The Violin and Old Violin Makers / Being a Historical & Biographical Account of the Violin, with Facsimiles of Labels of the Old Makers

by A. Mason Clarke

* * * * * * * *

The music of this period falls next to be noticed. Mr. Charles Reade, in his able articles on Cremona fiddles, which appeared in the August numbers of the “Pall Mall Gazette” for 1872, states, “Man invents only to supply a want.” This observation is peculiarly applicable to the violin; for we find that with the advancement of musical composition came the desire to attain greater perfection in the art of violin making. This is illustrated by the fact that the performance of modern music would be next to impossible on one of the old violins, by reason of the then shortness of the neck; hence arises the necessity for refitting old violins with longer necks, thus giving the performer greater command over the high notes, and adding largely to the strength of the instrument.

The use of the violin in the orchestra began to receive recognition with the dawn of the seventeenth century. Monteverde, in his opera of “Orfeo,” printed in 1615, scores for “two little French violins” (piccoli violini alla Francese).

Without referring to the periods anterior to the seventeenth century, concerning which we have little or no information, we know that during the first two generations of that century, music in Italy was mostly in the madrigal style. The capabilities of instrumental music, apart from the voice, however, were soon discovered, and composers entered gladly upon a new and wide field of musical effort. The compositions were usually comprehended under the names of studies, fantasias, capricci, sonatas, concertos and other pieces in various styles.

Corelli has been accredited with fixing the form of the sonata, and Torelli, his contemporary, with inventing the concerto.

When dramatic music began to prevail under Corelli, it was scientific and rather dry, Geminiani first enriched it by expression; but it was under Tartini that it attained the highest degree of expression, both as to composition and execution. Soon after this period the concerto was greatly improved in the hands of Jarnowick and Mestrino, both of whom were still surpassed by Viotti, who gave to this style the character which seems so peculiarly its own and brought it to a degree of perfection which it seems incapable of exceeding.

These remarks apply equally to solo as to concerted music: by which term we understand music for several voices or instruments, the parts of which do not stand in the relation of solo and accompaniments, but are of nearly equal importance; equally obbligato, either because each of them has its appropriate part, or because each takes up the strain successively, the others alternately becoming accompaniments. This method is practically alike in the duet, the trio, the quartet, the quintet, and other pieces where each instrument has its separate part.

Boccherini was the first who, in 1768, gave to these forms a fixed character. After him came Fiorillo, Giardini, Pugnani, and lastly, Viotti.

Such was the style of music, so far as the violin is concerned, from the time of Corelli to the commencement of this century.

Although Italy has since had to yield the palm for instrumental music to other countries, we must not overlook the fact that for generations she held undisputed sway in the realm of music; both as regards composers and performers.