Part 6

In the first rank of Joseph Guarnerius instruments we must no doubt place that belonging to Paganini, which would, if it could be obtained, command an extraordinary price, and there are also many other noble productions of his skill extant. The King Joseph Guarnerius we have before mentioned. Mr. Plowden has four very valuable violins by this master. One was formerly the property of Mr. Goding, and was esteemed by him the finest in his collection. Another is quite equal, more highly finished and has his splendid red varnish. The third was formerly the property of Ole Bull, and is considered of the finest model of the master in his more unfinished and larger sized instruments, dated 1714. The fourth, less well known, but perhaps more perfect, certainly in tone, 1742. These four instruments are considered by most of the virtuosi, to be probably the finest examples extant of this great master. Certainly there are few collectors who can boast of having so many fine violins as these four by Guarnerius, and the four by Stradiuarius previously described. Mr. Plowden has always gone on the principle of getting the very best instruments of each master, and his taste and judgment are well evidenced in his collection. The late Earl of Falmouth possessed some very valuable instruments such as the Kiesewetter Guarnerius and the Jarnovick Guarnerius, so named after their owners, and also a fine Magini Tenor, all of which were purchased by Mr. Hart. The late lamented Prince Consort had a very fine tenor by Joseph Guarnerius, which was highly finished and had belonged to Dragonetti. There are many other fine specimens of Guarnerius in this country. English collectors, with that splendid contempt for cost which distinguishes them, allow no fine instruments to leave the country if they know it, and the consequence is that in the present day, and for some time back, England ranks first in the number and value of the Cremona Violins she possesses. Next comes France, who has some able connoisseurs; then Russia and Germany. Italy, strange to say, has suffered them all to leave her, and though the native country of Stradiuarius and Guarnerius, it is doubtful whether other nations have not attracted all the finest instruments out of her own possession. The great rise in the value of these extraordinary instruments is no doubt due to the fact that they were built very strong in wood, the effect of which would be to depreciate the tone when they were built, but which, now time has ameliorated them and the wood has become capable of free vibration, has refined the quality and increased the tone. Fifty years ago, a Guarnerius of the best time might have been bought for £50 that will now command £500. Neither does it appear that they have yet reached their climax, for they are yearly increasing in value as the examples we have mentioned clearly show.

THE GREAT TYROLESE MAKER.

JACOB STEINER.

The time has been when the instruments of this master, whose name is perhaps yet as widely known as the Cremonese, were very highly esteemed in England. In Germany it is so yet, and many of the amateurs of that country flatter themselves that Steiner ranks first in the roll of famous violin makers. Their celebrated violinist, Spohr, however, in his remarks on the subject inserted in his Violin School does not coincide with the opinion of his fellow countrymen to this effect, for he puts Steiner in the second rank, reserving to the first Nicholas Amati, Antonius Stradiuarius, and Joseph Guarnerius. In this decision he also generally expresses the opinion of the travelled professional violinists of his own country as well as all Europe. But it is well known that in Germany a well preserved instrument of Steiner's best period will sell for much more money than any where else. In England more especially we adopt exactly the reverse valuation. Steiner will not now command a greater price than many of the pupils of the great masters, and perhaps to some extent this may arise from the immense number of spurious instruments bearing his name, which the inferior Tyrolese makers put forth to the world and palmed on a credulous public as his genuine instruments. Perhaps no master has been more copied and imitated, both in Germany and elsewhere. In England the violin makers in the beginning of the eighteenth century, mostly copied the pattern and model of Steiner. There must, therefore, be some good and powerful reason for this general depreciation in value and reputation which Steiner has suffered. This the candid inquirer readily finds in the fact that the instruments of Steiner, which were generally constructed on a high and peculiar model were only calculated for the production of a thin though sparkling tone, while the Italians aimed, particularly in the flatter instruments, to obtain a full rich and round tone. This distinction is apparent even in the older Cremona makers, but if we compare those of Steiner with those of Nicholas Amati, of Stradiuarius, or Guarnerius, the thin tone of the former and the rich round tone of the latter become instantly most striking. The consequence is that the rich amateurs who form collections, and the great performers whose interest it is to please by the quality of tone as well as the grace and finish of their execution, no longer purchase the Steiner violins except as matters of curiosity in the case of a very fine example. We do not know any great player who uses a Steiner instrument, as we shall show in another article. We therefore only now class Steiner among the great masters, from his past reputation, and for certain special instruments.

