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diff --git a/36535-h/36535-h.htm b/36535-h/36535-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1d64cee --- /dev/null +++ b/36535-h/36535-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4334 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<!-- $Id: header.txt 236 2009-12-07 18:57:00Z vlsimpson $ --> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Antonio Stradivari, by Horace Petherick. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + +p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + +hr {width: 33%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} + +table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + +p.cap:first-letter { float: left; clear: left; + margin: 0 0.1em 0 0; + padding:0; + line-height: .9em; font-size: 250%; } + +a {text-decoration: none;} + +.hang {text-indent: -2em;} + +.pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} + +.blockquot {margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + +.subtitle {text-indent: -2em; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.u {text-decoration: underline;} + +.caption {font-weight: bold; text-align: center;} + +.figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + +.big {font-size: 125%;} +.huge {font-size: 150%;} +.giant {font-size: 200%;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Antonio Stradivari, by Horace William Petherick + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Antonio Stradivari + +Author: Horace William Petherick + +Release Date: June 26, 2011 [EBook #36535] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ANTONIO STRADIVARI *** + + + + +Produced by Linda Cantoni, David E. Brown, Bryan Ness and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + +<p class="center"><span class="giant">ANTONIO STRADIVARI.</span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center">PRINTED BY E. SHORE AND CO.,<br/> +3, GREEN TERRACE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, LONDON, E.C.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x"></a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/frontispiece.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">HORACE PETHERICK.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="u"><i>"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VIII.</i></span></p> +<p> </p> +<p class="center"><span class="giant">ANTONIO STRADIVARI,</span></p> +<p> </p> +<p class="center">BY</p> +<p> </p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">HORACE PETHERICK.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Of the Music Jury, International Inventions Exhibition,<br/> +South Kensington, 1885; International Exhibition,<br /> +Edinburgh, 1890; Expert in Law Courts, 1891;<br /> +Vice-President of the Cremona Society.</i></p> +<p> </p> +<p class="center"><span class="big">COPYRIGHT.</span></p> +<p> </p> +<p class="center">London:<br /> +"THE STRAD" <span class="smcap">Office, 3. Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.</span><br /> +E. DONAJOWSKI, <span class="smcap">26, Castle Street, Berners Street, W.</span><br /> +D. R. DUNCAN, <span class="smcap">186, Fleet Street, E.C.</span><br /> +<br /> +1900</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CONTENTS.</span></p> + +<p> </p> +<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" summary="table"> + + +<tr><td> </td><td align="right"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center"><span class="big"><a href="#Page_1">CHAPTER I.</a></span></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td><p class="hang">Date and Place of Birth of Antonio Stradivari—His Instructor +in the Art of Violin Making—Peculiarity of His Early +Work, Nothing Striking, but Slowly Progressive—Which +of the Designs of His Master He was Most Impressed +by, and His Own Modifications for Improvement—His +Departure from the House of His Master Free to Carry +Out His Own Inclinations</p></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center"><span class="big"><a href="#Page_8">CHAPTER II.</a></span></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td><p class="hang">Details of Further Improvements upon His New Designs—Modification +of the Soundholes—The Amati Varnish and +Stradivari's—His Secrecy of Method in Working—His +Knowledge of What was Wanted and Efforts at Advance +in Tone Quality</p></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_8">8</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td align="center"><span class="big"><a href="#Page_13">CHAPTER III.</a></span></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td><p class="hang">The Date of the True Stradivarian Individuality—Alterations +in Design—Proportions Settled for Good—The Exceptions—The +"Long Strad"—The "Inlaid Strads"—An +Acknowledged Master of His Art—Black Edging—The +Arching and Channelling—The Brescians, the Amatis and +Stradivari</p></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_13">13</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center"><span class="big"><a href="#Page_19">CHAPTER IV.</a></span></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td><p class="hang">Lesser Known Patterns of Stradivari—The Treatment of the +Scroll by Him—The Individuality and Maturing of the +Style—The Purfling</p></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center"><span class="big"><a href="#Page_22">CHAPTER V.</a></span></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td><p class="hang">Stradivari's Great Success—His So-called "Grand Epoch"—His +Patrons—His Violins Reputed for Tone when Quite +New and Sought After—The Help He Received—His +Assistants and Pupils—Parts of the Work Requiring His +Individual Touch—The Members of His Family who may +have Assisted Him—Stradivari's Varnish—His Imitators</p></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_22">22</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center"><span class="big"><a href="#Page_42">CHAPTER VI.</a></span></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td><p class="hang">Some Modifications in Stradivari's Works—Variation in Finish +of Details—The Interior of His Violins—The Blocks and +Linings—The Bar—Thicknesses of the Tables—Heads or +Scrolls of His Different Periods</p></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center"><span class="big"><a href="#Page_56">CHAPTER VII.</a></span></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td><p class="hang">Stradivari's Tone and System—Those of His Pupils and +Assistants—Qualities of Tone Produced in Different +Localities</p></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_56">56</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center"><span class="big"><a href="#Page_70">CHAPTER VIII.</a></span></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td><p class="hang">The Reputed Golden Period of Stradivari Late in Life—His +Later Modifications of Design—Signs of Old Age Appearing—The +Help He Received</p></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_70">70</a></td></tr> +<tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr> +<tr><td align="center"><span class="big"><a href="#Page_79">CHAPTER IX.</a></span></td><td> </td></tr> + +<tr><td><p class="hang">Evidences in Stradivari's Work of Old Age—His Death and +Burial—Work Left by Him—The Advance in Value of His +Work Since His Decease</p></td><td align="right" valign="bottom"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr></table> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">LIST OF PLATES.</span></p> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="5" summary="table"> + +<tr><td>PORTRAIT OF HORACE PETHERICK</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_x"><i>Frontispiece.</i></a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>PORTRAIT OF ANTONIO STRADIVARI</td><td align="right"> <i>To face page</i><a href="#Page_1"> 1</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>THE HOUSE OF STRADIVARI</td><td align="right">"<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_4">4</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td>STRADIVARI'S WORKSHOP</td><td align="right">"<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_5">6</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td>PATTERNS OF VIOLINS</td><td align="right"><i>page</i> <a href="#Page_6">6</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>ILLUSTRATIONS OF SOUNDHOLES</td><td align="right"> <i>To face page</i> <a href="#Page_48">48</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td>ILLUSTRATIONS OF SCROLLS, FIG. <i>a.</i></td><td align="right">"<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 2.75em;">FIG. <i>b.</i></span></td><td align="right">"<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_50">52</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 2.75em;">FIG. <i>c.</i></span></td><td align="right">"<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_51">54</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td><span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 3.5em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 2.75em;">FIG. <i>d.</i></span></td><td align="right">"<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_51">56</a></span></td></tr> + +<tr><td>CHURCH OF ST. DOMENICO, CREMONA</td><td align="right">"<span style="margin-left: 2em;">"</span><span style="margin-left: 1em;"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></span></td></tr></table> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">PREFACE.</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="cap">IT was in the month of April, 1898, when <span class="smcap">The Strad</span> +monthly magazine had completed its eighth year +of issue, that the Editor Suggested that then might +be an appropriate time for giving a biographical sketch +of the great Cremonese master in serial form, expressed +in a manner interesting and instructive as possible. +With this view I took up the subject with some enthusiasm +and proposed to work upon lines which I +believed to be bound by truth. All references to +peculiarities in connection with Stradivari's designs, +construction and purposes should be the result of my +own personal observation during many years of experience +as connoisseur and expert. In formulating my +results of study of a great number—possibly the majority—of +the instruments of the master extant—I have +abstained as far as possible from using technical terms +not readily comprehended by a reader coming newly to +the subject, and I trust all persons reading through the +matter now collected, added to, and presented in book +form, will find their time not mis-spent at least when +they arrive at the conclusion.</p> + +<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Horace Petherick.</span></p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 2em;">Croydon.</span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">INTRODUCTION.</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="cap">IT was during the second half of the sixteenth century +that the violin, with its well recognised combined +excellences of artistic form and musical sonority, +was started on its way in the world to supply a want and +prove its fitness as a leading instrument at once and for +future times. So happily was this effected, so complete +and mature was it in conception, that the advancing +intellect of three centuries has proved incompetent to +insert any fresh and permanent addition to its original +simple arrangement. Precisely as it came from the +hands of an artistic and inventive genius in the city of +Brescia so we have it now, unchanged in its essential +details of construction, although having its natural +qualities made more evident after undergoing the modern +adjustment with regard to accessories of detail, or regulation +as it is termed. This has been effected by simply +enlarging some parts for the purpose of allowing more +freedom and convenience in the execution of more +modern music, its elaboration of rhythm, besides the +extended range of notes in the higher positions of the +register, necessitating this. As might have been expected +in connection with the then still living Renaissance +period, on the violin making its appearance it was soon +taken in hand by men of superlative talent, who stamped +it with their own individuality in which was a marvellous +perception of artistic quality. All that was to be +done by means of proportion, form and colour, not setting +aside the essentials of refined sonority, were combined, +each aiding in the grand total and producing that known +and so much sought after at the present day—a beautiful +Italian violin. For about a century or more many +Italian liutaros were busily engaged in sending forth +under competition works which are now by the cognoscenti +treated as unrivalled excellence of quality, +classical, and the outcome of genius. Each worker +being anxious to maintain the standard of excellence, or +take a step forward in the practice of their art, the +culminating point seems to have been reached when the +artist under consideration in the following pages was +executing his masterpieces in Cremona.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/sradavarius_playing.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">ANTONIO STRADIVARI.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">ANTONIO STRADIVARI.</span></p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHAPTER I.</span></p> + +<p class="subtitle"><span class="smcap">Date and Place of Birth of Antonio Stradivari—His +Instructor in the Art of Violin Making—Peculiarity +of his Early Work, Nothing +Striking, but Slowly Progressive—Which of +the Designs of his Master he was most Impressed +by, and his Own Modifications for +Improvement—His Departure from the House +of his Master, Free to Carry Out his own +Inclinations.</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="cap">THE year 1614, although not particularly noticeable +at the time for its portentous events, was destined +to be one of considerable interest to those who are +enthusiastic lovers of the delightful quality of sound +emitted by a certain section—and that only—of a class +of stringed instruments which have made the city of +Cremona famous throughout the civilised world. For in +that city and in that year was born a male child, whose +surname was eventually to eclipse by its own refulgence +the renown of the city itself. Its paternal name was +Stradivari, people trouble themselves very little about +the prefix Antonio, common enough in Italy, and which +was the Christian name given him by his parents. Of +these we can only say, that as might be supposed, they +were of a respectable portion of the middle class socially +considered and from which have sprung all over the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +world—with few exceptions—the greatest luminaries of +the whole firmament of intellect.</p> + +<p>Of his private life during manhood we know very +little, of his boyhood nothing. But we may fairly and +truly draw our conclusions that as the time arrived when +he was supposed fit for training to fight life's battle, he +had already exhibited talent indicative of fitness for +that artistic branch of industry in which he was hereafter +to be the world-wide acknowledged head.</p> + +<p>That his special abilities were thoroughly recognised +by his parents receives much emphasis from the fact of +his being offered to, and received as pupil by, Nicolas +Amati, greatest of that great family of stringed instrument +makers. Young Antonio was thus placed in the +most favourable situation possible for the fructifying and +development of his own particular talents. That portion +of his life which was spent with the great master of line +in violin facture, will, probably, in its details always +remain a blank to us: but there is a lightning like flash +thrown out by the fact of old Nicolas Amati bequeathing +his collection of tools, patterns, etc., to Antonio Stradivari, +and, be it noticed, not to his own son, then over +thirty years of age. That the future master of his craft +had been a steady and beloved pupil of his great teacher, +there is no room for doubt; indeed, steadiness, fixity of +purpose and honest intention, are manifested in his work +during the whole of his career. The earliest of his +handiwork has become known to us while he was with +Nicolas Amati. In this he exhibits extreme delicacy of +handling, and seemingly, in the confidence of his master, +certain little modifications in the design of the sound +holes were permitted, or perhaps passed as improvements, +but there is nothing eccentric or extravagant introduced, +a gentle addition, or a trifle less here and there, being the +way in which he ever cautiously worked out his idea of +improvement, and this latter seems to have been the +moving spirit during his whole life.</p> + +<p>At no time do we meet with sudden departures, or +what are sometimes termed flashes of genius—the on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span>ward +progress of his style of design and its execution was +as unimpassioned as his life was uneventful. When we +examine the earliest known work of his hand—it may be +observed on some of the late violins of his master—there +is plainly perceptible the efforts at excelling where at all +possible; and if, as is extremely probable—his master +was sometimes desirous that the purfling should be somewhat +bolder than was to the taste of his refined pupil, +this was inserted with a delicacy and precision beyond +what had been before deemed the acme of finish.</p> + +<p>His departure from the house of Nicolas Amati had to +be taken some day in the ordinary course of events, and +he would then act alone in competition among the growing +swarms of makers who were now busy as bees in +most parts of Italy. The start is generally reckoned to +have occurred between the years 1664 and 1666, it may +have been in 1665, when he had reached his twenty-first +year.</p> + +<p>That old Nicolas Amati was right in his estimate that +young Antonio Stradivari's natural abilities augured +well for his success as a liutaro, was now to be proven. +With the best possible recommendation—that of being +trained by the most distinguished maker of the city—he +carried others no less necessary for the long course of +thought and labour that he was about to enter upon. +These were, an earnest desire for improvement in all his +undertakings, natural, indigenous ability for tasteful +design and its mechanical execution and the power of +steady concentration of the faculties, backed up withal +by a sound, physical constitution in which "nerves of +iron" must have been a conspicuous element.</p> + +<p>To those who at the time may have been looking +forward with some speculation as to what young Stradivari +would put forth now that his course was free and untrammelled +before him, there was probably some disappointment +at finding no signs of striking originality, no +spasmodic struggles of genius to assert itself by throwing +aside those individualities, general and detailed, which +were so well marked in the work of his great teacher,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +and which as pupil he had been studiously and conscientiously +carrying out. On the contrary, his efforts +seem to have been rather to draw the mantle thrown by +his master closer around him than to dispense with any +part of its protective power. Thus we see in his works +of this period which have remained to us, very little more +than replicas of those of his master in which he for some +years perhaps had taken no inconsiderable part. But +in doing this, the intention and power of selection guided +by sound judgment at once asserted itself. He did not +take that pattern known to us moderns by the name of +"grand," and which term was in all likelihood quite +unthought of by either himself or his master. Who +invented it is a question that may be left complacently +to the bookworm of the future.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/strad_shop.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">THE HOUSE OF ANTONIO STRADIVARI.</p> + +<p>There is really nothing in the so-called "grand" +pattern of Nicolas Amati that seems to agree happily +with that title, it is, on the other hand, one in which the +love of dainty elegance of contour has been allowed +almost unrestricted play by its author, and to an extent +undreamt of before. He perceived, however, that there +was a limit, a step further, and disaster would be certain; +Nicolas was sufficiently wide awake not to take it, but +left it for his hosts of imitators, many of whom, not +gifted with the same perspicuity, "rushed in where +angels fear to tread," their just reward being laughter +and derision. The attainment of elegance at the expense +of strength and stability was not at all in agreement with +Stradivari's artistic tastes, and we accordingly have no +evidence of his having touched the so-called "Grand +Amati;" that which he did take up with was less complex +in the subdivision of its curves, and a more simple +looking thing altogether. To him it may have seemed +to have more of the true characteristic quality always +accompanying the grand in art, that of simplicity. It +was this pattern, and this only, so far as our information +goes—that Stradivari took as the basis on which any +future developments should be grounded. He worked +upon it for some time seemingly to his own contentment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +and probably the satisfaction of his patrons, these being +sufficiently numerous and influential to enable him ere +many years had passed to think of purchasing a house.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> +This he accomplished in the year 1680, when he was +thirty-six years of age. Now be it noted Stradivari had +been working on the simplest of Amati patterns for fourteen +years, and during that time from his steady industry +the number of violins, besides other instruments of the +family, which left his atelier must have been very large. +The similarity in type and regularity of excellence in +finished workmanship was almost enough to have +impressed the connoisseurs of the day that there was no +originality or speculation in the maker, but it was just +about this time that the independency of thought began +to manifest itself; it was almost as if the acquisition of +the freehold property had stimulated the self-reliance +which had no doubt always been present, but which was +now to show itself more clearly in his art. He had been +in practise long and successfully enough to give a right +claim to mastership. The veteran Nicolas Amati, who +was now over eighty years of age, had probably been +doing little or nothing for some time, and so his pupil, +with all his admiration for the retiring chief, felt at full +liberty to do really as he liked.</p> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xi" id="Page_xi"></a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/strad_worshop.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">STRADIVARI'S WORKSHOP.</p> + +<p class="blockquot">[Our illustration of Stradivari's atelier is from a painting by +Rinaldi, the sketch for which was made on the premises. The +church of St. Domenico, Cremona, was demolished some twenty years +since and our illustration is from a photo taken just before the event. +The Chapel of the Rosary, being the place where Antonio Stradivari +was interred, is the one below and to the right of the tower and +lighter in colour than the others.]</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/fig_006_1-3.png" alt="" /></div> + +<p class="center"><span style="margin-left: 4em;">No. 1.</span><span style="margin-left: 7em;">No. 2.</span><span style="margin-left: 7em;">No. 3.</span></p> + + +<p class="caption">No. 1. Grand Nicolas Amati. No. 2. Nicolas Amati pattern +of Stradivari. No. 3. First independent pattern of Stradivari.