ANTONIO STRADIVARI.
ANTONIO STRADIVARI.
CHAPTER I.
Date and Place of Birth of Antonio Stradivari—His Instructor in the Art of Violin Making—Peculiarity of his Early Work, Nothing Striking, but Slowly Progressive—Which of the Designs of his Master he was most Impressed by, and his Own Modifications for Improvement—His Departure from the House of his Master, Free to Carry Out his own Inclinations.
THE year 1614, although not particularly noticeable at the time for its portentous events, was destined to be one of considerable interest to those who are enthusiastic lovers of the delightful quality of sound emitted by a certain section—and that only—of a class of stringed instruments which have made the city of Cremona famous throughout the civilised world. For in that city and in that year was born a male child, whose surname was eventually to eclipse by its own refulgence the renown of the city itself. Its paternal name was Stradivari, people trouble themselves very little about the prefix Antonio, common enough in Italy, and which was the Christian name given him by his parents. Of these we can only say, that as might be supposed, they were of a respectable portion of the middle class socially considered and from which have sprung all over the world—with few exceptions—the greatest luminaries of the whole firmament of intellect.
Of his private life during manhood we know very little, of his boyhood nothing. But we may fairly and truly draw our conclusions that as the time arrived when he was supposed fit for training to fight life's battle, he had already exhibited talent indicative of fitness for that artistic branch of industry in which he was hereafter to be the world-wide acknowledged head.