JACOB STEINER was a native of the Tyrol, and was born at Absom, near Inspruck, about 1620. It is said that an old instrument by Kerlino, which he found in the house, gave him his first tendencies towards the art of violin making. Certain it is however that while yet a youth he obtained employment in the workshop of Nicholas Amati. This was an excellent school for the young aspirant, and after some years he made some instruments which, with the exception of sixteen which will be mentioned later, are considered to be the finest specimens of his talent. These fine violins are the product of his Cremonese inspiration, and bear a written label signed by himself and dated from Cremona about 1644. These instruments are modelled higher than those of his master, thus showing a singular divergence from the principle of gradual decrease in the height of the model of the Amatis, from Andrew to Nicholas. This divergence from that principle, which ended in the flat model of Stradiuarius, must be considered to be the real cause of the loss of favour which the Steiner violins, though beautiful in other respects, have undergone. Steiner exaggerated the old practice instead of following the new lights of science, and while the latter have yielded the brightest results, the former has tarnished the real talent of this otherwise excellent artiste. Probably another reason for the defective tone of Steiner's instruments in comparison with the Cremonese and Brescian, is the practice of modelling his violins with an extraordinary and peculiar rise to about the foot of the bridge, and then keeping it nearly flat. Otto describes it thus, "the breadth of this raised part is about the same as the bridge itself, and then it falls off towards the edges. The model is precisely similar towards the neck and on the broad part (beneath the finger board.)" This description is only imperfect in this point that sufficient stress is not laid on the words _fall off_. It is literally a falling off, and on the principles of acoustics must of necessity make the tone thin. Andrew Amati, on the contrary, built nearly as high, but beautifully and gradually sloped them down to the purfling, and his instruments, though small in tone, are yet full, round and sweet. In other respects Steiner at this period was a most careful maker, and his instruments show very fine finish and workmanship. They are of the small pattern, with the S holes rather shorter than the Cremonas, somewhat narrow and beautifully formed; the head also smaller and particularly round and smooth. The varnish is similar to that of the Amatis, and the wood of the belly has a fine open grain.

After the production of these instruments at Cremona, Steiner removed to his native place and having married the daughter of Antonius Amati appears to have lost his ambition, and made many very inferior instruments. His history at this period is somewhat melancholy. Pressed by the necessities of a family and the want of active patronage, his genius languished and he became negligent and careless in his work. This continued for some time till fortune again smiled upon him, when not being compelled to sell for immediate wants he again resumed his careful finish and began to be distinguished as a good maker. At about this period Klotz and Albani became his pupils, and he produced some excellent instruments, which are often distinguished by the scrolls being ornamented with lions heads which are beautifully carved. These and the heads of other animals are supposed to denote the crests of his patrons at this period. They are dated from about 1650 to 1667 at Absom. Fetis says the French violinist, Alard, has a violin of this period of the greatest beauty, and that there is in Paris a genuine Steiner, which he has heard Sivori play upon, which although of a very small pattern has an unusually brilliant tone.

Now comes the most brilliant period of this artiste's history in a musical sense, though somewhat romantic and mysterious otherwise.

Retiring to a monastery, it is said after the death of his wife, he there passed the remainder of his life, but there does not appear to be any positive information when he died. While there, however, he resolved to distinguish the close of his career by the construction of some violins of super-eminent beauty and quality. This he accomplished by the aid of the superior, who obtained for him some very fine wood, out of which those most famous instruments, known by the name of _Elector Steiners_ were made by him. These are the violins which by common consent most entitle this artiste to rank with the great masters. They are of the very highest quality of the Steiner tone, which Dubourg describes as "a pure ringing ethereal tone, comparable to that of a woman's perfect voice--a shape of elegance--studied finish in every detail, and a diaphonous varnish of golden hue." Such are the characteristics, says this enthusiastic admirer of these productions of Steiner's third or last epoch. There were sixteen of these violins, one of which he presented to each of the twelve Electors, and the remaining four to the Emperor. Unfortunately thirteen of them appear to have been lost, and the remainder have all been in royal hands, the Empress Maria Theresa, the Duke of Orleans, grandfather of King Louis Philippe, and Frederick William of Prussia, and been presented by them (except the last) to eminent foreign violinists.