</p> +<p> </p> + +<p>The step he took, insignificant enough to the casual +observer now, must have been equally so then, but +proved one of the most important ever taken in this +branch of art, considering the restraints necessarily +encompassing any efforts at original design. This is +perhaps the more evident when the main features of the +Amati designs and others of the time are analysed. It +will be seen that the upper and lower thirds of the design +have much in common with each other, and that the +middle or waist partakes also of the same characteristics, +the whole being a series of full rounded curves, varied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +as required, to harmonise and flow with ease and grace +to the squared corners. The slightest possible narrowing +or decrease in the size of the upper of the waist +curve and a corresponding enlargement of the lower part, +served in the hands of Stradivari to impart a different +aspect to the whole pattern. The waist, now less +pinched in at the middle, looked longer without being +really so. The parts above the upper corners and those +below the lower ones were modified, the large curves +becoming a little flatter just before blending with the +smaller ones. From these alterations, each one trifling +in itself, there resulted what may be called the first or +earliest Stradivari pattern; in it were the germs of all +the succeeding ones that contributed more and more to +the fame of their designer as they appeared. The +natural caution or indisposition to throw aside one +pattern before a fair trial of the newest had proved +acceptable to his numerous patrons, was possibly the +cause of Stradivari's running the older designs alongside +the newest creations of his fancy. Thus we find that +mixed with the innovations are what he might have +called his old Amati pattern, probably off the same +moulds that he had used when first starting in business +on his own account, or even before.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHAPTER II.</span></p> + +<p class="subtitle"><span class="smcap">Details of Further Improvements upon his New +Designs—Modification of the Sound Holes—The +Amati Varnish and Stradivari's—His +Secrecy of Method in Working—His Knowledge +of what was Wanted, and Efforts at +Advance in Tone Quality.</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="cap">LEAVING the consideration in general of the designs +of Stradivari's early days, that is, for such a long +life, we may look over some of the details. It is +well known to connoisseurs that the handiwork of Nicolas +Amati was during his best days of the utmost delicacy; +in his later work we notice an approach to heaviness in +some respects. The very beautiful subdivisions and +subtleties of the curves in pattern and modelling began +to disappear and the purfling became bolder. Young +Stradivari, when working on some of his master's violins, +seems to have been allowed to do some of this, probably +with the material given out by old Nicolas. The +work of the young man may be known by its greater +decision, such as would be reasonably expected; but +after leaving the Amati household the natural bent +towards exceeding refinement soon asserted itself. The +purfling, particularly after some years, is narrower, and +inserted with a precision and ease in its course +impossible to excel, even if approachable. The mitring +at the corners ends in a bent point in the manner +introduced by Hieronymus Amati and not, as has been +stated, by Stradivari; the latter carried out the ideas of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> +Nicolas in making it very sharp and this mannerism he +continued throughout the whole of his career.</p> + +<p>Stradivari from the first made his sound holes more +perpendicular than those of his master; after leaving +him, they also became more slender and the upper and +lower wings wider and closer to the opposing curve. +The precision and sharpness of the cutting of these +parts has become the standard of excellence to which +hundreds of Stradivari's imitators of different countries +and times have striven to attain. It is, perhaps, in these +parts of the different instruments—for Stradivari soon +got to work on all the four sizes, besides other kinds +not played with the bow—that his fine nervous system +manifests itself, the sureness of his knife when passing +along from one point to another leaving an edge upright +and clean as cut glass, yet with a free grace of line +never excelled by any master of the renaissance period.</p> + +<p>Of the parts the young assistant of Nicolas Amati +was allowed to put his individuality to, conspicuously +stands the scroll. The one typical of Nicolas's later +days, although free and elegant, yet had a somewhat +heavier touch about it, possibly the master was gradually +losing his muscular power, more necessary to exert in +this matter of detail than any other. Stradivari began +his own type by bringing the first turn from the axis or +"eye" a little higher up than that of his master; the +axis itself is a trifle larger and flatter, the edges of the +turns are squared off with a machine-like exactness that +does not interfere with the ease and flow of line. The +peg box is strong and ample, after a few years it became +massive, more so occasionally than is to be met with at +any other time, the grooves down the back are not so +deep, the termination or shell likewise and a little +wider.</p> + +<p>That Nicolas Amati would by any possibility neglect +to duly initiate his favourite pupil in the mysteries and +secrecies whereby his work should receive its final +crowning adornment, its envelopment in the thin film of +glory, is not to be thought of. The lustrous solution<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +that was so fitting an accompaniment to the dainty +designs of the Amatis, was from the first handled with +a masterly dexterity and perfect knowledge by Stradivari. +Most of the early work is covered with the +orange or amber colour that were the prevailing tints on +the early productions of the brothers Amati as well as +Nicolas. It is somewhat curious that most of the +prominent varnishers among the liutaros of Italy seemed +to prefer this in their early days: or was it that the +deeper or more intense colours required longer experience +in management? Anyhow, so it was, and Stradivari +seems to have been no exception to the general +rule. If a well preserved early Stradivari is placed side +by side with one of "the brothers" or Nicolas Amati's +amber coloured specimens, the varnish enveloping them +will be seen to be precisely alike, whether considered in +respect of transparency, consistency or thickness. Here +is art indication that for the best part of a century, +these clever artificers of Cremona had the same stuff, +used it in precisely the same manner, to a hair's breadth, +for they knew there was no going beyond it; every +part of the process was methodically carried out in +compliance with certain laws known to, or instituted +by, previous masters. There is an old Latin motto +implying that "the perfection of art is to conceal art";—it +it has often been quoted in illustrative reference, +sometimes with sly humour, at others in most serious +vein, for instance, when an eminent judge's judicial wig +was known to have beneath it another of equally natural +pretentions, and when quoted as the motto for the year +in a Royal Academy catalogue, to be interpreted by the +noble army of "rejected outsiders" as meaning extra +efforts that year by the Council at concealment or +suppression of art that was superior to their own.</p> + +<p>But if there ever was an instance in which this motto +could with strictest appropriateness be applied, it was +the work of Stradivari. Most if not all of the known +masters have at times shown by some little accident or +other, their method of working, thus, notwithstanding the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +extremely careful and finished work of the Amati family, +there is occasionally to be seen some unobliterated signs—truly +very slight—of their having traced their pattern +on the wood for either the sound holes or the turns of +the scroll. Stradivari left no evidence of this, nor are +any distinct traces left inside or out that would betray +the manner, kind of tool, or direction of working. +Further, in most beautiful specimens by the "brothers +Amati," besides other great varnishers, some faint indications +have been seen of imperfectly dissolved resin, but +not so with Stradivari, who carried out to the letter in +this department of his art, that steadfastness of purpose +in striving to do in the best way, that which his judgment +had pronounced to be the best thing to accomplish. +He further carried this out afterwards in the application +of the deeper coloured, and usually softer, varnishes, +which when manipulated by other masters of the same +school, have frizzled or cockled from some cause. This is +seldom if at all to be observed in any of Stradivari's +work, he seems to have taken every possible precaution +for preventing change in aspect after the instrument had +received his final touches.</p> + +<p>We may now retrace our steps for awhile and take +up another thread of the fabric of Stradivari's individuality, +that which is in fact by dealers ignored and +by players adored. There can be no question that +during his minority under the great Amati, young +Antonio must have been much interested in his +master's fame for imparting a fine quality of tone to his +instruments. It must soon have been apparent to him +that success in his career would not be achieved by progress +in the artistic part of his work alone. The critics +of the day, who must have been sufficiently numerous +and exacting in accordance with the advanced state of +the art, would naturally be alive to any subtleties of +difference between the productions of the reigning king +of liutaros and his successor. The onward progress of +musical composition and increase in the numbers of +public performers, virtuosi, and others, demanded from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +an artificer taking this position, at least equal skill in +producing those essential qualities for which the city of +Cremona had become famous. Old master and young +man probably had many a talk over what was best to +be done to keep pace with the increasing requirements +of the moment, and the time approaching when the +hand of the former in the course of nature would +lose its cunning. The hour came, the man was ready. +Stradivari started forth from his master's house with +full confidence in having a true and good grasp of +the wants of the moment and those looming in the +future. In the good patronage which soon came to +him, was contained the assurance that his estimate, +although formed so early, was perfectly correct; thenceforward +he saw no reason for alteration in the type +of acoustical quality that distinguishes all of his +instruments, and that which he had once for all fixed +upon.</p> + +<p>Briefly the acoustical quality of his instruments may +be described as a further development of the tone +brought to such a high degree of excellence by the great +Amati; an increase in the volume and energy, with more +equality of scale, while retaining all the other qualities +that had caused players and listeners alike to be +delighted, and which had given such renown to the +great family of liutaros in Cremona.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHAPTER III.</span></p> + +<p class="subtitle"><span class="smcap">The Date of the True Stradivarian Individuality—Alterations +in Design—Proportions Settled +for Good—The Exceptions—The "Long Strad"—The +"Inlaid Strads"—An Acknowledged +Master of his Art—Black Edging—The Arching +and Channelling—The Brescians, the +Amatis and Stradivari.</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="cap">WE now resume our consideration of the progressive +development of the Stradivarian design +as exhibited in the instruments of 1680 to +1690 or a little later. At the earliest of these dates the +complete independency or self consciousness of power, +as a master liutaro, is already perceptible. There is no +possibility of these violins having been made on the +moulds used during his bachelorship. People sometimes +speak of these instruments as being "Amatisé," which +is great nonsense; had Stradivari died somewhere +between 1680 and 1690, they would have been rapturous +in their admiration of his originality and widely +separated ideas from those of the Amati, but as he +lived many years on and gave forth many more manifestations +of his own individuality, the likeness of these +1680 and 1690 to old Nicolas is eagerly searched for +and often supposed to be evident. It was at this time +that Stradivari probably made more new moulds or +blocks on which to construct, than at any other. With +some few exceptions those that were now being made +could be used for any of his violins during the remainder<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +of his career. The average proportions remain the +same, the differences are minute in measurement, notwithstanding +their effectiveness in helping to a different +expression in the designs. The exceptions referred to +and made between the above dates are of a diverse kind. +There is the well-known "long Strad," of which one +author has said that it "has received the title," "not +from increased length, but from the appearance of +additional length which its narrowness gives it, and +which is particularly observable between the sound +holes." The actual measurements of this pattern are, +length 14<sup>3</sup>⁄<sub>16</sub> inches by greatest width 8 inches bare as +contrasted with the ordinary 14 by 8<sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>8</sub>; it will therefore +be evident at once that there is a positive increase in +length, and a decrease in width. These violins are not +very rare as compared with the total work of Stradivari +extant. Another variation, but now very seldom seen, +is a pattern that may be said to be somewhat opposite in +its tendencies, as it is a trifle shorter, but of full average +width, with a proportionately wider waist. This type of +violin must have been sufficiently plentiful at one time, +as one of the first Gaglianos made a deliberate copy of it; +that is, so far as his Neapolitan idiosyncrasy and pride +would permit. Besides these were the "inlaid Strads," +instruments of the greatest beauty in all respects, but +having instead of the ordinary purfling a broad black +fillet and diamond or lozenge shaped ivory insertions +alternated with smaller circular ones; they are further +embellished with a floral inlaying round the sides or ribs +and also on the sides and back of the scroll. These +instruments—Stradivari is known to have made a +quartette of them for the Spanish court—are of the +greatest rarity. They are said to be all known, but this +statement seems open to question when coupled with +the assertion that Stradivari made other similar but very +small violins. The known ones are of very full size, the +parties ordering them at the time possibly being alive to +the advantages of quantity as well as quality. Public +opinion since the time these were made has not grown in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +appreciation of the additional ornamentation. The +violin pure and simple, with its single line of purfling +only as it left the hands of the first master of the art of +Brescia, is the one which has found the most lasting +favour with connoisseurs and the public generally. +Decorative additions, in various and more or less eccentric +or extravagant styles, have been introduced from +time to time by enterprising liutaros of different countries, +but the discerning portion of the public will have none, +and thereby pronounce the violin to be an unfit subject +for extra clothing; beauty unadorned, adorned is most, +is a figure of speech quite applicable to the simplicity of +the violin as a work of art.</p> + +<p>Stradivari, who had now acquired—at the period +1680-90—a standing as an acknowledged master of his +craft, showed in his handiwork a decided leaning in +consonance with this, as—excepting these "inlaid +Strads"—he carefully refrained from introducing any +of the little tricks, or fanciful alteration of details, that +so many, even of his own countrymen, seem to have been +led to affix to their productions. After all, the "inlaid +Strads" were probably so made, not at their maker's +suggestion, but by desire of the patrons holding a high +social position. Double purfled violins seem never to +have left his hands, as none appear to be extant and no +mention is made of any.</p> + +<p>There is one particular part of the finishing of the +violin which calls for remark, and in the absence of +evidence to the contrary must be put to the responsibility +of Stradivari. This is known as the "black edging." +It cannot come properly under the term decoration, as +it has no variety in its management and consists only of +the blackening of the squaring off of the junction of the +ribs; likewise at the edges of the turns of the scroll and +continued down the front and back of the peg-box to +the shell. Its first appearance is not possible to determine +and will probably remain unknown. Nicolas +Amati did not introduce it, his work being of the kind +that had no accommodation, or sufficient surface for it.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +Once begun, however, Stradivari seems to have persistently +held to it. There is no proof positive that it +was henceforth his invariable rule to put this kind of +finish. The parts concerned are the first to receive and +show signs of wear; therefore an instrument must be +very fresh indeed to have much "black edging" left. +Viewed from an artistic standpoint it cannot be considered +an improvement, or any adornment, for, however +neatly it is executed, the work of hand beneath is more +or less obscured. Further, the eye of the connoisseur is +distracted by it, and the neatness of the work is not seen +to advantage until the black has become nearly effaced. +Other makers of renown, besides Stradivari, adopted +this method of putting the final touches to their work, +Giuseppe Guarneri, I.H.S., Carlo Bergonzi, and other +later makers, among them Storioni.</p> + +<p>Concerning the rise of the arching, or modelling of +the periods above referred to, there has been much +erroneous supposition in connection therewith. That +all the early "Strads" were of high build, that the progress +was gradual towards the "flat model," that Stradivari +was feeling his way and becoming enlightened as +to the necessity of reducing the arching in order to +obtain a fuller and more telling tone with better ring; +further, that the channelling or "scooping" near the +border was gradually reduced for the same reasons, and +that these things did not reveal themselves at once, but +gently dawned upon his perceptions; moreover, that he +earnestly communed with nature, made numberless +experiments concerning her acoustical and other +mysteries, and that the outcome was faintly looming in +the horizon and soon was to blossom forth as the golden +period, with grand pattern, all of which is really nothing +more than grand "tomfoolery" spread abroad a generation +since by critics "having an eye" only to such +things that seemed to them agreeable with the conditions +and surroundings of money getting commodities.</p> + +<p>These worthies were forgetful of the fact that the +different varieties of flat and high model, channelling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +deep or none at all, long waists and short waists, sound +holes long, short, near or wide apart, had been well, if +not exhaustively treated by the artists of the Brescian +school. To assume that those refined artificers, the +Amati family and their disciples, were not conversant +with everything for or against the use of a flat model +would be crediting them with but little mental capacity, +particularly in respect of their perceptive faculties. +Both Stradivari and his teacher must have been well +acquainted with the different high and low modelling of +Gasparo da Salo, as well as that of his pupil Maggini, +and others. He must have been aware that his own +most generally used model of medium elevation, with +slight exceptions both ways, was anticipated by each in +turn. This, by the bye, disposes of any theory that +Stradivari's distinctive quality of tone resulted, as is +often stated, from his adopting a different elevation to +what had been in use before. It may be fairly argued +that if it had been true, as some writers have stated, +that the flatter the model the better and stronger is the +tone, then Stradivari would have been less gifted with +sound judgment than he has been hitherto credited +with; some of his early modellings, 1680-90, being as +flat, if not more so, than any known during his whole +career. For his selection of the particular degree of +rise the reasons—for there were several—are not difficult +to assign:—firstly, it was in consonance with his effort +at achieving the most harmonious result—artistically +in his designs; the less determined rise in the arching +being more agreeable with the disposition of line +in the pattern that he had been settling down to—posterity +has emphatically endorsed his views in this +respect; secondly, having noticed that a more shallow +curve in the arching was quite favourable for the exhibition +of gracefulness, while it was accompanied by more +strength and permanency, with less liability during time +and usage to develop a stony or bumpy appearance. +But while thus looking acutely forward to future eventualities +in one direction, Stradivari was no less careful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +to avoid reducing his model too much. Knowing the +soundpost would be certainly shifted occasionally, he +saw in the very flat model a source of danger lurking in +the difficulty of seeing and getting at the post, even with +the usual appliances at the command of the professional +repairer or regulator, while the sound holes would be +much more liable to damage than when the sufficiently +raised arching permits a fair use of the "post setter." +He was also careful, while keeping the depth and width +of the channelling within reasonable bounds, not to let +the arching spring or commence too near the border, as +the screw cramps of the repairer, especially the large +sized ones used in olden times would, unless most +skilfully and cautiously applied, soon register the progress +of the repairer on the varnish to the destruction of +the beauty of appearance as a whole. These, then, +appear to be the cogent reasons for the adoption of the +medium rise in the modelling by Stradivari.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHAPTER IV.</span></p> + +<p class="subtitle"><span class="smcap">Lesser Known Patterns of Stradivari—The +Treatment of the Scroll by Him, the Individuality +and Maturing of the Style—The +Purfling.</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="cap">DURING the period of 1690-1700 the modification +of parts of the pattern and details was slight +but nevertheless important. Occasionally the +upper corners drooped a little more, and when they are +now seen in fine preservation seem rather long in comparison +with later ones, but they are not really so, it +being in the expression no doubt arising from the +greater robustness in the treatment of the corners +which now were becoming in aspect more square, but +with the usual peculiarities retained. There was also +about this time another modification sent forth, a pattern +that has the waist curve narrowed in a trifle at about +two-thirds of the way upward, causing a slight suspicion +of a wish to return to his old Nicolo Amati period, but +it seems to have been only momentary, and beautiful +as these violins are, they do not appear to have been +repeated. They are in consequence very rare.</p> + +<p>Accompanying these little variations there was a +slight change in the treatment of the scroll; it became +less massive, while all the principal features of detail +were retained, the grooves at the back were deepened a +little as they ran down to the shell, which last was made +a degree less shallow. In the earlier part of this period +the general contour has a little more flow in the disposition +of line, but later on this was checked, as if not +meeting with the full approval of the master, whose goal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +of ambition was kept steadily in view from the first—that +of introducing a design that should worthily rank +as classical, and in its details and execution be such, +that no weak spot or point of failure should be discernable +under the closest scrutiny. The sound holes now +received further attention and, it might be almost said, +for the last time, as they were continued to the end of +Stradivari's career with no particular or intentional +modification. In length there was no alteration, but +the design seems more condensed, more compact, yet +slightly wider in the opening. This is all accomplished +without losing the smallest touch of grace, and although +firm in the extreme it has the opposite of any tendency +to hard geometrical form. Stradivari seems to have +had some feeling of contentment with it, for although +little differences of measurement in minute particulars +occur afterwards, no modification in character is +attempted. He was most exact in imparting his own +individuality in every instance. It is in this department +of the liutaro's art that the imitators or forgers of Stradivari's +work have found such an insurmountable block in +the way of success. The impossibility hitherto of imparting +the requisite identical expression, notwithstanding +the most careful examination and tracing, constantly +adds force to an old saying among dealers that "to +make a perfectly successful imitation of Stradivari he +must be a Stradivari himself." In this view it is obvious +that a maker having the sure consciousness of possessing +the power of the master would no longer make tracings +of him, but bring out his own originals. Among the +scores and scores of imitators, some of them having +achieved considerable renown as such, the best of them +have not succeeded further than giving their own impress +to their tracing of the master's work. This is quite apart +from their failure to reproduce the master touch in other +branches of the liutaro's art.</p> + +<p>In the composition of his purfling he had been, before +the periods under consideration, somewhat unsettled, but +he now seemed to have come to a conclusion that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +middle or light coloured portion, should be a trifle wider +than the dark or outer portion. This was also for a +permanency with but little variation. The three parts +are probably of the same kind of wood, with the outer +portion darkened by artificial means and not wood with +its natural colour, as in so many early works. But there +was no change in the manner of insertion. There was +the same firm, upright handling of the purfling tool, +which, as in his early period, was sent along with unerring +precision and cut its way through hard and soft wood +cleanly and equally well. In this respect of mechanical +dexterity, the great master has had few rivals; he was +apparently equally at home in subduing to his requirements +a log of tough, curled maple, as in gently reducing +the exquisitely refined growth of pine that was to act as +a soundboard in throwing out the luscious quality of +tone associated with his name. It was not always so +among the most eminent of Italian liutarios. Many of +them have left unmistakeable evidence of impatience +when trying to overcome the resistance of the tortuously +grained maple in turn with the much softer and straight +threaded pine. There was a peculiarity connected with +the purfling that must not be overlooked, and that is, +its passing through the little pegs at the upper and +lower part of the instrument, and which is most carefully +attended to by modern close imitators, so that +people should be convinced, if possible, that their's is +the real thing. Stradivari, however, may not have conceived +the idea of there ever being in the future the +swarms of his imitators, who, for the last century, have +been but too evident in consequence of the daily increasing +admiration or even reverence for his work. It is not +surprising, therefore, that for some reason known only +to himself, he, on rare occasions, did not run the purfling +through the peg, or to be more strictly correct, the peg +was inserted clear of the purfling line. That this peg +peculiarity is no point of recognition may be inferred from +the fact that Stradivari's teacher, Nicolas Amati, treated +it in like manner, besides several of his contemporaries.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHAPTER V.</span></p> + +<p class="subtitle"><span class="smcap">Stradivari's Great Success—His So-called "Grand +Epoch"—His Patrons—His Violins Reputed +for Tone when Quite New and Sought After—The +Help He Received—His Assistants and +Pupils—Parts of the Work Requiring His +Individual Touch—The Members of His Family +who may have Assisted Him—Stradivari's +Varnish—His Imitators.</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="cap">THE period 1700-15 or thereabouts, found Stradivari +not only an acknowledged master of his craft but +among his contemporaries recognised as the head. +His business had been all along steadily flourishing, his +patrons had been of high social position, some most +illustrious, others actually royal. Among the latter the +King of Poland stands out in relief as having specially +sent an envoy to Cremona and that he had to wait three +months before he could return with his commission +fulfilled. Whether he ran in danger of being decapitated +for "hanging about" Cremona so long is not known, +but one thing is certain, that patrons royal, illustrious, +of high social standing and refined tastes, wanted the +newly made violins of Stradivari that could never have +been played upon, almost in the absolute sense of the +term, while they could have easily obtained well seasoned, +well tried instruments of makers who had lived long +before. Here is "a nut to crack" for those who persistently +assert the necessity and efficacy of age and use +to bring tone to maturity. If any further evidence should<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +be thought necessary to support the assumption of the +equal excellence of the new Stradivarius with those that +remain with us at the present time, it is contained in +the praise of those who heard and used them when quite +fresh, declaring the agreeableness of the tone to be +beyond rivalry.</p> + +<p>Stradivari may be said to have been now in the +enjoyment of the plentitude of his powers. Success +was attendant upon him without intermission. Tradition +says he was reputed in the locality as positively +rich, but we do not hear of his aspiring to civic honours +as alderman, vestryman, guardian or councilman—common +or otherwise—as the outcome of the possession +of full coffers. Stradivari simply went on making +fiddles. In a position to secure the best materials in +the respect of quality, artistically and acoustically considered, +he put the best workmanship upon them; also +he further selected the best help which, in common with +all eminently successful artists, he must have found it +necessary to employ.</p> + +<p>We now arrive at a point when the question may be +fairly put, how much help did he have, and of what kind +was it?</p> + +<p>As Stradivari left no record behind as to the number +of pupils trained on his premises, or assistants who came +perhaps as improvers, we are left to do our best in the +way of inference. In the first place we may take up the +acknowledged fact of his having turned out an enormous +number of musical instruments during his very lengthy +career; and it must be remembered that his energies +were not centred alone in turning out magnificent violins, +but that the viola, violoncello, double-bass, besides some +of the then not quite obsolete viols of different sizes and +fantastic forms, received his attention. These had to be +produced at the requirements of his patrons, of whom +many had probably not yet completely emerged from the +misty musical atmosphere with which the fanciful forms +with florid decorations seemed so intimately bound. +Further, the fittings for them had to be made presumably<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +on the premises of the maestro and not as at +present in foreign parts. At the time there was not +existent that extensive and special manufacture of +bridges, tailpieces, tail-pins, and pegs that forms a large +and significant branch of commerce at the present day. +That the violin bridge especially was a production of +the Stradivari establishment and not "made in Germany," +is sufficiently indicated by its present form +having been introduced by Stradivari. On comparing +it with the different patterns of bridges that had been +issued by the previous masters of Cremona, it will be +seen at once that the master mind of Stradivari had +effected improvements that have their counterpart in the +designs of his violin patterns. We may notice the successful +efforts at stability with simplicity, just enough +of detail that would lend itself in completing the harmony +of the whole design, while dispensing with every unnecessary +angle or curve. Of the fingerboard and tailpiece +we cannot speak in the same terms; the master +seems to have accepted the manner of treating these +parts as handed down by preceding generations from +Gasparo da Salo, and thought there was no need for +alteration. The design of the inlaid ornamentation on +both these accessories, was, of course, of a kind with +which the house of Stradivari would be identified and +the execution also in accordance. Of the tailpin and +pegs, with the decoration of both, the same may be said.</p> + +<p>All these particulars point to considerable time spent +in direct supervision after the preliminary designs had +been made by the principal. This would reduce the +available time for direct manual labour at his disposal. +There would occasionally be some time spent in the discrimination +for purchasing of particular choice kinds of +pine and maple, these requiring the closest attention. +Whether samples were brought for Stradivari's inspection +by agents or their principals, or whether the maestro +took journeys to particular districts where the exact +kind of wood suitable to his requirements was to be had, +we know not, but there seems to be much probability<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +that the latter was his mode of obtaining that splendid +growth of pine, both in appearance and tone-producing +quality, with which he brought about such beautiful +results. This, when obtained, had to be carefully stored +away until such time as it might be required for immediate +use. The cutting down and sawing up into +lengths for different instruments would not be such as a +maker with less patronage would personally engage in; +we can therefore place this aside from the time consuming +duties. There is, in the foregoing, enough and much +over for reasonable inference that with a master, such +as Stradivari, having the refined taste and adaptability +for work, there was a considerable amount, if not all, of +the merely mechanical work done according to his command +or under his eye. This would naturally enough +increase in proportion as the business connection grew. +There would be in this nothing differing from what has +been habitual with eminent professors in all branches of +art; as far back as Phædias, Praxitelles and Appelles +of the ancient classic Greek period. Later on it is well +known that many of the masterpieces of the Renaissance +period had much work upon them other than that +immediately from the master's own hand. If this were +not permissible, the number of the grandest creations of +artistic genius would be most seriously limited. Raphael +and his contemporaries, Rubens and Rembrandt, besides +many other masters, are well known to have had +numerous pupils in their studios engaged in carrying out +ideas previously determined upon and drawn out for +their guidance. These assistants were gradually drawn +into the way and habit of thinking of their masters, and +on leaving them, their own individuality or natural +tendency uniting with what they had absorbed of their +master's manner, the blending of the two became a fresh +production of style. If we take this as our guide in +summing up the probable amount of help that was +drawn upon by Stradivari during his career, especially +that part at which, in our consideration of him and his +works, we had arrived, it cannot possibly lead us far<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +from the actual facts. Taking into account the known +pupils or assistants who received the benefits of personal +instruction from Antonio Stradivari, they are more +numerous than we can affix to the name of any other +master, as it must be borne in mind that Stradivari had +initiated a fresh style, the influence of which was +destined to be of a far more reaching character than any +hitherto coming to the front. The Stradivarian school +became the foremost, most numerous and soon was to +be the most imitated, of all. Among the earliest of his +pupils (the precise number or even the names of all will +never be known), may be placed Alexander Gagliano of +Naples, working with him about the period of 1680 and +some years later, one or two others of the Gagliano +family may have been workmen in the Stradivari atelier. +Lorenzo Guadagnini, Joannes Battista, his son and +Josef of Pavia all claim to have lent a helping hand and +received instruction, and there is nothing in their work +that is in contradiction. The first became a great +master of the Milanese school and was afterwards +rivalled by his son, who was more cosmopolitan and not +identified with one place in particular. I cannot +include the names of Montagnana or Gobetti, which have +been frequently referred to by various authors as pupils +of Stradivari; a close examination of their style and +workmanship leads to a different fountain of inspiration, +notwithstanding which they both unquestionably were +at one time influenced by the work of the great +Cremonese artist as it arrived in Venice. Of Carlo +Bergonzi, a great master, it is a well established fact +that he worked with Stradivari and probably did much +more for him as assistant than is generally acknowledged, +but that he was originally a pupil is not in keeping with +the early and varying patterns which have gone under +his name. Further on it will be necessary to refer +to this luminary of the art. We must not forget the +two sons of Stradivari, Franciscus and Omobono, who +received their initiation at the hands of their father and +worked with him for many years, carrying on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +business after his decease. Rumour has brought forth +another name as pupil or workman with Stradivari, and +whose identification with some fine specimens of the +liutaro's art may yet prove an interesting study. A +relative of the master, we should expect to find his work +strongly tinged with the Stradivarian characteristics. +His tickets are said to have been all removed in very +early times after their insertion and that one only is +known to have been preserved intact. Of the great +rival—in public estimation—of Stradivari, Joseph +Guarnerius, I.H.S., it can only be said there is not a +single feature in his handiwork, style or tone, agreeing +with the supposition that he at any time was his +pupil or assistant, moreover, having by me distinct +evidence of his pupilage of another maker of a different +school, will of course prevent the inclusion of his +name.</p> + +<p>The number of pupils and assistants who worked +with or under the supervision of Stradivari in his prime, +might, if we knew all, be more considerable than we +should be prepared to expect. The proportion in the +usual course of nature, of those able to single out a path +for themselves, prove their individuality superior to their +fellows or eventually become of great eminence, must of +necessity have been comparatively small. There may +have been many working "on and off" under the eye of +the master at different periods who were without +ambition or the talent to rise above the position of +humble helpers among their more talented brethren, +born to be assistants only, and, in consequence, never +heard of outside the studio. These, and the before +mentioned, must all have had something to do with the +instruments their master was sending forth into the +world; the more clever ones being intrusted with some +responsibility on particular work. It is not impossible +to fix upon the parts the assistants probably would be +allowed to work upon. In the first place, all the designing, +drawing out and tracing down of the pattern on to +the mould, or on to the unprepared blocks that were to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +be carved into necks, scrolls, or marked out for ribs, +would be Stradivari's.</p> + +<p>The different stages succeeding each other would be +most likely as follows—firstly, the master having been +commissioned by a wealthy patron to make of his best +pattern and highest finish a quartet of instruments, he +would take from his store of choice pine and sycamore, +which he had taken so much trouble and skill in collecting +together, such pieces that appeared to him suitable for +the instruments to be constructed. The upper and +lower tables had previously been hewn or sawn to size, +then the jointed back and front, if both were so, planed +carefully and made ready for the master's work, which +would first come on to the wood as a careful tracing +from his original design. Sometimes the tracing down +may have been done by some advanced pupil or competent +assistant. We may fairly assume the presence +here of one or two, if not more, assistants, besides a +pupil or improver. One would be selected for the bow-sawing +of the pattern, another afterwards receiving it for +roughly gouging out according to measurements at hand +or marked by the master. Another had meanwhile the +bending of the thin slips for the ribs to the necessary +curves, or working down the corner and end blocks that +had been affixed to the mould. Another, if not the same, +might have been carrying out the first stages of the +working of the scroll, or perhaps a very competent and +trusty assistant would be allowed, under the eye of +the master, to work on more advanced forms, making +ready for the final or necessary touches of the master +hand. The sound holes may have been traced down +and even the upper and lower circular holes bored. +Further, it is not impossible, that after the modelling +back and front had been sufficiently advanced, the +glueing and screwing down was intrusted to an assistant, +and even some of the finishing up with glass +paper or other material in use at the time and place, +of parts of minor importance. These are, perhaps, the +majority of the details in which the individuality of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +the handwork of the master was not obligatory in +evidence.</p> + +<p>In summing up what could have been done by other +hands than those of the busy master, it would be +extremely difficult, if not impossible, unless we admit +its presence, to account for the extremely large output +of the great Cremonese, even when taking fully into the +balance his very industrious habits and extraordinary +long working career. Assuming the above view to be +reasonable, the number of new instruments which left +the Stradivari house must have been very large. It +is well known that the master undertook the repairs of +musical instruments, which department would require +some personal attention or supervision, even if actually +executed by his assistants or his two sons, Francescus +and Omobono, who, when their father died, were not +very young, the first being sixty-five years of age, and +the other fifty-five. They had most likely worked with +their parent for about forty years and must have +done much of making and repairing, that is, crediting +them with some of their father's industrial tendencies. +Stradivari had two other sons by his first wife, +Francesca Ferraboschi, one, Giulio, died 1707, aged +forty; the other, Allesandro, in 1732, aged fifty-five. +Nothing seems to be known as to whether they were +brought up by their father in his own craft or not; if they +were, there was time for them also to have done much +work with him. There was a son by his second wife, +Antonia Zambelli, who died 1727, aged twenty-four, who +under the same circumstances may have helped. We +have thus five sons of Stradivari, who, if they were all +taught the art, may have been working together, besides +other assistants at the same time. Carlo Bergonzi has +already been mentioned, but although he came late into +the field, yet there seems a slight indication that he may +have had to supply the place of others who had departed +for the carrying out of their own schemes.</p> + +<p>Having so far roughly estimated the kind and amount +of work, not necessarily his own, on the violins that were<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +sent forth by Antonio Stradivari, we may glance at the +particulars of detail that demanded his handiwork and +that solely. That there were keen connoisseurs living +at the time of Stradivari, as also in the previous century +and earlier, there is no room for doubting. Workers in +art reduce their inspirations to tangible forms helped by +colour that people may see them and, comparing them +with what may have gone before and have been executed +at the same time, pass judgment on them. In like manner +Stradivari, like other masters before him, knew that his +handiwork would be scrutinised as well as the tone of +his instruments. It was therefore obligatory that purchasers +should know his work, that in fact his sign +manual should be always present. Contemporaneous +with him were makers, artists, who had been initiated +in the mysteries of the manufacture and application of +the wonderful varnishes which have since by their +qualities made them famous throughout the civilised +world. There was nothing, however, in the material or +its application that could, under the closest examination, +be discerned as different to what might be seen on the +best instruments of the Amatis—these must have been +numerous at the time—the Ruggieris or the Venetian +masters, but these did not in the application invariably +work up to a certain standard of excellence, whereas +Stradivari always did. There was a consummate beauty +of result in this branch of the liutaro's art known at +the time to many, beyond which it seemed not possible +to go. It was, therefore, more in the construction and +workmanship then, that the sign manual was perceptible. +With this view Stradivari seems to have been careful to +let the evidence of no hand but his own be seen in parts +that were sure to be closely scrutinised as evidence.</p> + +<p>Standing first perhaps in importance would be the +cutting of the sound holes, the design and careful drawing +of these being completed, and cut in metal—it is +said thin copper was used by him—they may have been +mostly traced down by himself on the pine of the upper +table prepared and in readiness to receive it, although<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +this part without much danger could have been done by +an intelligent and experienced assistant. The cutting +and finishing with the thin keen edged knife, however, +must be his, the slightest shaving over the traced line or +not quite up to it would be sufficient to impart a totally +different character to the whole. There is no part of the +violin in which the sum total of the native characteristics +and ability are shown to such exactitude as the cutting +of these all important and expressive openings. In those +of Stradivari is to be seen the same firmness of purpose +and strict curbing of the fancy from proceeding too far, +or allowing stability to be over balanced by love of gracefulness, +as seen in the designs of his eminent master. +To allow no weak part to be perceptible; strength of +line with sufficient grace, admirable proportion and +balance, and yet withal sufficient expression of mobility +and freedom from heaviness were each, seemingly in +turn, given the best attention by the great genius of +Cremona. It is not using extravagant language when +they are termed the eyes of the violin, for it is to these +that experienced connoisseurs turn their attention at once +when inspecting a violin of character newly placed before +them. Cut by an Italian, cut by a Frenchman, by a +German, by a nobody in particular or who understood +nothing about it, are the thoughts arising in the mind. +Each country has its peculiar and native rendering of +every sound hole that was first designed in Italy. This +tendency to impart their own national characteristics by +each native workman, runs parallel with that in pictorial +art in the transferring to various materials the impressions +received after study of the original or animated reality. +To many the sound holes of an Italian gem of the highest +class are but sound holes that are more neatly done or +prettier than usual. To others they will be the expression +in that simple form of an exquisitely acute perception +of what will excite pleasurable emotions with +regard to delicately balanced proportions, graceful flow +of line, and freedom from all appearance of effort. That +there is much in little concerning this, is proved by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +non-success of all foreign copyists to give a reproduction +of the Italian native touch to these details. That this +is not an overdrawn description, may be seen on a close +comparison between an original Stradivari of almost any +period and the most closely traced, laboriously studied +and keenly cut sound holes of any of the modern imitators. +All have failed signally over these two apparently simple +openings on the surface of the upper table.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding this, it may be said there are scarcely +two violins alike in respect of expression of these adornments +of the structure, each instrument is made to convey +its own impression, or display its particular kind of +beauty. There is a difference, scarcely to be measured +mathematically, that in one will be suggestive of masculine +strength, while in another it will be exquisite +feminine grace.</p> + +<p>In none of the imitations of the master are there seen +these qualities expressed in the same degree and kind. +It has often been said, and there is more than a substratum +of truth in the remark, that, "to copy a Stradivari +successfully"—of course, in the fullest sense of the +word—"the copyist must be a Stradivari himself." +There might, appropriately, be an addition put to this, +namely, that a man who could work up to the dizzy +height of his ambition in this way, would not copy, but +make originals.</p> + +<p>Another detail of the workmanship always attended +to by the master himself, was that of the purfling. Much +has been said of the wonderful accuracy of Stradivari's +purfling and that as a purfler he stands unrivalled. +This must not be taken in the widest sense, as there +have been, and are living, scores and scores of makers +who have cut a rut round the border of a fiddle as +sharply, and inserted the three conventional lines of dark +and light wood as deftly as it could be by the hand of +any man, be he named Amati, Stradivari, Ruggieri, +Tononi, or Montagnana. There is a degree of evenness +and keenness of cutting and clean insertion beyond +which it is not possible to go. But there the imitators<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> +come to a full stop. Without the inventive power which +will make this curious, simple, yet wonderful little fillet, +aid in giving the desired expression to the whole work, +the imitator is not—as people say nowadays—in the +race. The finishing of the border, the corners and the +delicate and often very elaborate system of curves +around the sound holes, the hollowing of the wings of +these latter, and the final surfacing of both back and +front, I have no doubt had Stradivari's individual +attention. All the delicate and small work of the scroll, +perfecting that elegant flow of line and finish of each +turn of the volute, as if everything depended on the +exactness of its individuality, obliterating all marks of +the tooling and giving his own impress to the gouging +of the shell and even the completion of the peg-box; then +last and not least, the preparation and application of +that pellucid envelope that was to serve two purposes, +utility and enrichment of effect.</p> + +<p>With regard to this, much has been written and said +about its incomparable quality, its elasticity, colour and +transparency, with other excellences needless to dilate +upon. Summarily taken as a whole, the simple fact is, +that in no respect is his varnish different, or better than +that of his predecessors, the Amatis and masters of the +Brescian school; it had been done before and his most +famous contemporaries were doing it still, and he was +in this position for the simple reason that no better +could be done.</p> + +<p>If it was not possible for Stradivari to improve upon +the varnish of the Amatis who had preceded him and +the masters in the art belonging to the Brescian school,—among +whom may be mentioned Giovanni Maggini, +Antonio Mariani, and the first one to use it on violins, +Gasparo da Salo—it was strictly in accordance with his +invariable rule of putting forth his best that he so +dexterously manipulated it, probably both as to its +composition and final application, that faultiness in +some respects to be seen in specimens of other masters +is not noticeable in his. Thus, as is well known, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +Brescians, perhaps without exception, were often very +careless regarding the thickness of the film, it being +occasionally of irreproachable evenness, at other times +having almost the appearance of being laid on with a +large brush in great haste. On some connoisseurs this +haphazard fulness of treatment, this oft times generously +effusive manner, carried out with a careless consciousness +of power, acts as a charm, inciting to intense +admiration the like of which is roused by the rich, juicy +brush of Rembrandt and the masters of the Venetian +school of painters. But this is not the perfect realization +of aim with regard to the envelopment of masterpieces +by the old Italian liutaros; in the instances +referred to, and sufficiently numerous, we wonder at the +wealth of material and smile at its manipulation. +Antonio Stradivari would in no wise act thus at any +time. To him it was enough that he was possessor in +full of the knowledge of materials, and to deviate from +the good paths pursued by the artistic Amatis, was not +to be considered for a moment; we therefore find that +with him the best material was laid with the utmost +skill and care. It must be indeed rare that "frizzling," +or contraction of the upper surface of the varnish, is to +be seen to any appreciable extent. I do not recollect +one instance, while with the Ruggieris, most of the +Venetian school, and a number of makers of lesser note, +it is quite common.</p> + +<p>Concerning the colour or variety of tints adopted by +Stradivari at most times, it was most likely done to the +requirements of his different patrons, many having a +desire for the rich orange, some, the light red or +"cherry" tint, while others were not content with any +than the red or rich full bodied port wine tint. The +simple brown seems to have been less in demand, as it +is during the period under consideration, rather exceptional. +While using the lustrous coverings for his +works with consummate skill, there is one qualification +that must not be lost sight of. Beautiful, refined and +artistic in the strictest sense of the term, Stradivari<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +never gave way to a desire to outbid the rest of the +fraternity for congratulations in respect of gorgeousness, +he seems never to have fallen back upon his reserves in +the direction of intensity of colour. Thus if a finely +preserved specimen of his orange varnish is viewed side +by side with one by Joseph Guarnerius, I.H.S., the +extra degree of fieriness will be on the side of the latter, +but it by no means places Stradivari on a lower level, +as the combined qualities of his work, taken as a sum +total, is not reached by any liutaro of old Italy.</p> + +<p>It may be fairly taken as certain that if there was any +master having at command all the necessaries for turning +out musical instruments of matchless superiority, both +as to acoustical and artistic qualities, it was Stradivari, +and many connoisseurs would expect to find nothing but +maple used of the richest curl, and that would throw up +with delightful effect the lustrous varnish so carefully +laid upon it; but, strangely enough, his most magnificently +curled backs and sides are mixed with a few +that are comparatively plain. A variety of reasons +might be assigned for this, but that which bears the +greatest probability about it is—that the instruments +being chiefly made to order, the maple of richest curl +was not always to be had, at least in time for the construction +as required. In other respects these plainer +mapled instruments are fully equal to anything that +came from his hands. Of the proper tone-giving pine +he seems never to have been short; there it is, always +of beautiful growth, having, like his own handiwork, +both delicacy and strength and of a general appearance +such as would attract the eye of the veriest tyro in the +liutaro's art. How many imitators of the great manipulator +have looked at this growth of pine and wondered +where the old master obtained it! and how he knew +that it possessed the proper qualifications for his purpose. +Swiss pine of course! obtained from the lower parts of +the forests of the Alps, is an immediate loud response, +and cut only from the south or sunniest side of the +particular tree when found of course.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span>This idea was started in the early part of this century +in books on the violin, professing to tell the reader all +about it or nearly so, and he had only to go, get the +stuff, and make Stradivari violins, in fact with the +addition of the amount of scientific knowledge of the +subject peculiar to modern imitators, he would make +"old Strad" "take a back seat." This has been often +tried by would-be "Strads," "Guarneris," or "Bergonzis," +and full of specious promises that if you will but +purchase their wares you be rewarded for your pains by +being possessor of everything good that they could +endow the instrument with. Keep it, persevere, and the +precious qualities will come; some were daring enough +to assert that they were already there, if even your +mental vision was so obtuse as not to perceive it, absurd +prejudice was the cause of this they said, oblivious to +the fact that the best musicians of Stradivari's time used +the violins fresh from the atelier of the master perfectly +new, expressing their unbounded admiration for their +beautiful acoustic properties or "pleasurable sounds."</p> + +<p>Is the like said of new violins at the present time? +These imitators, some of them might be with perfect +truth termed forgers, are legion, as in the case of everything +that is of a high standard of excellence and which +makes acquisition desirable. These artificers had their +day, so far as forcing their imitations upon the credulous +and unwary could be accomplished, and others have +replaced them, yet there aloft still sits the grand master +upon his high eminence, unapproached, with the whole +world clamouring and struggling for the possession of +what in the earnestness of his purpose was only his +everyday work.</p> + +<p>Before leaving the imitators and forgers, for they are +distinct one from the other, the first simply taken being +honest, the other not, it may be as well to refer as +briefly as possible to the general aspect as afforded by +such specimens of Stradivari's art that remain with us +after fairly constant usage during the generations that +have passed since his decease. Most connoisseurs and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +dealers are well acquainted with the appearance of a +"Strad" of fine model, work and varnish that has done +its duty in former times, and is yet able and willing to +answer all requirements of the present day and many to +come. If the instrument has not been hidden and forgotten +in the cabinet of some deceased collector, but has +been handed down from one player to another, kept in +healthy exercise, not meddled with, muddled, and maddened +by the numerous would-be improvers, bridge +regulators, sound post agitators and varnish vivifiers, +then—it will probably present an appearance of what is +called handsome wear, or as a writer has termed it, +"adorned, not injured, by a century's fair wear."</p> + +<p>Striking the eye first will be the varnish that has been +chipped off from the back chiefly, often from a large +space of a rough triangular form; the front being usually +more smoothly denuded of its lustrous envelope. This +chipping away of the varnish from the maple has been +effected a long time ago, and is the result of a custom in +olden times of hanging the instrument after use on +a peg attached to the wall, or may be the interior +of a cabinet. Fiddle-cases seem to have been used +almost solely for travelling purposes. They are now +in general use as the best means of preservation +against damage and a good resting place at all times. +During the last century there were scores and scores of +makers in Italy who were ready, willing to, and did +turn out excellent instruments with fine, artistical and +acoustical properties, but the race has died out and +their remaining works are of daily increasing value, and +consequently much under lock and key, out of harm's +way as much as possible. This old habit of hanging up +violins not wanted for the moment was, as a matter +of course, effected with a slight bang or two each time, +and a corresponding cost, small or large, according to +the blow to the top layer of varnish most highly charged +with colour. Each instrument used in this way will +declare to the sufficiently acute observer, its course of +handling and even the peculiarities to some extent of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +owner; for it will be seen that the chippings give indication +of different degrees of energy or hurry, when the +violin has come in contact with the more or less hard +surface of the wall.</p> + +<p>It must be borne in mind that the times referred to +were prior to the introduction of wall-papers; the good, +old-fashioned panelling of oak or hard wood, often of +bold design, shattered or nicked away much of the old, +delicate and precious varnish used for enveloping the +works of the Italian masters. All these constantly recurring +slight collisions by degrees brought about the +results that have been defined by some as picturesque +wear or accidental adornment, if such a thing be reasonable. +Besides this there was going on the wear caused +by handling by one or another of players, rough or mild, +contact with the garments, especially the sleeves, all +being larger and looser than are fashionable at the +present time. The action of these would be more gentle +if more continuous. It is noticeable at the lower end of +the back of the violin, which is often worn away much +below the penetration of the varnish, the corners being +rounded down and if rather protuberant, even losing +their original character. The upper table of pine being +incapable of equal resistance to the destroying influence, +wears away sooner, also the border at the lower end and +at both sides of the tail-piece—for the old performers +placed their chins on the contrary side to what is thought +best now—and the right upper shoulder where the palm +of the hand and part of the wrist is apt to work, too +often, against the edge. We thus see when a handsome, +fairly worn specimen of Stradivari's work comes under +our notice, the different pieces of tell-tale evidence, varying +of course in degree with each instrument. Now all +this must have been going on during the time the +master's works were being sent out to parts of Italy and +to other countries. It had been progressing and was +showing the onward march of Father Time in the instruments +left by the Brescian makers a century before.</p> + +<p>As before observed, the varnish of Stradivari has,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +often as not, been worn, chipped or cracked off in, as +some fanciers still call it, a picturesque manner or adornment, +although from the highest prices being given for +those specimens that have the least of it, the taste seems +to be growing healthily in favour of perfection of preservation +as far as is possible.</p> + +<p>It would be out of reason to suppose that full consideration +of the subject was omitted by a genius with +such far reaching mental vision as Stradivari. That he +gave all the necessary study and forethought to the +effects of ordinary wear and such as was occasionally +going on within his knowledge, there is evidence enough. +He saw how the delicate work of his master, Nicolas +Amati, was rapidly disappearing under sometimes +rough and too often ruffianly usage. It was not in his +power to prevent or interfere with this by any peculiarity +of construction or quality of the varnish used by +him. But this he doubtless knew—that the generally +substantial work and total absence of any weak point of +detail in design and execution was all that an artist +could do. This strength shown over all of Stradivari's +designs, even from the commencement, shows that in his +grasp of the highest scale of requirement he was also +anticipatory and in this wise, that he followed up the +self evident principle in art, that the best combination +of forms, proportions and masses will answer best for +their permanence.</p> + +<p>The numismatist knows full well how, on the coins +used in various countries, the masters of basso-relievo +had concentrated their skill on the subject. The balance +of projection and depression for good and proper effect +under different situations of light and shade, or even +independently of them on occasion—is of paramount +importance in all branches of art in their widest range. +The omission of proper thoughtful attention in this +direction is one of the obstacles to success among copyists +in any direction of art. In architecture the imitator +or restorer of some early English mouldings has often +made ignominious failures from the non-application of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +knowledge of this kind: just a trifling variation from +the original while in progress being deemed of little consequence, +but when finished and left for exhibition under +the truth testing rays of the sun, the qualities that +should have been there are, as the saying is, "conspicuous +by their absence." In full view of the above +and with an intelligence unsurpassable, Antonio Stradivari +so arranged his forms and masses in construction +that under fair usage and wearing down of the projecting +parts, the original beauty of the whole should be retained +as long as possible. A fine Stradivari much worn still +retains its air of distinction, and very much of its +material must have disappeared under bad treatment to +make it beyond recognition almost at a glance.</p> + +<p>There can be very little question of there being more +than mere admiration for the appearance. Simply +viewed, there is the spice of romance in connection with +it, the history is written in language more or less intelligible +of the knocks and bruises inflicted, unwillingly in +most instances, but not invariably so. And here attention +may perhaps be appropriately drawn in these pages +to what has been asserted by a few, very few, dealers +and others, whose general intelligence should have been +a guarantee against the dissemination of utter nonsense +and which has even been in print! that—just think of +this—Antonio Stradivari, the acknowledged master +liutaro of Cremona in his own day, and of whose +growing fame no one can foretell the limits—actually +imitated wear and tear of varnish on his violins. I have +not the print at hand, and so cannot give the exact +words in which this scum from the boilings of a distorted +imagination was conveyed; nor point to the first unfortunate +who let it flow abroad. In all probability it came +from the same old source, a desire to lift up to a high +level worthless imitations of the master, confuse the +public mind so as to make it more and more difficult +to tell "t'other from which."</p> + +<p>A fine specimen, and well known, of Stradivari's art +was once lying on a table before me. An amateur of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +considerable attainments and honesty of purpose then +present was dilating upon its many beauties and fine +preservation; he, I soon found, had by some means +become infected with the absurd notion of the varnish +having been artistically pecked away by the original +maker! Just fancy this—Raphael slitting a hole in his +chef-d'œuvre to make it look old—Michael Angelo +chipping some bits from the ceiling of the Sistine just +before the scaffolding was removed, or Phidias snapping +off a limb and browning the raw surface to please future +connoisseurs.</p> + +<p>They might all have done this with an equal deficiency +of reason and consistency if we allow for one moment +any possibility of the genius of such a stamp as that of +Antonio Stradivari descending to such depravity. Those +who have lent themselves to this incongruous notion, +hastily generalising from insufficient particulars, have +strangely overlooked the fact that the same kind of +chipping is seen on the violins of other masters, Joseph +Guarnerius, Carlo Bergonzi, and others of the Cremonese +and Venetian School, besides—going far back—the older +ones of Brescia and Pesaro, any number in fact over all +Italy.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHAPTER VI.</span></p> + +<p class="subtitle"><span class="smcap">Some Modifications in Stradivari's Works—Variation +in Finish of Details—The Interior of +His Violins—The Blocks and Linings—Thicknesses +of the Tables—Heads or Scrolls of +His Different Periods.</span></p> + +<p> </p> +<p class="cap">WE will now resume our consideration of the +handiwork of the Cremonese master as regards +other details. We left him steadily working +through his so-called "Grand epoch" or, more strictly +speaking, his period of finely settled designs in outline +and modelling. He had arrived at the goal of his +ambition and produced works of excellence which—taking +them as a whole—it seemed impossible to improve +upon. He was henceforth content to put into them +such slight modifications as would prevent too great +similarity. Thus we find some were flatter in the +arching, others a little shorter, being a trifle under the +usual fourteen inches, others again were over it, but +there was the same general contour, his now well-known +accentuated design, complete as possible in all +its details.</p> + +<p>From the great number of finished works that were +turned out one after another, it is quite reasonable to +assume that there would be occasionally some little +evidence of extra pressure of business and consequently +less time spent over minor details. That this actually +occurred at times there is no doubt and can be perceived<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +clearly when looked for. One instance occurs to me +in which the purfling had been cut off a trifle short at +the corners and did not quite fill up and make a good +mitreing, otherwise all along the border the easy, swift, +yet powerful stroke was maintained up to his usual +standard of accuracy. In other instances the point or +"bee-sting," as it is sometimes called, is not so sharply +defined perhaps in two corners, while the others were +the perfection of minute finish.</p> + +<p>It seems fairly certain that the great Cremonese was +not at the time thinking of the almost microscopical +scrutiny of critics certain to occur one hundred and +eighty or so years in the future. These little differences +in accuracy of unimportant detail or accidents of work +may be taken as evidence that Stradivari was labouring +day by day to meet the requirements of patrons different +in disposition and perhaps patience. When at the same +period he has been allowed to put his full time and +attention to his work, then we find the four corners of +equal unsurpassable finish, and other minute details over +the whole structure so intently studied that nothing +could possibly go beyond. These should really and +appropriately be termed his "grand pattern." There +is present in those instances the combined excellences +in the highest degree of mechanical precision, beautiful +proportion and drawing, such as no master designer of +the Renaissance could surpass, the choicest materials, +including splendid varnish, the whole united and capped +with that essential, a beautiful tone.