Ernst Heinrich Roth

1877 – 1948

 

Ernst Heinrich Roth was born in Markneukirchen in 1877. Early on, Roth trained as a musician, and learned to play learned to play the piano, trumpet, viola, violin and cello. He had perfect pitch and an excellent sense of craftsmanship. Roth learned the art of instrument making from his father, Gustav Robert Roth. Roth established his own workshop (E.H. Roth Workshop) in 1920 alongside his cousin Gustav August Ficker. The workshop was very successful in the early 20th century, drawing in customers from all over Europe.

Roth instruments are often modeled after great Italian makers like Stradivari, Guarneri, and Amati. His instruments show a remarkable sense of craftsmanship and a deep understanding of tonality and sound quality. His instruments usually have a reddish-brown, oil based varnish. Though his firm produced hundreds of instruments, those made by Roth himself are considered highest quality.