We have now presented a concise sketch of the career of this celebrated artiste, and it is to be regretted that none of his more celebrated violins are known to be in this country, to enable us to judge more accurately, whether he succeeded, in any of them, in producing any close approximation to the rich round tone of the best Cremona makers. The best of those known to English connoisseurs are characterised by the thin though brilliant tone we have described, which, when compared with the Italian masterpieces, has led to their general depreciation in the estimation of the highest authorities and the most distinguished performers on the violin.

WHY ARE CERTAIN VIOLINS OF MORE VALUE THAN OTHERS?

In considering this question, several difficulties present themselves to the inquirer. We are all aware of the infinite diversity of tastes in the first instance, and in the next, accurate judgment is a matter which depends on the union of so many qualities that it is rare indeed to find two opinions completely alike. Nevertheless we do find that there are a few instruments which by universal consent have become the standard of taste. They are "the glass of fashion and the mould of form" in the violin world. An appeal to these famous violins must therefore be of some service in this inquiry, which is of very considerable importance, because its object is to decide what is that tone which confers that immense value which some violins have realised as distinguished from that which possesses only a merit of so inferior a character as to become scarcely valuable in any degree. In other words, what are the distinguishing characteristics of tone of the violins made by Nicholas Amati, Antonius Stradiuarius, and Joseph Guarnerius. These three makers are now the Raphaels, the Titians, and the Claudes of the musical world, and a few thoughts on their works in connection with this subject may help us to a decision on this difficult point, at least to the great bulk of amateurs. We will divide the inquiry into three heads.

1. Power. 2. Sweetness. 3. Purity.

In considering the first point, power, the amateur will have to beware of a very possible mistake he may fall into. There is _apparent_ power under the ear, arising from coarseness. This is a species of power which is observable chiefly by the player. The listener, especially if at a little distance, does not hear this power. The tone is clogged and thickened with the resinous particles which have remained in the wood and which perhaps, from its nature may never leave it altogether, and the vibration is not therefore perfect. Another cause of false power is a certain imperfect build wherein the parts are not properly calculated as in the fine Cremona productions. These two classes of instruments are very apt to deceive unpractised ears. But a moment's comparison with one of the genuine great masters will show them in a most unmistakable manner the difference. What then is real power? It is simply musical tone, divested of all adventitious qualities. When tone of this class is heard near, the effect is charming to the ear. When heard afar off, it seems to swell out and become magnificent and telling. Who that has heard a great player on a fine instrument, that has not been astonished at the immense quantity of tone which arises from this exceedingly fine quality. And it is in this way that even the small Amatis, built when great amount of tone was not wanted and would not have been appreciated, are still most delightful as solo instruments. Its purity and fine quality carry it to a much greater distance and produce a greater effect, than would arise from larger instruments of less careful build and euphonic qualities. Herein is discovered the difference between violins of the three great masters named and others of the same name. If a small Nicholas Amati be compared with a large model, it will be found that the quality is similar, but the quantity is greater, and therefore the instrument becomes more valuable. Again, in a Stradiuarius or Joseph Guarnerius of the best period, which are of the flat model and most accurate build, we find a pure ringing and deliciously rich quality, without roughness or coarseness, that finds its way through everything to a great distance, even in a crowded concert room. The differences in the three great makers seems to be now decided to consist in fullness of tone and quantity of power. The Amatis are essentially sweet and vocal. The Stradiuarius--of similar quality, greatly increased in body and of a more ringing bell-like character. The Guarnerius of the best model is even still more powerful. But they all possess that essential purity and richness of tone without which there is no real excellence. On this head we find, therefore, that power, providing it be accompanied by the other essentials of sweetness and purity, confers on violins the greatest value. A Nicholas Amati of the grand pattern--a Stradiuarius of the large flat model, or a Guarnerius of similar characteristics--all of which have been built with the greatest care and attention to the resonant qualities of the wood, and possess all these essentials--are therefore the instruments that have and will always command the greatest admiration.

The next essential point in a good instrument we have to consider is sweetness. This combines characteristics which are not essential to power. A violin may possess the latter without the former. The tone may be of a quality which will tell and carry, but not of that soft delicious voice like nature which we call sweetness. The most admirable instruments of this characteristic have been variously compared to a flute or to the female voice. The latter is the best comparison. For the brightest examples of this quality alone we must look to the small violins of Antonius and Hieronymus, and also of Nicholas Amati. They are of the most delicious quality, and for solo instruments cannot be excelled. They respond with the most charming effect to the most touching and passionate expression. A great player can really sing on these with such a delightful effect as almost to compensate for the want of speech.