</p> + +<p>A few words about the interior of Stradivari's instruments; +one kind of work is perceptible in all of them. +There is not, as we may see in the works of other +masters, that off-handed, or even slovenly want of finish +inside while the whole attention of the maker has been +concentrated on the exterior. With Stradivari all is +well done, the blocks, end and corner ones are carefully +faced and have little, if any can be seen, of the tool +marks left upon them. The linings let into the corners +are in every instance done with minute exactness. The<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +wood of these and the blocks is a kind of Italian poplar, +sometimes called willow and by the French sallow; it is +light and has no threads like pine to cause difficulty in +the manipulation. Too much importance has been +attached by critics to the presence of this wood in +Stradivari's violins. That it had nothing whatever to +do with the excellence of tone quality is clear from the +fact of makers of inferior skill and less renown for +tone having used it in the same parts. The most +likely reason is—as most repairers have concluded—the +absence of thread, its lightness, pliability and evenness +of texture, being thereby adapted for the necessary long +strips for fitting round the curves. Some makers used +it invariably, while others did so occasionally, perhaps +not always having a stock on hand. When for some +reasons, such as being worm eaten or badly fractured, +it has been found compulsory to remove them and +substitute others in their place and of other wood, there +has been no perceptible deterioration in the tone either +as regards quality or quantity. Not only so, but there +is the fact that many of the Italian masters and their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +numerous pupils, to say nothing of makers of a lower +order, as often as not sent forth their violins without +linings, some even without corner blocks. In most of +these instances, however, the ribs were left very stout in +substance in order to retain a sufficient holding surface +for the glue. The subtle curvings of the ribs of an +Amati, and more so of a Stradivari, almost precluded +the use of a very thick material, especially so when the +curl or figure was bold and elaborate. In consonance +with this, we find with Stradivari that the thin plate or +veneer from which the ribs have been cut is not thick, +but of accurate and equal measurement along its course. +The linings being equally true and fitting in the closest +manner to the ribs, are in their original state somewhat +stouter, the middle or waist ones parting slightly on +approaching the corner blocks each way and thus giving +a gradually increasing area of attachment (diag. <i>h</i>). All +of the four blocks are well trimmed off and their surfaces +levelled, being quite regular in their form and size and +trimmed to proper measurement. The end blocks +serving to sustain the greatest amount of strain longitudinally, +are also found well finished, in contrast with so +many seen in instruments by makers of eminence that +are simply hacked roughly into size and shape. They +were carefully estimated in their proportion for strength +sufficient to resist the strain caused by the size, length, +and pull of the strings in use at the time of Stradivari, +and with something to spare, so that even now, under<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +the enormous strain of the modern high pitch, when in +perfect and original condition they are equal to their +task. In a number of instances, when much repairing, +good or bad has been done, the end, and often the corner +blocks, have been replaced by modern ones. There is, +of course, under these circumstances less of Stradivari +present, but it has often been a case of painful necessity +or question of expense as to the choice between two steps +for restoration to health and particularly for strength. +The form viewed vertically adopted by Stradivari was +that of a parallelogram with two rounded corners (diag. <i>i</i>.). +The upper block was left a little thicker, the junction or +root of the neck necessitating this. The renewal of one +or both of these has also been caused incidentally by the +deep insertion of the modern and longer neck, thus +lessening much of the grip or purchase of the block on +both upper and lower table. The same may be said of +the nut over which the tail string passes, this being—owing +also to the rise of the modern tone pitch and increase +of tension—much larger than in Stradivari's day, +and he may in a sense be said to have had to buckle to +modern requirements.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/fig_00h.png" alt="" /></div> + +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Diagram</span> <i>h</i>.</p> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/fig_00i.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Diagram</span> <i>i</i>.</p> + +<p>While the seat as it were of our criticism is at the +present moment in the interior portion of the admirable +structures bequeathed to us by the great Cremonese, we +may consider further the surface work of this part. +Everyone knows that the interior of a violin is left unvarnished +by violin makers. Stradivari was in no way +anxious to become an exception to this rule. The reasons +for its adoption were, and are, still obviously wise, +although not necessitous. He knew that his work, in +common with that of other craftsman, would be liable to +fracture, and that in the process of restoration the surfaces +and junction of parts must be laid bare, and varnish +where not obviously necessary would be an obstruction.</p> + +<p>For the satisfaction of the anxious inquirer it may be +stated that varnishing the interior has, to my knowledge, +been tried by an excellent modern workman as an experiment +and did not bring any adequate reward by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> +perceptible improvement in tone quality. In another +instance, to prevent the encroachment of the collector's +arch-enemy, the worm, the innovation seemed to have +proved ineffectual. Stradivari may have tried this and +perhaps, for once at least, met with failure. The bar—there +is but one—ofttimes erroneously called sound-bar +or bass-bar—is, in common with all the violins of the +old Italian school, quite inadequate for modern requirement, +that of supporting the upper table on the fourth +string side against the pressure caused by the tension of +the third and fourth, the heaviest strings.</p> + +<p>That the length, thickness and disposition of the bar +has much to do with the good going order of every +violin there is no disputing. Stradivari did not live long +enough to make acquaintance with the numberless +proposals for acquiring his quality by making this part +longer, shorter, thicker, or thinner, besides various +modes of attachment. That some of them would have +raised a smile on the features of the veteran Cremonese, +we may be quite sure. That he was quite content with +the size of the bar in general use during his life-time +there can be no doubt, as there is no record or evidence +of any experiments having been made by him, fair +argument that none were considered necessary; the +instruments finished, the ordinary bar of the period was +inserted and there was an end. The whole of the interior +indicates an absence of any question of improvement on +what had been done before by his master Nicolas Amati +and his predecessors, apart from good finish.</p> + +<p>A few words as to the thickness of the upper and +lower tables. Of this much has been written, an +extremely small portion being from actual observation, +and most of the other parts being reiterated assertions +started many years back by people whose supposed +knowledge rested solely upon simple conviction, without +an iota of <i>bona fide</i> evidence in support. To them the +fact, well known to everyone engaged in the manufacture +of sound-boards of musical instruments, that a very +thick sound-board produces different results to that of a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +very thin one, was sufficient, therefore the secret of +Stradivari with regard to his tone, was "the adjustment +of the thicknesses," whatever that may mean. The +assertion seeming perhaps rather bare, and wanting +some sort of support, was bolstered up with another no +less instructive, that if you "pinged," or tapped the +separated upper and lower tables of a Stradivari so that +they each gave out a note there would be found the +difference of a tone between them! Here was something +for the "babes and sucklings" of the craft of +violin making to swallow. It was stated also which +table would give the higher tone. Unfortunately for +some would-be Stradivaris, the particulars of the tonal +difference were copied loosely and reversed and so +came "confusion worse confounded."</p> + +<p class="blockquot">The illustrations of sound holes, or <i>f f</i> commonly so called, will, +it is hoped, be interesting as showing the modification or development +from those of Nicolas Amati to the latter part of the period of +Stradivari's career, called "the grand." They are all reproduced +from fine specimens of the great Cremonese masters, and are the +exact size of the originals. The first (<i>a</i>) shows the <i>f</i> of a violin of +the Nicolas Amati's late period, 1663, unaffected—at least in this +detail—by the individuality of his hereafter eminent pupil. (<i>b</i>) +While still going under the name of Nicolas Amati, 1678, the <i>f</i> shows +the actual interference of Stradivari, it is more vertical, but the +peculiarities of the upper and lower wings are retained. (<i>c</i>) 1684. +The design is quite changed, there is some return to the flow or +inclination of Amati, but the whole thing is more extended, is +slender, and the upper and lower wings are widened, this modification +was retained for a permanency. (<i>d</i>) 1690. There is some +return to the vertical design, but the width of the wings is retained, +while the lower part of the design is of larger proportions. (<i>e</i>) 1700. +The design is more equalised and is more substantial. (<i>f</i>) 1715. +The same proportions are kept with an increase of gracefulness. +It will be perceived the lower wing approaches at its lowest +part the opposing curve more closely, the upper one likewise; in +some specimens of this period it is still closer. (<i>g</i>) 1725. While the +upper part is very like the preceding, the lower part is more contracted +and curled up. There is a somewhat heavier expression +about the upper part in consequence.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/fig_048a-c.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">SEE PAGE <a href="#Page_48">48.</a></p> +<p> </p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/fig_048d-g.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption">SEE PAGE <a href="#Page_48">48.</a></p> +<p> </p> + + + +<p>History does not relate which of those parties who +may have practically followed up the experiments were +successful in arriving at the goal of their ambition; they +may<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> even still be continuing the struggle for supremacy +with their master.</p> + +<p>We have not to look far for ascertaining whether +these assertions have borne fruit. There has been time +enough for works built upon these so-called discoveries +of fixed principles to have settled down, and the popular +verdict now is—that those which guided Antonio Stradivari +have yet to be discovered. The numbers of +announcements of fresh discoveries—repeated <i>ad nauseam</i>—are +in themselves some evidence that what has gone +before was founded on deceptive evidence, and therefore +to begin anew was the only course left.</p> + +<p>The illustrations of scrolls by Nicolas Amati and +Antonio Stradivari, being from good specimens by the +masters, will be interesting as showing the progression +of the modification in detail under the hands of the +latter. In fig. <i>a</i>, Nicolas Amati, c. 1670, it will be seen +that the first or smallest turn after leaving the axis or +"eye" is kept for some distance rather close. Every +effort seems to have been made for keeping the turns or +winding from being too circular, there being a general +dip downward and forward. The gouging is deep from +the commencement. The aim of the artist in the whole +design appears to have been towards perfection of +gracefulness.</p> + + + +<p>Fig. <i>b</i>. Antonio Stradivari, 1683, the openness and +bold swing of the first turn at once on leaving the "eye" +is very striking, it also commences higher up, there is +almost an absence of flow or downward tendency. The +throat underneath the volute is very massive, although +all the edges are finished off with the utmost delicacy +and sharp tooling. All the details of scroll carving by +Stradivari at this period are marvels of mechanical +dexterity of handling. The different depths of the +gouging are carefully calculated for solidity of effect, +each portion being deep in proportion to its width, the +smaller turns thus having less depth than the larger. +With the Amatis there seemed to be a striving after +attainment of the greatest depth possible in the smaller<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +gougings, those nearest the axis reaching frequently to +almost the same depth of level as the outer or broadest +one. In no part of his work does Stradivari show more +clearly the result of careful calculation after closely +studying the work of his master and others that had +gone before.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/fig_049a.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption"> <span class="smcap">Fig.</span> <i>a</i>. <span class="smcap">See Page</span> <a href="#Page_49">49.</a></p> +<p> </p> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xii" id="Page_xii"></a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/fig_049b.png" alt="" /></div> + +<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fig.</span> <i>b</i>. <span class="smcap">See Page</span> <a href="#Page_49">49.</a></p> +<p> </p> + +<p>Fig. <i>c</i>. The period 1715 shows the result of further +calculation for general effect and a consequent modification +in respect of minor details; there is present, as +always, the sufficiently bold swing of the first turn from +the axis. In choice specimens the point of commencement +is as sharply and clearly defined as the mitreing of +the purfling at the four corners of the body of the violin +and which it seems impossible to excel. The throat, +with the whole of the peg-box, is reduced slightly but +consistently with strength and beauty of appearance. +The public verdict has remained unshaken with regard +to these scrolls being in respect of the combination of +excellencies the best carvings of the great artist. They +are in the most trifling degree smaller than those carved +before the period of 1700. Among those cut about the +1710-15 period, or even later, are a few that seem to +have been intentionally both smaller and more upright. +Although having all the essential excellencies of detail +they can scarcely be considered as coming up to the +standard of the others in respect of refined grandeur. +This type may be said to be mixed up and continued +with more or less persistency to the last, and of this +Fig. <i>d</i> gives a good representation. There is frequently +a more emphatic or energetic gouging at the commencement +of the turns, a more developed "ear" as it is often +termed. It is gouged with quite as much care as the +rest. Speculation has been rife as to the possible +influence or even personal help of Joseph Guarneri at +this point, but there is no solid foundation for surmising +the presence of one or the other. If the gouging of this +part may be said to bear any sort of resemblance to the +emphatic or impetuous touch of Joseph, it is confined +strictly to this portion; other essentials are wanting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> +that would be absolutely necessary for crediting artists +of distinctly opposite tendencies with—it might be +almost rightly termed—tampering with each other's +designs.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/fig_050c.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption"> <span class="smcap">Fig.</span> <i>c</i>. <span class="smcap">See Page</span> <a href="#Page_50">50.</a></p> +<p> </p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_xiii" id="Page_xiii"></a></span></p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/fig_050d.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption"> <span class="smcap">Fig.</span> <i>d</i>. <span class="smcap">See Page</span> <a href="#Page_50">50.</a></p> +<p> </p> + +<p>But if the name of Carlo Bergonzi is brought into the +field of speculation—granting for a moment that Stradivari +was not very likely to step aside occasionally from +his accustomed groove—then we have much more of a +possibility or even probability in the matter. It has +always been asserted, and I believe never contradicted, +that Carlo Bergonzi was for a time actually working in +the atelier of Stradivari—whether as pupil or only +assistant matters not—but we have in the fact of his +presence a distinct factor in any of the supposed +anomalies of the later periods of the grand Cremonese +master. To this, however, we may put some consideration +further on. There is further in these later +scrolls a modification, alteration, or supposed attempt at +improvement in the edging of the turns, these being left +a trifle stouter than at the commencement of Stradivari's +career.</p> + +<p>This is continued along over the top and down the +back of the scroll to the shell, which seems to be a little +less elongated than the early specimens. It may be more +apparent than real in most instances in consequence of +the bolder edging. The hollowing of the "shell" is +seemingly less delicate, but this may be taken as a +natural result of the foregoing. Further on these details +will come in again for review.</p> + +<p>To continue our remarks on the question of "thicknesses +and their adjustment" with each other. This is +a department of the luthier's art, to which perhaps much +more attention has been directed by theorisers than by +practical workers. The latter class have no doubt been +influenced by the former to a considerable extent, oftentimes +having their views expressly carried out under their +personal supervision. By musical amateurs it is found +to be a good theme for conversation when the excellencies +of the works of various masters are dilated upon. That<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +the richness of quality in a "Joseph" is the result of +his having left "his wood" thick in certain parts and +not so much in others, and that this, combined with the flat +modelling, was the secret, and that it was written that +some of the Josephs were too thick in the back, and +therefore the freedom of the vibration was checked and +the tone to some degree stifled and deficient in penetrative +power.</p> + +<p>Among my early musical acquaintances, I remember +an amateur violinist who would "wax eloquent" on +the power of his Strad, asserting that it was owing in a +great measure to its having been "left thick by the +maker" all round near the border. This, no doubt, +many other amateurs, acquainted with what used to +be in print on the subject, will recognise as being in +opposition to what had been accepted as being the +rule generally observed by Stradivari, that the arching +in its thickness gently decreased towards the border +where it was about a third less than at the centre. +This gentle gradation was said to be the cause of +the beautiful "silky" and "sympathetic" quality so +prominently characteristic of his instruments. The +explanation of "the thing in action," as mechanicians +would term it, was thus—the greatest thickness being at +the part all round by the feet of the bridge, was able to +sustain the vibration, or the successive shocks caused by +the bow, which were transmitted through the wood of +the upper table and were gradually lessened in intensity +as the thickness decreased toward the border, where +they subsided, or were lost.</p> + +<p>I do not know what explanation was given, if any, of +the "system" of thickness adopted much by some of the +Milanese school, which was that of hewing away the +wood until it was thinnest at the part all round by the +feet of the bridge and thickest by the lower wings of the +sound holes. Judging by the before mentioned assertions +as to the association of power of energetic vibration with +the thickest wood under the bridge, these Milanese +makers were acting very wrongly, but, strange to say,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +many instruments of very great power were made by +them under these conditions.</p> + +<p>Many years ago I was conversing on the subject of +thicknesses with an English maker of experience and +who seemed to believe in certain "thicknesses," and +having then as yet made no practical experiments myself +in the matter, I put the following to him. There are +many violins to be met with that through ill-usage and +pressure on the bridge have depressions instead of the +level wood at the part we should expect it to be, and yet +the tone is considered fine, how is this? The answer +was remarkable, and not unworthy of the class of makers +to which he belonged—that although the wood had +become thinner from pressure, "the original amount was +all there," it was only squeezed closer together. The +instruments were, no doubt, "rightly gauged" in the +first instance. "Now there," he said, pointing to a +'cello hanging up almost out of reach and looking in +rather a woe-begone condition, is a bass that "never +would go well because it was badly gauged when first +made." Age and usage were to be of no avail in bringing +this wretched piece of workmanship up to the standard +of the average.</p> + +<p>This last assertion might have been of considerable +weight had the maker been a personal pupil of Stradivari, +but the public verdict has been that there was a +great gulf between the two, and that the first had not +been initiated into the secret of the others. Foreign as +well as English makers have announced in the most +impressive manner at their command that their instruments +were identical in all respects, including the system +of thicknesses in the originals, buy them, use them, and +be convinced that in time they would be just as good as +the real thing.</p> + +<p>The foregoing is perhaps enough to indicate whether +or not the secret of Stradivari, or indeed any of the other +Italian masters, great or small, had been discovered by +caliper measurement. It is strange that the impression +has held sway so strongly that the genius of the great<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +master lay in his manner of distribution of the thick and +thin parts of the upper and lower table. The first +thought in this direction would be that if the theory was +good, its practical application with ordinary skill and +care would be sure to bring about the desired result. +But more than this has been done in experimenting on +originals and copies from time to time. We have within +a mile of Charing Cross no lack of workmen capable of +gauging and copying with sufficient exactness the thicknesses +of any Stradivari brought to them, if that were +all, or the principal means necessary for reproducing the +famous qualities of the great Cremonese. It seems to +be forgotten that hundreds of clever workmen have lived +since his time, in his own as well as other countries, +who have given the most assiduous application to the +making of exact copies and with a like result—that +of total failure. For a moment let us turn our +thoughts to the nature of the materials comprised in +the sum total of the structure known as a violin. +We have for the upper table, or front, a thin slab of +wood known as pine, from a species of tree that grows +all over the world. The varieties are, however, innumerable +and the purposes to which they are put, +equally so. For the lower table, or back, a more dense +and tough wood is used. That the particular kind used +in the construction of the famous instruments of the +great masters, and mostly that known as curled maple +or "hare wood," was chiefly on account of its beauty, +is evident from the fact that all the best Italian makers +had recourse at times to other and less showy wood. +Beech was occasionally used by Carlo Bergonzi. Other +tough woods grown in Italy, even poplar, have been +used by some makers, seemingly when the supply of +better looking material ran short. That there are extant +some "Strads" with backs of some plain wood other +than maple is more than likely. We have, then, for the +upper table of the violin a wood of soft but elastic +consistency, the strength of which lies mainly in the +threads running lengthwise, and which, when the wood<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +is cut in the manner usual with all violin makers since +its invention, serve the purpose of small joists running +from end to end of the upper table. The soft material +lying between these is very susceptible to damp, especially +when fresh cut. Thus, if a piece of pine be cut ever so +smooth with a sharp gouge or chisel, a slightly wetted +brush drawn along the surface will at once cause the +softer parts to swell and so leave a ribbed or "corduroy" +appearance when it is dry. This will serve to show how +far this wood is suitable for regulating by such very +minute differences as would be necessary when the +thicknesses theory is confided in and efforts made to +reduce it to practice. The exactness reasonably expected +of such a master of quality as Stradivari would be upset +in an instant by the application of a little moisture, and +which either by accident or during the process of repairing +would be fairly certain to occur some time or other +to every violin that left the hands of its maker.