reached Rome, Venice and France. Gasparo da Salò's instruments were probably exported to France by Abramo Tieffenbrucker, as is indicated by the Policy of 1588, wherein some exports to France are documented (probably in particular of the model called by Monteverdi "violin piccoli alla francese" or "little violins in the French style"), as well as other surviving documents. It is also known that da Salò bought strings and precious woods for his art from Rome and Venice around this time. Income from the business enabled him to acquire extensive landholdings in the territory of Calvagese, with adjoining manor houses and farmhouses. Gasparo da Salò is known to have provided substantial assistance to his sister Ludovica, and acted as guardian to the three sons of his wife's brother, Rocco Cassetti, presumed dead, along with his own wife, in the plague of 1577. He died on 14 April 1609. A short death notice of the time reads: "Messer Gasparo Bertolotti maestro di violini is dead & buried in Santo Joseffo." The exact location is not known where his remains lie among the graves of the Brescian musical pantheon, in company with Antegnati Costanzo, Don Cesare Bolognini and Benedetto Marcello. It is considered likely that they lie in the common grave of the carpenter's guild. Artistic life It is debatable whether Gasparo da Salò or others like Gasparo Duiffopruggar or Andrea Amati were the first to produce the violin in its modern form; certainly Gasparo developed an instrument of modern character, with very quick response and a powerful tone. It is believed that the mystery of the large increase in power and projection of violas da braccio and violins of the time, sought and developed by luthiers like da Salò, is explained by the necessity of being heard while playing in mixed ensembles alongside cornettos and trombones in open air places like St. Mark Square in Venice during processions. It appears Gasparo da Salò's patterns were later studied by Stradivari between 1690 and 1700 for the violin type referred to as the "Long Strad," one of the master's most distinguished and desirable models. There is reason to believe that Brescian instruments were in fact the most popular and sought after throughout Europe in the Renaissance period, as they were more requested in high musical courts than Cremonese ones until 1630, when the plague killed the best known Brescian masters, after which time Cremona