BEING A HISTORICAL & BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT OF THE VIOLIN With Facsimiles of Labels of the Old Makers BY A. MASON CLARKE [ Author of “Biographical Dictionary of Fiddlers.” ] London : WILLIAM REEVES, 83 CHARING CROSS ROAD, W.C. Publisher of Books on Music. Printed by The New Temple Press, Norbury Crescent, London, S.W.16. A Copy of the Gasparo da Salo Violin used by Ole Bull, the famous Scandinavian violinist. Made by Mr. Gillingham, of Chiswick....

This little work is the outcome of some little thought, born of hesitation. To be clear, I should mention that some years ago I completed a somewhat exhaustive work on the violin, the first portion of which reached the stereotype stage, but unfortunately owing to a fire the plates were destroyed. Other business pressing, the work was laid aside. In the meantime other books on the violin have been published, a fact which might be taken as rendering any further work on the subject superfluous. How

The origin of the violin is always a very interesting subject for study. It is one upon which many great writers have devoted much time and thought, but as they arrive at varying conclusions, and in some cases opposite opinions, the result is to leave the mind of the student in a state of conjecture and speculation. In tracing the development of certain species of stringed instruments the arguments of some authorities often appear pretty conclusive, but generally we are confronted with such a ma

In musical execution, the early schools of Italy showed a marked superiority over the rest of Europe, particularly with regard to the violin. Corelli, who was born in 1653, was the first to establish a new school in instrumental composition, distinguished from that which preceded it by a graceful, rhythmical and natural manner of writing. He was the first composer who brought the violin into repute; and his originality, facility and delicacy of style, greatly contributed to the popularity of the

We will now direct our attention to France. Towards the latter end of the sixteenth century the lute was a very favourite and general instrument. About the year 1577 the violin was introduced by Baltazarini, a then celebrated performer, who was sent at the head of a band of performers by Marshal Brissac to Catherine de Medicis, and was appointed valet de chambre to the Princess. Beyond this little appears to be known of him. We have elsewhere had occasion to refer to the band of twenty-four viol

Let us now direct our spirit of inquiry into Germany, that land of music and musicians. This country, notwithstanding its present musical position appears to have been somewhat behind the times in regard to the production of any early violin performers of note, and affords the names of fewer musicians than almost any other country during the sixteenth century, if we except Spain. An explanation of this seems to be afforded by the fact of the wars, which devastated Germany during the latter part

ALBANI, MATTHIAS , born at Botzen in the Tyrol, 1621, died there 1673. He adopted the Stainer model, and produced some very fine instruments. ALBANI, MATTHIAS , son and pupil of the foregoing. He afterwards went to Cremona to study the art in the Amati school, and afterwards adopted that model with great success. AMATI, ANDREAS , born about 1520, died about 1580. Founder of the Cremonese school. It is conjectured that he was a pupil of Gasparo da Salo. He adopted rather a small model, built rath

BACHMANN, CARL LUDWIG , of Berlin (1716-1800). This maker was one of the most celebrated of the German school. He made his instruments rather strong in the wood, but now that age has been at work on them, they possess the advantage of being formed into first-class instruments by skilful repairers. BENTE, MATTEO. A maker of the Brescian school, flourished about 1580. He made some good violins, which are chiefly to be found in collections. BUCHSTETTER, GABRIEL DAVID , a native of Ratisbon, flouris

BOQUAY, JACQUES. Paris, about 1700-1735. One of the earliest of the old French school. Under whom he learnt the art of violin making is not known, but his instruments, as also those of his contemporaries, clearly indicate that the Italian influence was suffusing itself in no uncertain manner. It appears that about the middle of the sixteenth century, one Nicolas Rénault, a French viol and lute maker, travelled into Italy and became associated with Andreas Amati, and even assisted that maker in t

WILLIAM ADDISON—THOMAS COLE—EDWARD PAMPHILON—PEMBERTON—THOMAS URQUHART—CHRISTOPHER WISE. This group represents the early English school and the principal makers existing during the seventeenth century. It may reasonably be inferred that they were more at home with the viol than with the violin as known to-day. Little can be said concerning their early productions, as they are now all but extinct; a great portion of them probably perished in the great fire of London in 1666, in which city some of

The term “classical” as applied to music is a composition against which the destroying hand of time has proved powerless (Riemann), in other words, works which have been handed down to us by the old composers, and which at the present day are recognised as models of purity in musical art, are now considered as classical compositions. Coeval with that remarkable epoch when the violin assumed its present admirable and unalterable form, which culminated with the closing year of the sixteenth centur