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHAPTER VII.</span></p> + +<p class="subtitle"><span class="smcap">Stradivari's Tone and System—Those of his +Pupils and Assistants—Qualities of Tone +Produced in Different Localities.</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="cap">WE may now refer to actual observation or close +examination of Stradivari's work with reference +to the question of system, whether there is +evidence of its presence and how followed by him. That +his violins should have been from time to time well +measured by the very numerous army of identical +imitators, fair copyists, and all sorts of connoisseurs and +theorists during the present century will be at once +admitted, and the results may be summed up in a few +words. Stradivari did not leave clearly defined any +evidence of a system of gauging which he strictly +followed, at any rate in such a manner as to enable the +least approach by such to be made by any followers in +his steps with any measure of success. In short, he +was guided by the exigencies of the moment as to the +amount of wood left in his ordinary or choicer specimens.</p> + +<p>It has been stated before that his quality of tone was +one, not several, and for these his patrons flocked to him, +as his admirers have also more and more earnestly +sought for him since the supply has ceased. But it was +not desirable that the greatest possible power should be +given to instruments that were in many cases to simply +charm a small family circle of friends in an apartment +of modest dimensions. He would, therefore, naturally +enough vary the amount of wood left. This would be +quite in accordance with what is perfectly well known to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +all makers and repairers of experience—that with a +violin if very "thickly timbered," the tone is less easy of +emission, or actually weak. On the other hand, if too +thin the emission is comparatively easy, but lacks +intensity and is termed "hollow." Under these circumstances +we should expect to find a variation in the +thicknesses of different violins of Stradivari, which is in +accordance with fact.</p> + +<p>Some connoisseurs have been in their enthusiasm too +hasty in their reference of general principles from a few +particular instances and their researches—as time thereafter +showed—did not bear the fruit so anxiously looked +forward to.</p> + +<p>An instance comes to mind of two well known +dealers, one British, the other foreign, meeting together +one day and opening some half-a-dozen Strads, that +appeared up to that moment to have had their interiors +undisturbed, or perhaps it might be said untampered +with. What a meeting! and what a parting! let +us hope that each table, upper or lower, that had so +long been working in harmony, eventually became +again properly mated and gave no cause for lawyers +to "put their fingers in the pie." The results of the +examination is related thus:—"In no two of the +instruments were thicknesses alike; some had thick +places and thin places; some were thicker on one side +than the other; all were thicker in the centre of the +upper table and all had these as three to five for the +back."</p> + +<p>Another is that of a well known continental repairer in +his day, relating how he had repaired a very large number +of real Strads and found the upper tables to be of the +same thickness, two and a half m's. all over, but that the +backs varied in thickness. Some discrepancies here +seemingly. To add to this, a correspondent says the +Strads he has measured "have certainly not been +thickest in the centre of the upper table."</p> + +<p>My own observations as to thicknesses I am afraid +will not afford much comfort to those who have been<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +hopeful at any time that the calipers would drag forth +the precious secret. I recollect many years back seeing +a very fresh Strad, and a hasty measurement possible +at the time revealed too much wood, that is judging +according to our modern ideas of regulation.</p> + +<p>One instance of a Strad, once my own property, comes +to my mind. It had something wrong with the interior +that necessitated opening. The violin was of good +reputation for its tone of fine quality, quantity and ease +of emission. There was no help for it; much against +my inclination the separation of the upper table from the +ribs would have to take place, either by my own hands, +or those of some other person, the rectification being +impossible from the exterior as it sometimes may be. +With all necessary care, guided by past experience, the +opening was safely accomplished, and after a very +interesting examination of the interior, which to an +ordinary observer would have seemed but peering into +a dirty old wooden box, having nothing perceptibly +different from any other, was in what would be called a +fair state of preservation. I took the calipers in hand, +expecting to learn something, but found all the original +thicknesses had been lost under the hands of numerous +repairers.</p> + +<p>The supposed system or rule followed by Stradivari—that +is, according to what critics and writers have declared +was his habit—was certainly not demonstrated in this +instance: in fact the eyesight alone was sufficient to +perceive that whatever theory the master had believed +in as necessary for the production of his inimitable +quality, or whatever rule as to gauging should be +followed in order to obtain enough power and freedom of +emission were, in the present instance, we will not say +ignored, but quite imperceptible; and why? because the +fiddle at one time had been what we moderns—with our +ideas of regulation and fitting—would term "too thick +in the wood." The instrument had undergone much +affliction from various physicians, but, judging from +various little details of evidence, been at almost all times<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> +highly prized. Here and there were the studs or buttons +of various kinds of pine stuck by repairers of different +nationalities and degrees of skill, some placed with +apparent good intention, others without reason at all, +while several parts bore indications of studs having at +one time rested there and been afterwards removed by +succeeding repairers. Now all these men had a thought +of doing their work properly, and in finishing off their +studs with gouge or glass-paper, had whipped off around +each spot some of the precious wood of Stradivari, with +a general result of a series of hollows and gentle prominences +not at all pleasing to the eye of the believer in +the thickness theory, but nevertheless instructive.</p> + +<p>Other instances in which the master's work—while +still good and serviceable, with much evidence of unskilful +repair, or want of proper attention at the time of +accident, have come under my notice, enough, long ago, +to have, as the saying is, "knocked into a cocked hat," +all that has been put forth regarding the mathematical +precision of the thicknesses over the different parts of +a violin by Antonio Stradivari. One or two further +remarks may be interesting on this part of our subject. +The fact must not be lost sight of that the pupils of the +now well established master of his art in Cremona were +working either at that place likewise, or in the large +cities of Italy, and had become famous, or were soon to +be so and themselves surrounded by learners of the art. +All these had been initiated in the secrets, if any, of +their craft and in the particulars which distinguished +them from others, or we may say, they were of the +Stradivari school, showing in a more or less degree the +same species of tone which the master had brought to +maturity, and which he retained with consistency and +never swerved from to his latest day.</p> + +<p>It is quite a reasonable supposition that most, if not +all, of the personal pupils were taught by the master, +or had the way pointed out to them by which they +might, with the right ear for discrimination of tone +quality and enough of industry, impart to their works<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +the identical qualities of those of their teacher. But +what are the facts left for our consideration in connection +with caliper measurement? the pupils admittedly of his +teaching, among whom we may mention Lorenzo +Guadagnini, his son Joannes Battista, Alexandri Gagliano, +one or two of his sons and Carlo Bergonzi, as the +best known, each adopted their own, or shall we say, left +no more evidence for us of having a set rule for thicknesses +than their master. The nearest approach to the asserted +system of Stradivari, that of a gentle declination of substance +in the wood down to the edge, was made by +Lorenzo Guadagnini in his extra sized violins; but then +the tone, wonderfully fine, is not Stradivari, but Guadagnini. +Carlo Bergonzi's system, if we may for a moment +call it, was quite unlike Stradivari, and yet connoisseurs +have frequently credited him with having got "the same +beautiful quality of tone." From these few references +it will be sufficiently plain that the grand secret of tone +quality must not be sought for with the aid of calipers, +so we will dismiss this part of our subject and proceed to +other considerations.</p> + +<p>Besides those who have pinned their faith to the +thicknesses, there are those who take up with the "air +mass" theory. I am afraid the arguments in favour of +this last will not bear even so much knocking about as +those just considered.</p> + +<p>We have in the first place to take into account the fact +of the larger modern bar taking up more room than the +old obsolete one of, not only Stradivari, but all the other +masters of his time and before. The upper and lower +end blocks have been enlarged in many instances to +obtain a better hold on the upper and lower table. +These alterations have been each of necessity, not of +ignorance or mere whim, and moreover have proved +efficacious for the end in view. The restorers, or regulators +who have performed these operations must—according +to the "air mass" theory—have been acting +quite "in the teeth" of it and Stradivari's regulation, +further there is not one fiddle in a hundred—perhaps not<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +that—which has been in use for a generation but what +shows a sinking one side or the other, or, when the +modelling is full, a depression in the middle of the upper +table, and very frequently a greater fulness at the back +where the sound post touches and presses from the inside. +These alterations, individually or collectively, alter the +"air mass" of the interior, and the violin thus, according +to the theory, contains within itself the elements of its +own early dissolution, so far as fine quality is concerned. +Facts, however, go to prove the contrary, and with the +modern regulator's efforts to obtain the best amount of +a good thing known to be present, it is quite probable +that Stradivari himself never heard his instruments to +such advantage as they may be now, notwithstanding +the unreasonably high pitch to which violinists are +obliged to conform their tuning.</p> + +<p>There was another theory promulgated many years +back by certain people of some degree of eminence in +their own walk in life. A grand discovery was +announced, that the excellence of the violins of Stradivari +consisted in the tonal difference between the upper +and lower tables peculiar no doubt to that master. This +sort of committee of scientific experimenter, violin dealer +and author, did not—while centralising their efforts on +the violins of one master—say whether the same relationship +existed between the back and front of a Nicola +Amati, Maggini or Gasparo de Salo, they made something +of a slip when they mentioned the violins of the +great Joseph Guarnerius as showing the same tonal +difference.</p> + +<p>It would have been very interesting to have heard of +results after further trials by the same experimenters +upon upper or lower tables of violins by now not very +much less celebrated makers, who, although of the same +class or school, were living—for those times—far away +from the central luminary of the Cremonese art. What +would have been said of Montagnana of Venice? a star +of the first magnitude, curiously near in quality and +quantity to the great centre to which he was willing to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +pay obeisance and throw out a reflected light; of +Gobetti, perhaps more "Straddy" than any other +Italian, Gofrilleri, Seraphino, two or three of the +Tononis, besides other lights of lesser magnitude, with +exceedingly fine qualities, but perhaps open to the +charge of intermittency. Further, several of the Milanese +school,—offshoots of the Amati and Stradivari,—of +Lorenzo Guadagnini, a master of his art in all its details, +if ever there was one, his son Joannes Battista, steadier +in his working, but more uncertain in his results—shifting +from place to place, may have had some connection +with this—and the occasionally fine artificers of +the same place, Landolfi, the Grancinos and Testores +and later on Balestrieri of Mantua and Storioni of +Cremona. These men, always good, and when circumstances +were favourable, great in their art, often grand +in their individuality and power, were, by these modern +scientific interrogators placed aside or quietly ignored, +apparently either as unworthy of their recognition, or of +such inferior renown as not to come within the scope of +their investigations.</p> + +<p>A close and searching inquiry into the causes that +enabled different masters of their art to bring about the +desirable end of their labours, that of imparting a distinct +quality and individuality of tone, might have enabled +them to get at least a hint as to the means whereby +Stradivari gratified the tastes of his patrons at the time +and connoisseurs in general of the present day. As +indicated before, the Venetian masters were—probably +by the same means—able to put before their patrons that +kind of tone most in agreement with the luxurious surroundings +of the Venetian nobility, or offered and found +acceptable to the musical public generally there.</p> + +<p>A prolonged, earnest examination of the peculiarities +of tone attached to the violins of the makers of the chief +seats of violin making, has led to the inference that the +difference in kind or degree was not from individual +choice, but chiefly owing to outside influence.</p> + +<p>What is known as the old Brescian type of tone was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +doubtless suitable to the tastes of musical circles, among +whom the then new style of musical instrument was +introduced in Brescia. When settled down, the Amati +family, a group of thorough artists, proved themselves +alive to the requirements of the fresh district that was +henceforth to be the scene of their labours for generations. +The Brescian quality had either been found by them, or +was known beforehand, to be too ponderous or insufficiently +endowed with the more feminine quality desirable +in the minds of the Cremonese. The Amatis seem to +have been in full possession of the means necessary for +producing the kind of violin in demand and supplied it.</p> + +<p>As time went on, musical compositions changed in +style, advancing by degrees towards the culminating +point of nearly a century later. The simple, oft-times +wondrously sweet, yet quaint effusions of the early composers +for the violin, were gradually giving more and +stronger indication of what was possible and likely to +follow soon and in its turn, like all other things, become +antiquated and old-fashioned. Undoubtedly, it was this +progressive condition of the music of the period that +induced Stradivari, early in his career, if not at the time +he was with Nicolo Amati, to take up the study of tone +calibre as a matter of essential importance, in order not +only to keep pace with the times, but if possible, anticipate +further advances in musical development.</p> + +<p>It was daily becoming more evident that the qualities +of refinement and sympathy would not in themselves be +sufficient in an instrument with such a future as the +violin seemed to have. Melodic forms were being +modified, while harmony was becoming more varied and +divided.</p> + +<p>The art of appropriate phrasing was also being studied, +while practical musicians were bowing to the necessity +of leaving old stereotyped forms for those having more +emotional qualities. In short, the violin wanted in +Cremona was one of substantial power and suitable for +more dramatic expression on the part of the performer. +To bring forth a violin of this desirable type, Stradivari<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +directed his energies. With what measure of success, +the whole musical world up to the present day have +emphatically declared.</p> + +<p>Now, we may ask, was the difference of tone between +the violins of Stradivari and those of the other makers +of the Brescian, Cremonese, Venetian, Milanese, or +Neapolitan school, in consequence of the tonal difference +between the upper and lower table, as supposed to have +been discovered by the modern Parisian investigator? +was it resulting from the correct air mass inside? the +relative thickness of the tables, or we may as well include +the straight and fine grain theorists, the amber varnish +in the wood theorists, the wood of great age theorists, +and the generations of use theorists, and lastly those who +mix them altogether. If Stradivari practically worked +upon one, some or all of these theories, there is still +more mystery concerning the close proximity at which +his pupils or assistants arrived, several of whom we +might conclude were possessed of all necessary means of +acquiring to the full their master's excellencies.</p> + +<p>Just for a moment or two we may turn aside and +notice the kind of variation or the distinguishing +difference between the tone in the general acceptation of +the term—of Antonio Stradivari and other makers, or, +as time has proved, masters of their art, if not on an +equal standing with him. There is frequently among +musicians a disposition to set down as inferior any tone +that may seem to differ in degree or kind with that of +Stradivari; that is the ideal type, it must be Stradivari +and no other; some have even gone so far as to say, +"there is only one quality," that of Stradivari, and +when other masters did not produce it, they were unable +to do so; this is more than a hint at condemnation of +the head of the Cremona school as having been very +lax in the proper and thoughtful training of his number +of pupils; this latter an almost necessary consequence +of eminent rank, taken apart from the usual assistance +found to be obligatory from pressure of work. If we +glance over the Italian schools taken one after another,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +the facts, if acknowledged, will be seen to point in other +directions. Taking for instance the Milanese master, +Lorenzo Guadagnini, who tells us himself that he learnt +his art under Antonio Stradivari, we find distinct traces +of it in his tone, the general calibre is the same and +most of the fine, distinguishing features noticed in the +tone produced by his master; the difference, however, +is that which is peculiar to the master makers of Milan, +that of a slightly less reedy emission of sound. Some +have called it harder, which is not a correct description. +Chords are produced with it as easily and roundly as +with any other, the individual notes blend beautifully +and give an impression of homogeneousness in no wise +inferior to anything produced in Italy. There was no +apparent difficulty in the way of Milan acquiring and +cultivating the variety of Italian tone known as the +Cremonese had they been so disposed; we are therefore +led to infer that each place with its musical world held +its own opinions as to the most satisfactory quality of +tone for its purpose and considered it the best. Milan +is situated in Lombardy, north-west of Cremona, and +distant from it between forty and fifty miles; not a very +long way at any time, but quite sufficient for each place +to cultivate or indulge in any artistic or musical fancies +or whims independently of the other. We find maker +after maker in Milan keeping within certain limits as +regards the quality of tone produced there; I do not +know of one whose instruments emitted other than the +Milanese quality.</p> + +<p>We may, I think, safely assume that so far from loosely +and superficially instructing his pupils, Stradivari's +tuition was of a deeper, far-reaching kind than has ever +been suspected. If the tone of Lorenzo Guadagnini is +compared with that of the makers who were working in +Milan when he arrived, it will not be difficult to perceive +that the Milanese type is still retained, although much +enlarged and matured, in fact become freshly developed, +throwing out the additional qualities for the obtaining +of which the great master of Cremona had carefully<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +trained his gifted pupil. All this is not in the least +interfered with by the fact of Joannes Battista Guadagnini's +tone differing in some respects—and more at +times—with that of his father, but rather helped by it; +both assert on their tickets that they were instructed by +Stradivari, and both show the results of their training +in that largeness and impressiveness which is so much +beloved of violinists and which without doubt came from +their great teacher. Josef, the son of Joannes Battista +Guadagnini, appears also to have either been instructed +by Stradivari or to have assisted under his personal +supervision—which would amount to much the same +thing. We may perceive in the tone of this maker also +the influence of the great master in the same directions +as are manifested in the works of his father and grandfather, +they are all of the Stradivarian school.</p> + +<p>Let us now turn in another direction. Alexandri +Gagliano of Naples tells us that he too was a pupil of +Stradivari, and looking at his work there is nothing about +it inconsistent with his statement; his typical design is +formed upon that of Stradivari, and many of his details +of workmanship are such as can only have been carried +out as the result of either a lengthy study, or from being +under the immediate supervision of the master.</p> + +<p>The quality of tone produced by the Neapolitans is as +distinct as possible from that of Milan, it is clear, lively, +suggestive of a sunny clime, and free in its emission, +but leaves an impression on the ear of a lack of sufficient +profundity, nearly the opposite in fact of the early +Brescian school. Here the best of the Gaglianos—for it +is not at all certain that there were not more than two +of them assisting at different times in Stradivari's atelier—brought +the same kind of improvement to Naples as +the Guadagninis did to Milan, the scale was better +regulated so as to give greater breadth of effect, notwithstanding +the general quality—seemingly native to +the place—being uninterfered with. Here then was the +influence of Stradivari having taught his pupils the +means whereby the particular tone quality most appreciated<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> +in the locality could be brought forward in its +most developed, or mature condition.</p> + +<p>Carlo Bergonzi we shall have to consider more fully +further on, and for the present only refer to him as a +pupil or assistant much more in immediate connection +with the atelier of Stradivari than any maker known to +us. Irregular workman as he was, swayed about this +way and that by matters unknown to us, he kept steadfast +to the Stradivarian lines to the end. The rest of +his family were either his own pupils, or they may have +even been at times with his master, as they all—so far +as I am acquainted with them—are of the same school. +These particulars all point in one direction—that +Stradivari was not anxious and made no special efforts +at introducing any new kind of tone—development of +that already in existence was his aim, and on this +line he appears to have led his immediate or personal +pupils.