, 1952).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire