The Violin Its Famous Makers and Their Imitators

The favourable reception accorded to the previous editions of this work has not only added greatly to the pleasure attending the preparation of a new and revised edition, but ha...

Lambert, Jean Nicolas--Lapaix--Laprevotte, Etienne--Leclerc--Lecomte--Leduc, Pierre--Lefebvre--Le Jeune, Francois--Le Pileur, Pierre--Lesclop, Francois Henry--Louis--Louvet, Jea...

It is satisfactory to know that the most valuable and interesting part of our subject is comparatively free from that doubt and tradition which necessarily attaches to the porti...

The chief authorities upon ancient minstrelsy agree that the Saxon's love of music was cultivated for centuries with ardour by his Saxon ancestors; it would therefore be reasona...

There can be no doubt whatever that the Cremonese and Brescian makers were exceedingly choice in the selection of their material, and their discrimination in this particular doe...

Vast improvements have been effected in the stringing of Violins within the last thirty years. Strings of immense size were used alike on Violins, Violoncellos, Tenors, and Doub...

From Brescia came the masters who established the School of Cremona. The Amatis took the lead, their founder being Andrea Amati, after whom each one of the clan appears to have...

Son of Girolamo Amati. It is gratifying in the notice of this famous Violin-maker to be able to supply dates of his birth, marriage, and death. Niccolo was christened on Decembe...

Son of the above. He made a great number of Violins of similar form to those of his father. The wood which he selected was of a close nature and hard appearance. The varnish is...

His Violoncellos are particularly fine instruments; his Tenors also are worthy of notice. The wood he used was varied, but is, for the most part, plain. It is curious to observe...

We will now inquire into the character of Guarneri del Gesu's model. In forming this, he seems to have turned to Gasparo da Salo as the maker whose lead he wished to follow; and...

Pupil of Antonio Stradivari. After leaving the workshop of his famous master, he followed his art in Cremona. He afterwards removed to Venice, where Violin manufacture was in th...

It has been before remarked that Gasparo da Salo did not arrive at his conclusions without mature consideration. In fact, a long and deliberate process of experiment may be trac...

Having met with a Violin by Stradivari (since the publication of the first edition of this work) dated 1666, it would appear that he left the workshop of his master at that time...

But during this period of his maturity, even, we find that Stradivari did not absolutely confine himself to making instruments as near as possible alike; on the contrary, it is...

The Cremonese have scarcely an idea of the extent of veneration with which we admirers of the art regard their illustrious citizen. They will be astonished to hear that "Stradiv...

CHANOT, Georges, Paris. Brother of the above-named; born at Mirecourt, 1801. Throughout life was a most indefatigable worker. He has made a very large number of copies of Stradi...

SALLE, ----, Paris, about 1825-50. Made several copies of Guarneri, many of which are excellent. He was also a clever restorer of old instruments, and had a critical eye for the...

The celebrity of this maker is second only to that of the great Cremonese artists. His admirers in Germany and England were, at one time, more numerous than those of the princip...

The case of modern Violin-makers is unfortunate. Old Violins being immeasurably superior to modern productions, the demand must necessarily set steadily for the former, and the...

FENDT, Bernard, born at Innsbruck, in the Tyrol, 1756, died 1832. He was evidently a born Fiddle-maker, genius being stamped, in a greater or less degree, upon all his works. To...

The instruments of this maker are among the best of the Old English school. His instructor in the art of Viol and Violin-making is unknown, but judging from the character of his...

Attention was claimed for the works of Maggini by the charming Belgian Violinist, Charles de Beriot, who, early admiring the large proportions and powerful tone of Maggini's ins...

Charles Lamb, on being asked how he distinguished his "ragged veterans" in their tattered and unlettered bindings, answered, "How does a shepherd know his sheep?" It has been ob...

It may be said that the Violin made its appearance about the middle of the sixteenth century. There are instances where reference is made to Violins and Violin-playing in connec...

We reach the pinnacle of the Italian school of Violin-playing in the wondrous Paganini; born February 18, 1784, died May 27, 1840. It is needless to recount the extraordinary ac...

I come now to notice one of the greatest artistes of our time--Herr Ernst--whose playing was impassioned in the highest degree. He made the Violin express his innermost thoughts...

is like an Echo, a retail dealer in sounds. As Diana is the goddess of the silver bow, so is he the Lord of the wooden one; he has a hundred strings in his bow; other people are...

Cervetto, the famous Violoncello-player, occupied the post of principal Violoncello at Drury Lane for many years. His fame as a performer was almost matched by the celebrity of...

Scarcely a day passes without my hearing of a Cremona having been secured in the manner I have attempted to describe. My experience, however, teaches me that the whole thing is...

"But the most important result of this discovery is, that it may be applied to the establishment of that great desideratum in the learned world--a universal language. Wherever t...

"Busts, cameos, gems--such things as these Which others often show for pride, I value for their power to please And selfish churls deride; _One_ Stradivari, I confess. _Two_ mee...

Guarneri, Giuseppe (del Gesu); his peculiar cypher; probably a pupil of his cousin Giuseppe; his fertility of design; traditions as to his "prison Fiddles;" three orders of copy...

Maggini, Giovanni Paolo, pupil of Gasparo da Salo; other makers' work frequently attributed to him; comparison of his instruments with those of Gasparo; De Beriot's use of his i...

Stainer, Jacob, the greatest of German artists; his popularity; Sir John Hawkins' estimate of his work; originality and peculiarity of his model; variation in style; his "Electo...

"L'ouvrage, fort interessant, de M. Hart, le plus complet en son genre que nous connaissions en France, est divise en quinze sections ou chapitres. Dans la premiere section, l'a...