</p> + +<p>There is great probability that some very clever workmen +whose names are lost to us, were with Stradivari +for a time, long or short, and were able to imbibe the +valuable precepts enjoined similarly on the other +disciples. It is not at present known whether the sons +of Stradivari had pupils or assistants, the rarity of their +work seems to point to the contrary; their father having +been so successful from the commercial point of view, +apart from the higher aspect of his career, there may +have been—we might say—the usual disposition amongst +sons of successful fathers to take life more easily and +repose among the laurels won for them, requiring only a +little caretaking. There is some possibility of Thomas +Balestrieri, of Mantua, having worked for a time under +Stradivari, but not as a pupil; there is much in his +work suggestive of this theory. His tone quality does +not belong to the Amati school, in which tradition has +it he was trained. He may have gone as help to +Stradivari—for loose as was his general tendency, he +could work finely when the fit was on him. Whether +he went or not, there remains tone quality evidence of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +the strong influence of Stradivari, besides the throwing +aside of the Amati traditions concerning proportions, +curves and archings.</p> + +<p>Of the other places to which personal pupils of the +master went, we may take a passing glance at Genoa, +a city not replete with makers of refinement, or numerous, +but nevertheless with some sterling qualities. Among +them and the most "Straddy" is Bernardus Calcanius; +his earliest dates, if we can rely upon them, and they +may prove at any moment to have been earlier than +hitherto known, almost preclude the possibility of his +having worked under Stradivari except as a youth. The +influence of the master is, however, decidedly paramount +in his work and no other tendency being noticeable, if +not an immediate pupil, he took all possible pains to +acquire the excellencies that were to his knowledge +peculiar to Stradivari alone.</p> + +<p>Among the Venetian makers there does not seem to be +one that can—from his style and workmanship—be +picked out as showing all necessary evidence of his +having qualified under the great Cremonese as a personal +pupil. Nevertheless there is much indication, and such +as cannot be passed over, of the influence of Stradivari +among the aristocracy of the business there. This was +not, as in the instances of the other schools of violin +making outside Cremona, in the first ten years of the +century, but after the different individuals of the group +of eminent Venetians must have been well known and of +established reputation. In this there is some apparent +indication of one if not more of the party having taken +a trip to Cremona and brought back a few hints of no +inconsiderable value, perhaps received personally from +the master. On the other hand, if this was not the case, +his works must have been brought into Venice and their +merits artistically as well as acoustically well thought +over. The outcome was a change, the Amati genius +hitherto presiding uninterfered with, seemingly immutable, +had to give way to that which was pronounced +an improvement or a step higher in the progress of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +the liutaro's art. As in Cremona, the Amati characteristics +were too deeply rooted in the affections of the +Venetians to be eradicated, and we consequently find in +the designs of a few of the prominent makers the strong +influence of Stradivari in conflict with that of Nicolas +Amati, and the two swaying in balance with the settled +convictions of the followers of Jacobus Stainer.</p> + +<p>Having now taken a glance round at the chief centres +of violin making that had during Stradivari's lifetime +been strongly influenced by him, directly by means of +his pupils or indirectly by the arrival there of his works, +we may note that his qualities artistically or acoustically +considered, while giving him a commanding position, did +not reach so far as to annihilate, during competition, those +of the Amatis, especially where the latter had been of +long standing and followed earnestly in detail, they kept +side by side as in Cremona. The influence of Stradivari +beyond the borders of Italy had yet to receive its due +acknowledgment from the crowds of imitators which +have now become known or have pushed themselves in +front of the public gaze.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHAPTER VIII.</span></p> + +<p class="subtitle"><span class="smcap">The Reputed Golden Period of Stradivari Late in +Life—His Later Modifications of Design—Signs +of Old Age Appearing—The Help He +Received.</span></p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="cap">WE can now return back to Cremona, where we left +the master in what might almost be termed the +heydey of success, as he seems to have had full +obeisance as the reigning chief among liutaros. The +amount of work put forward—estimating carefully by +what remains to us after the lapse of some hundred +and eighty years or more—must have been possibly +larger than is suspected and now might appear incredible +if it were catalogued in detail, were it not +for the extreme probability that minor or mere +mechanical parts of the many instruments other than +violins, violas, or violoncellos were effectively carried +out under the supervision of Antonio Stradivari, his +sons and assistants, of these probably what under the +circumstances might even be termed a numerous staff.</p> + +<p>The period 1700 to 1725 has been referred to by some +writers as "the golden period" of Stradivari, not inaptly +if we are to understand it in a pecuniary sense, as his +income at the time was no doubt of a very satisfactory +nature, but if taken from the standpoint of artistic +elegance and finish in detail the master himself seems to +have had some slight misgivings, as there are well-known +indications in his latter days of having used some of his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +early patterns, as if a desire had arisen in his mind to +return to his old love.</p> + +<p>That some signs of advancing age should not be +apparent in Stradivari's work during the period of 1715 +to 1725 would scarcely be expected. It is just at this +time, however, that he gives the strongest evidence of +being the extraordinary man that he was. In 1715 and +thereabouts, a time of all others, some critics might put +it, when his most magnificent gems of art were sent out +into the world, he was a veteran seventy-one years, a +time of life that few people would look forward to as +being appropriate for executing unrivalled masterpieces, +but rather as having for some time retired for final rest +after a full complement of working days; here, however, +was a peerless artist actually in his prime! and as busy, +possibly so, as at any early times.</p> + +<p>At 1720 to 1725 a close student of his work of hand +may discern some signs of what was to follow, it might +be said naturally. In the first place the purfling +gradually assumes a heavier aspect, it is a trifle bolder +or thicker in substance, although sent round the borders +of the instrument with apparently the same masterly +handling and iron nervousness of the preceding years. +The edging is also a degree stouter. Occasionally the +corners are made to a more obtuse angle, adding to the +whole design a more stolid look, as if mere elegance was +about to be thrown aside and more simplicity and +grandeur were being sought for. This was not continued, +the master seemed afraid of going too far towards +heaviness, he therefore cautiously withdrew to his own +old lines. Sometimes—possibly taking up and constructing +upon some of his old and early moulds—the +corners are brought out more prominently, but with +more substance than in his early days; the result is +delightful for the connoisseur's eye. Accompanying +these minute modifications there will be noticed an +increase slight and gradual in the expression of heaviness +in the sound holes. If possible there is more +freedom from mere symmetrical proportion, they are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +placed less accurately level, one being a trifle higher +than the other, this by the bye was common with him at +all times, although usually with a subtlety that left them +unnoticed by an ordinary observer. This slight irregularity +has been sometimes misinterpreted as one of the +little secrets of the master whereby he obtained his +excellent sonority; "discovered" was the exclamation, +and a new rule laid down on Stradivari's lines—never +place your sound holes on the same level, always one a +trifle higher and you will get what the master was so +famous for. The result, so far, has been a disappointment +which laid bare some evidence that these over +zealous enthusiasts were not sufficiently acquainted with +the canons of Italian art. There was another peculiarity +creeping on with regard to these sound holes—that of +an enlargement of the curve opposing the lower wing, +at first it gave a more staid aspect to the part, there +was less sprightliness and youth about it, nevertheless it +was fine at times, even magnificent, there being still the +same determination of purpose, that of combining +maturity of elegance with strength. Afterwards, the +change—and if all the works of these later years could +be seen, saved from the destructive ravages of time and +wear, it would be pronounced scarcely perceptible in its +progressive degrees—came creeping on, old age gradually +insinuating itself in the mechanical part of the design.</p> + +<p>From 1725 to 1737 was a time forming a proportion +of Stradivari's career during which, if he arouses less +enthusiasm among his admirers for the "work of hand," +he outbalances it by far in exciting our astonishment at +the man himself. In the year 1725, he was then eighty-one +years of age, and his work, regarded from the +standpoint of "periods" as given, or arbitrarily laid +down by critics of the first half of the present century, +was what is now known as just past the "golden" or +"grand" period; that is, some signs of decadence in the +finish of the instruments which he sent forth were for +the first time becoming apparent. It is generally believed +that Stradivari was still industriously engaged in constructing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +instruments of different kinds and sizes as +before, and that his time was occupied to the full in producing +works in rapid succession, as in an uninterrupted +stream. That the first part of this was probably quite +true we can readily agree to, also that the out-put was +continuous. Both, however, will need a little qualification +when the surrounding circumstances are carefully +weighed. Allowing the master possession of unusual +mental and physical powers, with zeal unabated at the +period included within the dates 1725 and 1735, it would +be too much for us to believe him capable of working +with the certainty and celerity of former years; with all +his extraordinary abilities he would now be a less prolific +worker.</p> + +<p>This is in agreement with the number of works that +have come down to us, and as the time advanced it +became less and less until a veritable specimen of his +latest period is extremely rare.</p> + +<p>It has before been referred to that the sons of +Stradivari worked with him for many years. They +must have, from continual practice, been able to fit +their own workmanship on to the designs of their father +to a nicety that could not be surpassed. Their own +individual designs are very seldom seen, consequent, no +doubt, on so much of their time being devoted to helping +their father, and until his death they must have rarely +made on their own account.</p> + +<p>There were other assistants who lent a helping hand in +different branches of the work, among whom we will not +omit mention of Carlo Bergonzi, a great master himself, +but little inferior to Stradivari, and a good deal better +than either of the sons.</p> + +<p>The circumstances under which Carlo Bergonzi +worked in the Stradivari establishment are not known; +it is by no means certain that he received his early +tuition in the place, but that he became an influence of +considerable weight admits of no question. Whether he +worked on the premises, or—his own being at one time +or other next door—was an outside help no data is to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +hand that we can rely on, certain it is that his talent +must have been fully recognised by the younger Stradivaris +as their work declares.</p> + +<p>Many years back there was some discussion about +concerning the extent to which Carlo Bergonzi helped, +or what part he undertook, if it were admitted that some +of the Stradivari violins of the latest period were not +entirely the work of the master. There was much said +for and against the possibility or probability of there +being any of Carlo Bergonzi's handiwork to be seen on +any of the late Strads. No one seems to have questioned +the presence of the influence of Bergonzi's style in the +work of Franciscus Stradivari, the eldest of the sons, who, +after labouring for many years on his father's moulds and +patterns, might have reasonably been tempted to take a +"leaf from the book" of such a master in designing as +his friend and fellow-assistant, Carlo Bergonzi.</p> + +<p>To take any sort of hint from that wonderful, +although fitful genius, Giuseppe Guarneri, working +within earshot, was not to be entertained for a moment, +as the style of workmanship, the calibre and quality +of tone belonging to his manner, was quite opposed +to Stradivarian teaching, and besides which there are no +records or traditions indicating even usual social intercourse. +We are therefore thrown upon our own resources +in estimating any connection of Carlo Bergonzi with the +late work of Antonio Stradivari. The instruments themselves +will be the only guide and, without doubt, in the +face of other evidence, had it been present, the best. +Stradivari's work during the last ten or more years of his +life was showing exactly what we should expect of the +man when working at a patriarchal age. The stamp +of the veteran handicraftsman may be traced not unfrequently +on the works of other eminent makers of +Cremona, including Andreas, Hieronymus, Nicolas, and +his son Hieronymus and others down to the latest period +of Cremonese art, when Laurentius Storioni was proving +that if in its last struggles it was not quite dead.</p> + +<p>The distinguishing characteristics of old age work<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +may be briefly summed up in a few words—heaviness in +design and uncertainty of execution. Good, even +brilliant, conceptions may be started on new work, but +the execution of them shows weakness, or even inability +to carry them out well. We will apply this as a kind of +test when overlooking the specimens handed down to us +as being the production of the great Cremonese master +at the age of between eighty and ninety-three years of +age. If doing this simply from the connoisseur's point +of view, without admitting any such influences as +present or past monetary value, former ownership, in +short, thrusting aside all considerations of pedigree, we +shall soon have to divide them into two sections, one of +which will be acknowledged by all connoisseurs to be +really representative of the true Stradivarian manner +adhered to strictly through a long working career, but +with the only fault of not quite so well being said of it. +Thus the sound holes, as before referred to in the +tracings, were becoming heavier at the lower part and +with a tendency in other details towards ruggedness. +The varnish has a thicker and less dainty aspect, although +of excellent quality still, but there is an impression of +heaviness. In the carving of the scroll the same +character prevails, the edges of the turns are stouter and +at the back the grooves down to the shell are less refined +in their execution. All these little specialities of touch, +but no modifications, are the natural manifestation of the +peculiar physical condition of the master at a very +advanced age.</p> + +<p>Let us now turn to the other section, that over some +of which there is excellent reason for disputation, over +others none.</p> + +<p>It will be readily acceded that Stradivari at no time +during his career ever favoured any exaggeration of curve +in the design of his sound holes, there was always present +the indication of a desire for a fine balance of parts, in fact, +his ideal seems always to have been that of increasing, if +possible, the elegance of the Amati sound holes while +adding to its substantial aspect.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span>In some of what we have called the second section we +find a lively, fine and rich transparent varnish such as +Carlo Bergonzi was particularly an adept at; on the +same instrument will be sound holes, that a moment's +consideration will remove any hesitation as to the design +being other than Carlo Bergonzi. As this remarkable +artist had several types of sound holes, and no one +knows how many subtypes, at his finger ends, a little +knowledge of his two most opposite ones will bring at +once to mind that he must have had a hand in no inconsiderable +portion of what is called Stradivari's late +work, as here is found the inclining inwards of his sound +holes with the smaller upper part and heavier lower end. +This will be found accompanied by the square looking +upper part of the waist curve, the two things being +alone almost sufficient to stamp the whole as being by +Carlo Bergonzi, but here pedigree has stepped in and it +was always called a Stradivari.</p> + +<p>This is the one type of sound holes which has to be +placed aside for a moment; the other type is of an opposite +kind and very often to be seen accompanying the longer +looking pattern of Carlo Bergonzi: it is free in design, +having the upper and lower wings fully developed, that +is, the straight cut of the wing is of full length, this +individuality coming from Stradivari.</p> + +<p>It is this portion of the details of the design that has +led so many Students of the works of the Cremonese +masters astray, they see the Stradivarian design, or we +may call it peculiarity, and too hastily conclude as to its +being the actual work of hand of the master. A little +further consideration of the adjoining portions of the +sound holes would bring to mind how little Stradivari was +disposed towards any thinness of the opening out of the +part leading from the wing to the nicks: if he had a tendency +one way or the other, it would be towards more fulness, +but his ideal being a beautiful equilibrium of all parts, +this is clearly a point telling against the work as coming +from his hand entirely. There is another part, too, that +Stradivari seems to have most earnestly avoided, that of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +making the top portion of the sound hole design reach +over towards the centre, somewhat after the tendency of +Andrea Guarneri, this causes the lower part to seem +turned up more suddenly, it is, however, only by contrast +between the two parts that this is so. Carlo +Bergonzi's sound holes are more sprightly and vertical, +and with their more mature style should not be confused +with those of the preceding maker. Here, then, are two +distinct types of sound holes independently of those referred +to of earlier periods, to be seen attached to violins +that have perhaps through several generations of owners +been attributed to Antonio Stradivari, and in consequence +been sold again and again for large sums. Here is +evidence of there being something in a name. Had +these instruments been carefully and properly analysed, +with a strict regard to the habit of the master in respect +of intention in design and execution at early and later +periods, the mistake would not have occurred. The +conclusions rushed at seem to have been that there was +the proper age of the instrument, the varnish was of fine +Cremonese type, the pattern and sound holes thought to +be "Straddy," therefore it must be a Stradivari.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, there is no obtainable evidence +that these violins did not issue in new condition from +Stradivari's atelier; we have in previous pages considered +the amount of help at his elbow, and that this would be +more and more called into requisition is but a reasonable +conjecture: that it was actually the case is helped by the +fact of violins being extant in which the age of the +master is stated on the ticket—presumably written by +himself. Possibly he felt some degree of pride in having +accomplished, at the patriarchal age of about ninety +years, work generally associated with the time and vigour +of middle age. The existence of these violins, there may +have been several more made than are known, has much +significance, for the fact of his age being inserted may +be fairly taken as indirect evidence not to be lightly put +aside, that they were by himself looked upon as an +accomplished work quite out of his usual way. Had he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +been constantly putting forth instruments made by his +own hands, there would not have been anything unusual +about them, but these, with date and age marked, seem +to be a declaration of the master—see—I have made a +violin at the age here stated! In these there is present +exactly what would be expected in such work—indication +of insufficiency of the physical powers for carrying into +execution the dictates of the mental. The intellect of +this wonder of humanity appears to have remained +unclouded to the last.</p> + +<p>The other violins of about the same epoch, and going +under the master's name, have a manner of work that +ought to have been perceived as being also distinct. +Mere hastiness or slovenliness of work is not identical +with the effect of inability to achieve mechanical neatness. +It is this slovenliness of handiwork which Carlo +Bergonzi gave way to so frequently; he could, when +in the humour, work beautifully; this, with his fine +perception of elegance of line, was possibly the secret of +his being admitted into the atelier of Stradivari and of +his influence over the sons. There may have been other +special particulars regarding him that helped in the +matter of which there does not appear to be any record.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHAPTER IX.</span></p> + +<p class="subtitle"><span class="smcap">Evidences in Stradivari's Work of Old Age—His +Death and Burial—Work Left by Him—The +Advance in Value of His Work Since His +Decease.</span></p> + +<p> </p> +<p class="cap">RETURNING to the analysis of the individuality +of the mechanical work on the violins of the +latest epoch of Stradivari, one or two further +details are worth consideration. The size, style and +tool work of the scroll have always been admitted to +take up a large share in the estimation of evidence +present for identification of authorship. In some of the +late specimens of Stradivari we can see at once that the +hand has become less firm, the bold turns seem to have +lost much of their former vigorous expression, and +although thick enough in edge are closer, and impress +the connoisseur of the inability of the artificer to spend +more time and attention than was absolutely necessary. +The groove down the back to the shell is less refined +than previously, besides being more heavily gouged at +the termination. Almost in contrast with these parts +there are seen on other "very late Strads" a neatly cut +shell widening out a trifle and minus the thick edging; +an examination of the turns of the scroll will reveal the +fact of its having been gouged in quite a different +manner, the declevity being more concave, the result of +running the gouge along the course instead of towards +the centre which was the manner of the Amatis. This +hollowing out of the turns was so frequently done by<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +Carlo Bergonzi that it might be called his most natural +mode of treatment; we can here see what evidence +there is of this maker's probable help in the work of his +master. If we admit the possibility of these being +entirely Antonio Stradivari's handiwork, then there were +more phenomenal aspects of the master's working +powers left for our consideration than he had hitherto +given the slightest hint of during his extraordinarily +long career.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/church.png" alt="" /></div> +<p class="caption"> THE CHURCH OF ST. DOMENICO.</p> + +<p>Taking therefore all the facts at our command in connection +with the circumstances of the time, and the +artist himself with his extended life, sifting these carefully +we find the residue left is,—that his working +powers gradually lessened in a perfectly natural way and +that such entire work as left his hands during the last +few, say six or seven years was, taken at the best, small +in quantity; they came forth as from the last flickering +embers of a decaying power whose influence, bequeathed +to the world at large, was destined to increase indefinitely +and whose secrets were left unrevealed, to be sought for +earnestly, but in vain, by generation after generation.