POSTLUDE (continued 2)

Chanot, Georges. “Hodges v. Chanot.” London, 1882. Mitchell & Hughes. Large 8vo pamphlet.

Engel, Carl. “Researches into the Early History of the Violin Family.” London, 1883.

ITALIAN.

Zanneti, Gasparo. “Il Scolaro.” Milan, 1645.

Tartini, Giuseppe. A Letter from the late Signor Tartini to Signora Maddalena Lombardini, translated by Dr Burney. London, 1771. R. Bremner.

Bagatella, Antonio. “Regole per la Costruzione de’ Violini, Viole, Violoncelli, et Violoni.” Padova, 1786. A spese dell’ Accademia.

Pancaldi, Carlo. “Progresso Italiano nella Costruzione del Violino operato da Antonio Gibertini da Parma.” Palermo, 1845. Tipografia Maddalena. Small 8vo.

Regli, Francesco. “Storia del Violino in Piemonte.” Turin, 1863. Enrico Dalmazzo. Large 8vo.

Lombardini, Paolo. “Cenni sulla celebre scuola Cremonese degli stromenti ad arco.” Cremona, 1872. Tipografia dalla Noce. Large 8vo.

Rinaldi, Benedetto-Gioffredo. “Classica Fabbricazione di Violini.” Turin, 1873. Rinaldi. Large 8vo pamphlet.

Valdrighi, Luigi Francesco. “Liuteria Modenese antica e moderna.” Modena, 1878. Toschi. 8vo.

—— Musurgiana No. 9. “Strumenti ad arco Rinforzati.” Modena, 1881. G. T. Vincenzi e Nep. Large 8vo pamphlet.

FRENCH.

Rousseau, Jean. “Traité de la Viole.” Paris, 1687. Ch. Ballard. 8vo. Leblanc, Hubert. “Défense de la basse de Viole contre les Entreprises du Violon et les pretensions du Violoncelle.” Amsterdam, 1740. P. Mortier. 16mo. Jacquot, A. “Music in Lorraine.” Terrasson, A. “Sur la Vielle.” Paris, 1741. Leclair, Jean Marie. “Tablature idéale du Violon.” Paris, 1766. 8vo. Sibire, L’Abbé. “La Chelonomie.” Paris, 1806. Brussels, chez l’Aullur et Millet. Second Edition, 1823. Weissenbruch. 8vo. Chanot, François. “Rapport fait à l’Académie des Beaux Arts 3 Avril 1819.” Paris, 1819. 4to. Contanger (Le Dr Henri). Gaspard Duiffoprugcar et les Luthiers lyonnais du xvi^e Siecle. Paris, 1893. Fischbacher. Savart, Félix. “Mémoire sur la Construction des Instruments à Cordes et à Archet.” Paris, n.d. (1819). Roret. 8vo. Maugin, J. C. “Manuel du Luthier.” Paris, 1834. Roret 12mo. Maugin, J. C., et Maigne, W. “Nouveau Manuel Complet du Luthier.” Paris, 1869. Roret. Desmarais, Cyprien. “Archéologie du Violon.” Paris, 1836. Dentu et Sapia. Large 8vo pamphlet.

Fourgeaud, Alexandre. “Les Violons de Dalayrac.” Paris, 1856. Leclerc. Large 8vo pamphlet.

[Youssoupow, Prince.] “Luthomonographie Historique et Raisonnée.” Frankfort S/M., 1856. Ch. Fugel. Large 8vo.

Gallay, Jules. “Les Instruments à Archet à l’Exposition Universelle de 1867.” Juanst. 8vo.

Grivel, Victor. “Vernis des Anciens Luthiers.” Grenoble, 1867. F. Allier. 8vo.

Gallay, Jules. “Les Luthiers Italiens.” Nouvelle édition du Parfait Luthier de l’Abbé Sibire. Paris, 1869. Académie des Bibliophiles.

Plassiard, J. A. “Des Cordes du Violon.” Lille, 1876. Danet.

Vidal, Antoine. “Les Instruments à Archet, les Faiseurs, les Joueurs d’Instruments, leur Histoire sur le Continent Européen.” Suivi d’un Catalogue générale de la Musique de Chambre. Orné de planches gravées à l’eau forte par Frédéric Hillemacher. Paris, 1876: J. Claye. 3 vols. 4to. Edition-de-luxe.

Coppée, François. “Le Luthier de Cremone.” London, 1880. Dulan & Co. 12mo.

Simoutre, N. E. “Aux Amateurs du Violon.” Bâle, 1883. G. A. Bonfantini.

GERMAN.