The third point is purity of tone. We may be said to have touched upon this already in treating of the other two. But it is necessary to allude to this also, because it is possible to have purity of tone without sweetness or power. There are many instruments which from age and use have lost all harshness or roughness of tone, but are still of a thin piercing quality. These may be said to be pure in tone, but not possessing the other requisites they fail in commanding attention. What we have to look for in a violin is that roundness and fullness of quality which are combined in the term sweetness. Tone cannot be said to be sweet which is thin or piercing. It lacks one essential characteristic. It is on this account that in the present day many of the Steiner instruments have lost favour. There are a few which possess both sweetness and purity, and they rank with the small Amatis. But the best of them are wanting in power. This characteristic is only heard in perfection in the Stradiuarius or the Guarnerius of Cremona, and the great Brescian makers Gaspar di Salo and Magini. An amateur should look therefore in purchasing an instrument whether it possesses these three characteristics or any or which of them.

We have now shown what are the essentials of a fine instrument, but as the genuine productions of these great masters are mostly in the hands of rich amateurs it is scarcely possible to become the happy possessor of one of the perfect instruments. What then shall we do? The reply is simple. Study the characteristics we have described, and you will find in some of the pupils of the Amati, Stradiuarius, or Guarnerius a near approach to this excellence. In fact it is well known that in the scarcity of originals fine examples by the pupils have frequently been sold as the work of the masters themselves. The Dictionary we have compiled will tell the amateur what names will most probably supply the qualities he desires. Care and attention will do the rest.

ON THE PRODUCTION OF GOOD TONE IN VIOLINS.

In the preceding chapter we have endeavoured to solve the question what are the qualities that constitute good tone. We now propose to inquire how good tone is provided for in the construction of the violin. We are not about to enter into the scientific question. We wish merely to give to the general amateur a knowledge which is often only acquired after years of patient study and trial of instruments, by certain general principles which will seldom or never be found to be incorrect in fact, and then only through instruments being built on false rules in other respects. In good instruments these rules may be said to be infallible.

It is a curious fact that Gaspar di Salo and Magini, both early makers, started with the principle which has since been brought to the greatest perfection by the Cremona makers, and built on the flat model. Their instruments are consequently found to possess much of the fine and powerful tone which distinguishes Stradiuarius and Guarnerius. The early Amatis, in the second place, built on a higher model, and their instruments possess a sweet but not powerful tone. Steiner, thirdly, built on a higher model still, and his instruments have a thin piercing tone. We can only draw one conclusion from these facts--namely, that the nearer we approach an entire flat in the model of a violin the fuller, rounder, and more powerful the tone; other points of careful work and good varnish being taken into consideration. This fact has strongly impressed itself on the minds of scientific inquirers, and the result has been, as tests of the principle, the production of flat violins. These have been tried and reported satisfactory in the matter of tone. But there are other points to provide for which a flat box does not allow. To gain the requisite mass of air to produce good tone a flat violin has to be made of a clumsy awkward shape. In the beautiful modelled violin this is provided for in the rise of the back and belly. The ribs may therefore be more or less shallow according to the height of the model, and yet provide a sufficient space for the necessary amount of air for the production of good tone. We arrive then at this one certain fact, that the flatter the model of a violin the greater the probability of a good fine tone. It is of such violins therefore that we find the great performers possess themselves. This may be said to be an infallible rule, and an examination of the instruments of the most celebrated makers fully confirms it.

Why therefore did the elder Amati, contemporary and probably pupil of Gaspar di Salo, change the model and size of the instrument? This inquiry brings us to the second rule for the amateur. There cannot be a doubt that he adopted this plan because the flat model produced a more powerful tone than was then required. He therefore, no doubt acquainted practically, if not theoretically, with the principles of acoustics, raised his model and decreased his size to provide for the production of that eminently sweet tone which characterises his instruments. The amateur therefore who desires tone of this description, but does not want power, will generally find it in the model of medium height, providing as in all other cases, the work and the wood are good. Of this model are some of the sweetest toned violins to be found, of which the Amatis are the type.

Finally, many instruments are to be found constructed on Steiner's plan with very elevated model flat on the centre, and falling off abruptly towards the sides. These are all contrary to acoustic principles, and their thin piercing tone is to be ascribed to the want of that harmonious communication of vibration which their peculiar construction inevitably indicates.

Let, therefore, the amateur who wishes to be his own purveyor, examine, with these principles impressed on his mind, whatever instruments he can gain access to and the result will be that he will seldom err in this matter.