</p> + +<p>Time, he with his hour glass, passing by the home of +Antonio Stradivari in Cremona, found him full of years +and honour among his own little world of friends and +acquaintances, for beyond the borders of his country his +name could have been known to few, and those only +recognising him as a clever and successful practitioner +in perhaps their own craft; his world wide fame had as +yet received but a slight impetus when it became known +that no more of the unapproachable gems of art were +to issue from the unassuming house in the square of +S. Domenico, Cremona.</p> + +<p>Antonio Stradivari died in his 94th year at Cremona +on the 18th of December, 1737, and was buried in the +chapel of the Rosary in the Church of San Domenico. +This church was situated exactly opposite his house, +where, standing at his door—as he must have done many +a time—the tomb which was to be his final resting-place +came directly on the line of vision in front of him, but +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span>within the third recess or chapel past the intervening +wall. So far as our scanty knowledge goes, there were +no circumstances connected with his death that called +for any special notice at the time. Possibly little more +was remarked by the neighbours than that the aged +musical instrument maker of the Piazza di San Domenico +had died, and his two sons were to carry on the business. +Perhaps none of them gave a thought to the immensely +enhanced value of each of his works of art—or as they +may have described them—the goods that he sold—that +might be remaining two centuries forward.</p> + +<p>He had lived to an almost patriarchal age, over ninety-three +years. It is rare to find in the world's history a +leading light among professors of science or art completing +such a career of almost incessant labour both +mental and physical. It is still more so to find the work +of such a genius, large as was the quantity, increasing +in value by "leaps and bounds" as time progressed after +his decease. Most probably at the present day—supposing +there to be extant as much as one-eighth of what +he put forth—and that may be very much over the mark, +the market value of what is recognised as his handiwork +would still be a very long way above that of the whole +of the work put forth throughout his life. It is on record +that when he died there were ninety violins remaining +unsold. There may be several good reasons for this; +among them the fact that Carlo Bergonzi and Joseph +Guarneri were working in rivalry at the time, and bidding +for public favour less on account of fine workmanship +than force and magnificence of style and general aspect, +and that public attention was to some extent diverted +in their direction; further, and perhaps more cogent, the +recognition of the great brilliancy and largeness of Joseph +Guarneri's tone, that must have seemed to the musical +cognoscenti of Cremona remarkably fresh and vigorous.</p> + +<p>But when the master had departed it was not long +before the loss was seen to be irreparable. His work +was sought for, there being none other of the kind to +supply its place; further and further as time advanced<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> +it was becoming more and more evident that his like was +not to be hoped for, notwithstanding the favour with +which the public viewed the two rivals who were destined +to work for a comparatively short period. When these +two at last disappeared, it was a signal for another +rise in the monetary value of Stradivari's work, and +which was to continue progressing indefinitely until such +time when there may be signs of an approaching +renaissance.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">FOOTNOTE:</span></p> +<p> </p> +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> Our illustration of this house is from a photo. It will be +noticed that it has not an imposing exterior and not much indication +of the more spacious premises in the rear where the great +master worked.</p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_i" id="Page_i">[i]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">ADVERTISEMENTS</span></p> +<p> </p> +<p class="center"><span class="u">ELEVENTH YEAR OF ISSUE.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>The Largest Circulation in the World of any paper amongst Violinists.</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="huge">THE STRAD</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>A Monthly Journal for Professionals and Amateurs of all +Stringed Instruments played with the Bow.</i></p> + +<p class="center">Published on the First of every Month. Price 2d., +Annual Subscription, Post Free, 2s. 6d.</p> + + +<p><b>THE STRAD</b> is the only recognised organ of the string family +and has subscribers in every country of the civilised world. Our +circulation has increased to so great an extent that we are enabled +to engage as contributors</p> + +<p class="center"><b>THE LEADING WRITERS in the VIOLIN WORLD</b>.</p> + +<p><i>The following eminent Authors, Critics and Players are writing for the +paper</i>: <span class="smcap">Basil Althaus, Esq.</span>, <span class="smcap">Arthur Broadley, Esq.</span>, <span class="smcap">Lancastrian</span>, +<span class="smcap">Andre la Tarche, Esq.</span>, <span class="smcap">Robin H. Legge, Esq.</span>, <span class="smcap">J. Matthews, +Esq.</span>, <span class="smcap">Walter H. Mayson, Esq.</span>, <span class="smcap">Rev. Meredith Morris</span>, +<span class="smcap">Horace Petherick, Esq.</span>, <span class="smcap">Dr. T. L. Phipson</span>, <span class="smcap">E. van der +Straeten, Esq.</span>, <span class="smcap">&c., &c.</span></p> + +<p><b>THE STRAD</b> contains technical articles by the leading artists.</p> + +<p><b>THE STRAD</b>, in the Answers to Correspondents column, gives +minute information on every detail connected with the Violin by +Experts.</p> + +<p><b>THE STRAD</b> gives all the important doings of Violinists at +home and abroad all the year round.</p> + +<p><b>THE STRAD</b> gives early critical notices of all important New +Music for Stringed Instruments, with numbers to show the grade +of difficulty of every piece.</p> + +<p><b>THE STRAD</b> gives every month a beautifully executed portrait +on fine art paper, of some leading celebrity in the violin world, +together with a biographical sketch.</p> + +<p>Now appearing,</p> + +<p class="center"><b>VIOLIN MAKING.</b> <span class="smcap">By Walter H. Mayson.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Copiously Illustrated.</i></p> + +<p>This important work goes minutely into every detail of the +Luthier's Art, and is the only work on Violin Making that has +ever been actually written by a Violin Maker.</p> + +<p>This series of articles commenced in the January issue, 1900.</p> + +<p>All Subscriptions, Advertisements, etc., to be addressed to the +Manager, <span class="smcap">Harry Lavender</span>, 3. Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, +London, E.C.</p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">London</span>:</p> + +<p class="center">"STRAD" OFFICE, 3. Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="u">"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. I.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9.</i></p> + +<p class="center"><i>"THE STRAD" LIBRARY EDITION is the only Authorised Edition of</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="huge">Technics of Violin Playing</span></p> +<p class="center">ON<br/> +JOACHIM'S METHOD</p> + +<p class="center">BY<br/> +<span class="big">CARL COURVOISIER.</span></p> + +<p class="center">With Folding Plates, Containing Fifteen Illustrations.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="big">LETTER FROM DR. JOACHIM</span></p> + +<p class="center">[<span class="smcap">Copy</span>].</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">My Dear Mr. Courvoisier</span>: I have read the book on Violin +Playing you have sent me, and have to congratulate you sincerely +on the manner in which you have performed a most difficult task, +<i>i.e.</i>, to describe the best way of arriving at a correct manner of playing +the violin.</p> + +<p>It cannot but be welcome to thoughtful teachers, who reflect on +the method of our art, and I hope that your work will prove useful +to many students.</p> + +<p>Believe me, my dear Mr. Courvoisier, to be most faithfully yours,</p> + +<p class="right">JOSEPH JOACHIM.</p> + +<p>Berlin, November 3rd, 1894.</p> +<p> </p> +<p>The New and Revised Edition of "Technics of Violin Playing" +issued by <span class="smcap">The Strad</span> is the only authorised edition of my work. +The several English editions which have all appeared without my +knowledge are <i>incomplete</i> and <i>faulty</i>.</p> + +<p class="right">CARL COURVOISIER.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">London</span>:<br/> +"STRAD" OFFICE, 3. Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iii" id="Page_iii">[iii]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="u">"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. II.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free, 2/9.</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="huge">HOW TO STUDY THE VIOLIN</span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="big">By J. T. CARRODUS</span></p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p class="center"><span class="big">CONTENTS.</span></p> + +<p>Strings and Tuning. The Bow and Bowing. Faults and their +Correction. Scales and their Importance. Course of Study. +Advice on Elementary Matters. Concerning Harmonics, Octaves, +etc. Orchestral Playing. Some Experiences as a Soloist. With +full page portraits of Carrodus, Molique, Paganini, Spohr, Sivori, +De Beriot, Blagrove and Sainton, and a photo-reproduction of Dr. +Spohr's testimonial to Carrodus.</p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p>"An interesting series of articles 'How to Study the Violin,' which +Carrodus contributed to <span class="smcap">The Strad</span>, and completed only a week or +two before his death, have now been collected in cheap book form. +The technical hints to violin students, which are practical, plainly +worded, and from such a pen most valuable."—<i>Daily News.</i></p> + +<p>"But a few weeks before his sudden death the most distinguished +of native violinists completed in <span class="smcap">The Strad</span> a series of chats to +students of the instrument associated with his name. These +chats are now re-issued, with a sympathetic preface and instructive +annotations. All who care to listen to what were +virtually the last words of such a conscientious teacher will +recognise the pains taken by Carrodus to render every detail as clear +to the novice as to the advanced pupil. Pleasant gossip concerning +provincial festivals at which Carrodus was for many years 'leader,' +of the orchestra, ends a little volume worthy a place in musical +libraries both for its practical value and as a memento of the life-work +of an artist universally esteemed."—<i>Daily Chronicle.</i></p> + +<p>"It is surely, hardly necessary to direct the attention of students +to the unique value of the hints and advice given by so experienced +and accomplished a virtuoso as the late Mr. Carrodus, so that it only +remains to state that the 'Recollections' make delightful reading, +and that the book, as a whole, is as entertaining as it is instructive. +The value of the <i>brochure</i> is enhanced by an excellent portrait of Mr. +Carrodus, as well as of a number of other violin worthies, and the +printing, paper, and get up generally are good as could possibly +be."—<i>Musical Answers.</i></p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">London</span>:<br/> +"STRAD" OFFICE, 3, <span class="smcap">Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.</span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_iv" id="Page_iv">[iv]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="u">"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. III.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Crown 8vo., Cloth 2/6, Post Free 2/9.</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="huge">THE BOW</span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="big">Its History, Manufacture and Use</span></p> + +<p class="center">BY<br/> +<span class="big">HENRY SAINT-GEORGE.</span></p> + +<p class="center">With Full Page Illustrations (exact size) by Photo Process.</p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p>MONS. EMILE SAURET writes—"I have read it with great +interest, and think that it supplies a real want in giving musicians +such an excellent description of all matters referring to this +important instrument."</p> + +<p>SIGNOR GUIDO PAPINI writes—"Thanks so much for your +splendid and interesting book. You are quite successful and all the +artists and amateurs are indebted to you for a so exact and correct +'<i>Texte</i>' on the subject."</p> + +<p>ADOLF BRODSKY writes—"I am delighted with the book and +find it very instructive, even for those who think to know everything +about the bow. It is very original and at times very amusing. No +violinist should miss the opportunity to buy it."</p> + +<p>THE TIMES.—"A useful treatise on the Bow, in which the +history, manufacture and use of the bow are discussed with considerable +technical knowledge."</p> + +<p>DAILY TELEGRAPH.—"To the student there is much of +interest in the work, which has the advantage of being copiously +illustrated."</p> + +<p>DAILY NEWS.—"This book seems practically to exhaust its +subject."</p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">London</span>:<br/> +"STRAD" OFFICE, 3. Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[v]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="u">"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. IV.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Crown 8vo., Cloth 5/-, Post Free 5/4.</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CELEBRATED VIOLINISTS,<br/> +PAST AND PRESENT</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Translated from the German of</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="big">A. EHRLICH.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>And Edited with Notes and Additions by</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="big">ROBIN H. LEGGE.</span></p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p class="center"><i>WITH EIGHTY-NINE PORTRAITS.</i></p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p class="center"><span class="big">PRESS NOTICES.</span></p> + +<p>"Those who love their fiddles better than their fellows, and +who treasure up every detail that can be found and recorded about +their favourite and cherished players will not fail to provide themselves +with a copy of this book."—<i>Musical Opinion.</i></p> + +<p>"This book of 280 pages is a most interesting and valuable +addition to the violinist's library. It contains 89 biographical +sketches of well-known artists, ancient and modern, of all nations. +This is not intended to be a perfect dictionary of violinists; the aim +of the Editor of the present volume being merely to give a few more +up-to-date details concerning some of the greatest of stringed instrument +players, and we must concede that no name of the first +importance has been omitted. Germany is represented by 21 names, +Italy by 13, France by 10, England by 4, Bohemia by 8, Belgium by +7, and the fair sex by seven well-known ladies, such as Teresina +Tua, Therèse and Marie Milanollo, Lady Hallé, Marie Soldat, +Gabrielle Wietrowetz, and Arma Senkrah. Altogether this is most +agreeable reading to the numerous army of violinists, both professionals +and amateurs, and after careful examination we can find +nothing but praise for this translation into English of a book well-known +on the Continent."—<i>The Piano, Organ and Music Trades +Journal.</i></p> + +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">London</span>:<br/> +"STRAD" OFFICE, 3. Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[vi]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="u">"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. V.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Crown 8vo., Cloth 2/6, Post Free 2/9.</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="huge">TECHNICS OF<br/> +VIOLONCELLO PLAYING</span></p> + +<p class="center">BY<br/> +<span class="big">E. VAN DER STRAETEN.</span></p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p class="center">COPIOUSLY ILLUSTRATED.</p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p><i>Copy of Letter received by the Author from the great 'cellist,<br/> +SIGNOR ALFRED PIATTI.</i></p> + +<p class="right">Cadenabbia, Lake of Como, March 9th, 1898.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>,—I received the book you kindly sent me on "The +Technics of Violoncello Playing," which I found excellent, particularly +for beginners, which naturally was your scope. With many +thanks for kindly remembering an old ex-violoncello player.</p> + +<p class="right">Believe me, yours sincerely,<br /> +ALFRED PIATTI.</p> + + +<p><i>Copy of Letter received by the Author from the eminent 'cellist,<br/> +HERR DAVID POPPER.</i></p> + +<p class="right">Budapest, February 22nd, 1898.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>,—In sending me your book on "The Technics of +Violoncello Playing" you have given me a real and true pleasure. +I know of no work, tutors and studies not excepted, which presents +so much valuable material, so much that is absolutely to the point, +avoiding—I might say, on principle—all that is superfluous and dispensable. +Every earnest thinking violoncello student will in future +make your book his own and thereby receive hints which will +further and complete the instructions of his master.</p> + +<p>I congratulate you and ourselves most heartily on the new violoncello +book. With kind regards,</p> + +<p class="right">Yours most sincerely,<br /> + +DAVID POPPER.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">London</span>:<br/> +"STRAD" OFFICE, 3. Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.</p> + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[vii]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="u">"THE STRAD LIBRARY," No. VI.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Crown 8vo., Cloth, 2/6, Post Free 2/9.</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="huge">VIOLIN PLAYING</span></p> + +<p class="center">BY<br/> +<span class="big">JOHN DUNN</span></p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p class="center"><span class="big">CONTENTS</span></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Introductory</span>—Qualities indispensable to the ideal Violinist—Hints +on the Choice of a Teacher—Some Tricks of pretending +professors exposed.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">On the Choice of a Violin and Bow</span>—Advice regarding general +adjustment and repairs.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">On the Choice of Strings</span>—Stringing the Instrument and +keeping the Pegs in Order.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">On the General Posture</span>—The manner of holding the Violin +and Bow as accepted by the leading artists of the day.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">On Fingering Generally</span>—The various positions—Scales +recommended—The Modern Orchestral "Principal" or (so-called) +Leader.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">On Gliding</span>—Special Characteristics of some of the most +Eminent Players.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Double Stopping</span>—The main difficulty in Double Stopping—How +to gain independence of Finger.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Bowings</span>—Smooth Bowings—Solid Staccato—Spiccato—Spring +Bow—Mixed Bowings.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Tone Production</span>—Character of Tone—Rules and Conditions +necessary to produce a good tone—Style and Expression.</p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">London</span>:<br/> +"STRAD" OFFICE, 3. Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[viii]</a></span></p> +<p class="center"><span class="u">"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VII.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><i>Crown 8vo, Cloth, 2/6, Post Free 2/9.</i></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="huge">CHATS TO 'CELLO STUDENTS</span></p> + +<p class="center">BY<br/> +<span class="big">ARTHUR BROADLEY.</span></p> +<hr style="width: 25%;" /> + +<p class="center">CONTENTS.</p> + +<p>Preliminary remarks—'Cello Difficult to Master—Choice of a +Teacher—Choice of an Instrument and Bow. How to Hold the +Instrument—Attitude of the Player—Use of a Sliding Pin Recommended—Correct +Way of Holding the Bow—Some Incorrect +Sketches of Same. General Knowledge—Eccentricity not Necessarily +a Mark of Genius—Musical Notation—Common Errors +with Respect to the Actual Position of the Various Clefs—Tenor +Clef Indispensable to the 'Cellist. Early Attempts at 'Cello Playing—Firmness +in Fingering—The Left Hand—Correct Method of +Placing the Left Hand Fingers. General Remarks on Bowing—Useful +Method of Combining Scale Practice with Study of Various +Bowings—Smooth Bowings—Crescendo—Diminuendo—The Slur. +Bowing Continued—Martelé—Detached Stroke—Mixed Bowings—The +Various Divisions of the Bow. On "Staccato" Bowing-Spiccato—Slurred +Springing-Bow—Varieties of Phrasing Occasioned +by the Portion of Bow Used—Sautillé—Dotted Notes. On the +Positions—The Individual Requirements of the Orchestral Player +and Soloist—The Necessity of "Stretching" for the Intervals—Locality +of the Neck Positions—The Enharmonic Difference of +Sharp and Flat Keys—Absolute Pitch—How to Leap any Awkward +Interval—The Positions not Determined by Mathematical Rules, +but by the "Ear"—Shifting—"Economy of Motion" <i>v.</i> "Effect"—Choice +of Positions. Portamento—The Various Uses of Gilding—Some +Exaggerations Exposed—How to Leap Great Intervals +without "Howling"—Combination of Glissando and Sforzando. +Double-Stopping—Useful in Developing the Hand—How to +Determine the Fingering of Various Intervals—Gliding in Double +Stops—Chords—A Correct Manner of Playing Chords. Arpeggios—Their +Evolution from Various Chords—The Bowing of Arpeggios. +Graces and Embellishments—The Use of the Thumb—Extensions—Octaves. +Scientific Basis of Harmonics—Some Peculiar Laws +which Govern a Vibrating String—"Natural" and "Artificial" +Harmonics—Manner of Bowing Harmonics—Special Effects—"Trick +Staccato"—Various Methods of Producing Chromatic Scale +Passages—"Sul Ponticello" Bowing and "Bowed" Harmonics—Flautando—Pizzicato +Glide and Grace Notes! Delivery—Style—"Form" +<i>v.</i> "Feeling"—Conception—Essentials of a "Fine" +Delivery—Orchestral Playing.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">London</span>:<br/> +"STRAD" OFFICE, 3. Green Terrace, Rosebery Avenue, E.C.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p class="center"><span class="huge">TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES:</span></p> + +<p> </p> +<p><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Inconsistencies in spelling and hypenation have been retained from the original.</span></p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Obvious typographical errors have been corrected as follows:</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Page 3: <i>occured</i> changed to <i>occurred</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Page 22: <i>be</i> changed to <i>he</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Page 31: <i>connoissiers</i> changed to <i>connoisseurs</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Page 39: <i>ignominous</i> changed to <i>ignominious</i></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">Page 60: <i>Guadaguini</i> changed to <i>Guadagnini</i></span></p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 1em;">Page numbers in the <i>List of Plates</i> for the ILLUSTRATIONS OF SCROLLS have been retained, but illustrations have been moved to be next to the paragraph in which they are referred.</span></p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Antonio Stradivari, by Horace William Petherick + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ANTONIO STRADIVARI *** + +***** This file should be named 36535-h.htm or 36535-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/5/3/36535/ + +Produced by Linda Cantoni, David E. 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