Reichardt, Johann Friedrich. “Ueber die Pflichten des Ripien-Violinisten.” Berlin und Leipzig, 1776. G. J. Decker. Bagatella, Antonio. “Ueber den Bau der Violine.” Leipzig, n.d. (1806). Kuhnel. 8vo. Wettengel, Gustav Adolph. “Neuer Schauplatz der Künste und Handwerke.” Ilmenda, 1828. B. F. Voigt. Bachmann, Otto. “Theoretisch-praktisches Handbuch des Geigenbaues.” Leipzig, 1835. G. Basse. Baader, J. “Chronik des Marktes.” Mittenwald. Abele, Hyacinth. “Die Violine.” Neuberg A/D., 1864. A. Zrechter. Small 8vo. Schubert, F. L. “Die Violine.” Leipzig, 1865. Merzeburger. Diehl, Nicolaus Louis. “Die Geigenmacher der Alten Italienischen Schule.” Hamburg, 1866, 1877. J. F. Richter. Wettengel, Gustav Adolph. “G. A. W.’s weil Violin-bogenmachers zu Markneukirchen.” Weimar, 1869. B. F. Voigt. Wasielewski, Joseph Wilhelm von. “Die Violine im XVII. Jahrhundert.” Bonn, 1874. M. Cohen. Ritter, Hermann. “Die Viola Alta.” Heidelberg, 1876. G. Weiss. 4to. Niederheitmann, Friedrich. “Die Meister der Geigenbaukunst in Italien und Tyrol.” Hamburg, 1876. Aug. Cranz, 1876. —— Cremona. “Eine Charakteristik der Italienischen Geigenbauer.” Leipzig, 1877. Carl Merzeburger. 8vo.

DESCRIPTION OF PLATES

PLATE I (to face page 18)

A Duiffoprugcar viol da Gamba, owned by Mr George Donaldson. This matchless antique is doubtless one of many, but most of the rest have perished; it stands almost alone as a poetic specimen of the phantasy of the old viol makers. It is elaborately decorated on the back, after the taste of the period, with an excess of ornament, which the fine instinct of the subsequent makers of violins rejected as prejudicial to tone. The habit of adopting a creature’s head, or a face, for a scroll long lingered, and is not unknown in the work of Stradivarius. In England numerous copies of Duke that have been palmed off as original have lion heads. These instruments were usually “made in Germany,” and it appears to have been a favourite practice there to use such carved scrolls.

PLATE II (to face page 38)

A Maggini violin (the “De Beriot”) owned by Mr Antonietti. The Maggini here given is an admirably preserved specimen of the great Brescian master, who, next to Stradiuarius, did more than any one man to inspire and define the ideal shape, from which even the Amati at first departed, but which Strad had the genius to restore and perfect. The corners, however, have been rubbed, and not in every case renewed, otherwise it is in as perfect a condition as can be expected in so old a fiddle. The scroll is cut with a care and an advanced finish which reminds us of the bolder Strad period, 1700-30. Maggini, oddly enough, was little honoured in the first quarter of this century, but De Beriot had the insight to discern his merits; and from the time he adopted him for his masterly and full-toned performances, the Magginis rose, and have been continuing to rise, in public estimation.

PLATE III (to face page 50)

Her late Majesty’s Amati tenor is in beautiful condition; it is elaborately ornamented, in lieu of the usual purfling. It was, doubtless, originally made to order for some great prelate; and it bears on its back a noble coat of arms hardly decipherable, and the image of John Baptist carrying a lamb (“Behold the Lamb of God!” John i. 36). The instrument was used in Her late Majesty’s private band by Mr Hann (1898). Like many old viols it has been somewhat reduced in size. For the loan of this instrument I am indebted to the good offices of Sir Walter Parratt, director of the late Queen’s private band.

PLATE IV (to face page 58)

Paganini’s Joseph Guarnerius. This is a fine and very characteristic specimen of the mighty Del Gesù. It is in his most powerful and massive style (the head almost brutal in its bull-dog strength), with full rich colour thickly laid on to match. Seldom, indeed, do we find so much varnish left on the back of so old a violin. The instrument has been very carefully dealt with. The story of how it passed into Paganini’s hands is well known. An Italian amateur, who evidently knew its value, lent it to the great maestro, and, after hearing its marvellous qualities, as drawn forth by the Magician of the Violin, declared that no other hand should henceforth set its chords in vibration. Paganini left it to his native town of Genoa, and there it may still be seen in the Town Hall. It was his favourite instrument; and the giant Joseph Guarnerius was well matched with the giant Nicolo Paganini.

PLATE V (to face page 66)

The Rode and Spanish violins and the Spanish tenor, it will be observed, are all inlaid. Strad was no bigot, and although we may confidently assert that he disapproved of all inlaying or decoration on the bellies or backs, and confined it to its narrowest limits when resorted to in lieu of the usual strip of purfling, he probably judged that if it did not encroach upon the vibratory surfaces much beyond a common purfle, it was comparatively harmless. It is likely that the Rode Strad, whose history I am unable to record, was made for Royalty or some great Prince Cardinal of the Church, the extra decoration being considered due to the high rank of the patron, or wrought in obedience to a special request. We have many evidences that Strad was not above pleasing the individual whims of his clients. He was himself an expert carver, and could inlay with the best of them when he chose. The Rode Strad was sold to Messrs Hill by M. Lamoureux, the eminent French conductor, and by them to Dr Oldham of Brighton. The Strad ’cello is a good specimen of Strad’s improved bass model. The size is brought down characteristically, and the comparative smallness of the upper, contrasting with the ample development of the lower part, gives the instrument an appearance of lightness and grace; whilst the delicate and somewhat narrow head, with its sufficiently massive and finely cut out scroll, admirably balances the whole to the eye with a certain “chic” quite a la Strad.

PLATE VI (to face page 68)

This plate contains profiles of the three Strads shown in Plate V., and is interesting as displaying the variety exhibited in Strad’s scroll carving. The Spanish Strad has quite an Amatisé scroll, long, light, and very restrained, and undeveloped at the lower extremity. Notice the greater freedom of the Rode scroll, quite in Strad’s best manner. The Rode model is also flatter in the back, but the bellies are all flat in the approved style, after the earlier Amati groove had almost entirely disappeared from the Cremona model.

PLATE VII (to face page 82)

A Panoramic View of Cremona, taken outside Porto Po from the banks of the river, and engraved about 1830 by Caporali. Names of buildings, counting from the right of the print: 1. Church of S. Pietro; 2. Tower of the old prisons near the Town Hall; 3. Battisterio; 4. Cathedral; 5. Town Hall Tower; 6. Torrazzo, the Cathedral Tower, the highest in Italy; 7. Church of S. Marcellino; 8. Church of S. Domenico; 9. Church of S. Agostino; 10. Church of S. Lucca; 11. Church of S. Omobono, patron of the town; 12. Church of S. Agata; 13. Church of S. Ilario; 14. Church of S. Luca. Signor Sacchi, a native of Cremona, has kindly identified all the above for me.

PLATES VIII AND IX (to face pages 106, 110)

These portraits of Tourte, Lupot, Vuillaume, and Ebsworth Hill being fully dwelt on in the text, need no further comment.

PLATE X (to face page 162)

This plate of backs, bellies, and bows, has been fully explained in the text.

PLATE XI (to face page 182)

Portraits of Paganini abound. Landseer sketched a series, which, however, are slightly of the nature of caricatures. It was difficult to do otherwise. The Maestro’s features were so marked, his long hair so weird, the tall forehead, the wide sensitive mouth, the dark eyes, the ungainly and gaunt, almost dislocated attitudes of the man lent themselves freely to a lively and not always sympathetic or respectful pencil. The portrait, a rare one, here produced, hits the happy mean. The finest representation of him is, however, Danton’s small bust (admirably reproduced by Mrs Haweis’ pencil in “My Musical Life,” where see my biographical study of Paganini).

PLATE XII (to face page 238)

For a fuller list of labels, the “Collector” had better consult Mr Vidal’s most valuable book referred to in our Bibliography, from which our seven specimens are reproduced. I may observe that a forged fiddle may often have what purports to be a genuine label. A reference, therefore, to these facsimiles may be useful.

Buyers should also beware of labels bearing dates posterior to the death of the alleged makers. I have seen Stainer’s so decorated. Stainer labels in two different sorts of type, i.e., the name in a running type and the rest in print, are never genuine. Duke copies of Stainer, often very good ones, sometimes present this peculiarity. Notice that Gasparo and Gio Paolo Maggini never dated their instruments. There exist numerous dated copies of Maggini—generally recent copies—De Beriot having brought the great Gio into notice. These are all frauds.

Stradiuarius changed his labels late in life, using a v instead of u, and spelling Stradivari or Stradivarius. This is called the cursive v. Some Stradivarius-labelled violins have all the figures of the date printed, e.g., 1712. These are forgeries. The last two figures in the real labels being always filled up in ink, which has much faded. It does not, however, follow that all thus filled in are genuine—indeed, most are frauds. A particularly favourite date for forged Stradivari labels is 1721.