CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY MUSIC Cornell University Library ML 424.S89H64 1909 Antonio Stradivari, his life and work (1 3 1924 022 328 896 The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022328896 ANTONIO STRADIVARI MACMILLAN AND CO., Limited LONDON BOMBAY • CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YOEK • BOSTON CHICAGO ATLANTA • SAN FKANCISCO THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, Ltd. TORONTO The Salabue Stradivari, dated 1716, KNOWN AS " LE MeSSIE," Frontispiece] Antonio Stradivari HIS LIFE AND WORK (1644—1737) BY W. HENRY HILL ARTHUR F. HILL, F.S.A. AND ALFRED E. HILL WITH AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE BY LADY HUGGINS SECOND EDITION MAC MILLAN AND CO., LIMITED ST. MARTIN'S STREET, LONDON 1909 THIS BOOK WE DEDICATE TO THE MEMORY OF OUR FATHER WILLIAM EBSWORTH HILL TO WHOSE EXAMPLE WE ARE INDEBTED BEYOND ACKNOWLEDGMENT PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. HE idea of writing this book is in some measure due to the intelligent initiative of A E*3 Signor Mandelli, of Cremona, to whom, as well as to our friends and subscribers, we owe some words of explanation and apology. Full of the desire to obtain fresh information concerning Antonio Stradivari, Signor Mandelli determined to make further researches in the archives of his native city, and thus add to the world's knowledge ; and, his material collected, he approached us in the year 1890 with a view to its publica- tion in English and Italian. The subject of Stradivari was an alluring one, and in a moment of enthusiasm we undertook the task of incorporating these interesting re- searches in a work more fully embracing the results of the master's career. Reflection, however, showed us that we had undertaken a task the labour of which we had under- estimated ; and time sped on, year succeeding year, only to find us still adding to our notes, yet unable—nay, un- willing—prematurely to publish that which we felt to be still incomplete. If we have thus long delayed the publi- cation of this work, owing to the daily cares of our business absorbing so much of our time and energy, we trust that our readers will obtain some slight compensation both from the more correct information given and the broader treatment of our subject. We decided to divide our work into twelve distinct chapters, and we believe that by this division the whole will have gained in clearness. We have to thank our friends and colleagues at home and abroad for aid and assistance in our researches. More especially we would wish to mention Mr. George Hart, the late M. Gand and M. Silvestre of Paris, and Signor — viii PREFACE Marquis Commendatore Lozzi of Rome. To the late Alessandro Dalla Valle we are under an exceptional debt to his of gratitude for having freely accorded us access unique collection of Stradivari relics. The encouragement and advice ungrudgingly given to us at all times by Sir William and Lady Huggins have can we sufficiently acknow- been of inestimable value ; nor ledge in words the friendship Lady Huggins has honoured us with in reading and advising upon the manuscript of our book. In conclusion, we venture to hope that the sincerity of our work will bring us that support which stimulates fresh undertakings. Much of absorbing interest to violin lovers yet remains to be written. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. The first edition of this work was published in 1902. Its reception was even more gratifying than was expected. The thousand copies of which the edition consisted were sold within three years. As the first edition is now only rarely to be obtained and even then at a cost much exceeding the price at which it was published— and as the demand for the work still continues, it is felt that the time for its republication has arrived, particularly in a much cheaper form, which will bring it within the reach of a more extended circle of readers. In taking this step the authors believe they will be gratifying a large number of violin lovers desirous of having within reach the fullest and most trustworthy in- formation accessible concerning the life and work of Antonio Stradivari. The text and illustrations of this edition, except only that half-tone plates are substituted for lithographic plates, are practically the same as those of the original edition. London, 1909. —— CONTENTS. PAGE Preface ........... vii Introductory Note ......... i Genealogical Tree of the Stradivari Family from the earliest known Records to the Present Time . 4 CHAPTER I. THE ANCESTRY OF ANTONIO STRADIVARI. The search for the certificate of his birth— Reason to believe that he was not born in Cremona—His marriage—The census returns—The purchase of his house and its subsequent his- tory—His home life and his children—The death and burial of his first wife—His second marriage—The purchase of a tomb in the Church of S. Domcnico—The burials therein His death arid interment—The demolition of the Church of S. Domenico—The disinterment of his remains and the disposal of them . .... 5 chapter ii. Stradivari's violins. The tradition that Stradivari was a pupil of Nicolo Amati —The actual proof— His fellow-apprentices—His early work and surroundings—His connection with Nicolo Amati until the ' latter's death in 1684—His first label—The dimensions of his earlier works, and comparison with those of Nicolo Amati Subsequent developments—The inception of the " Long Strad " in 1690—The return to Amati traditions in 169S A review of his work and the position to which he had attained by the end of the century—The dawn of the new century—The " Bctts " violin, 1704—The following years Fewness of his productions—His partiality for certain wood The varying character of his work^Comparisons of famous examples—His seventy-sixth birthday, in 1720—The ques- tion of his being assisted in his work—The features of the instruments of this period—The '' Rode " inlaid violin, 1722 —The other similar examples made by the master—The Spanish set and their history—The year 1727—He records his age—Consideration of the master's supposed pupils—The violins of his last years—Those made by his sons—Those made up from parts left unfinished by him—Contradictory statements as to his exact age, and elucidation of the matter — His death 27 —— x CONTENTS CHAPTER III. STRADIVARI'S VIOLAS. PACE previously The small number existing—A retrospectof violas made founded on to his time—The proportions as adopted by him difficulty the work of Antonius and Hieronymus Amati—The lhe music in accounting for the adoption of a smaller size— of the period—Comparison of the different examples and their tone—The tenore and contralto violas—The Paganim example, 1731, and the Berlioz incident—Characteristics of the violas as a whole—The maker's shortcomings ... 96 chapter iv. , Stradivari's violoncellos. Their excellence—A retrospect of the instruments made previ- ously—The gradual adoption of an instrument of smaller proportions—Stradivari's non-participation in the movement —His early productions—Review and comparison of his pre-i 700 examples—The" Medici," " Aylesford," " Cristiani," and " Servais " instruments—His tardy adoption of the smaller proportions—The earliest dated example known Examination of the designs left by him—The supreme merit of the examples of this form—Their tone—The views of Piatti, and Romberg's statement—The number existing, and their history—The master's adherence to this type until 1730 —A narrower form adopted in that year—A retrospect . 113. chapter v. Stradivari's aims in relation to tone. The achievements of Gasparo and Maggini—The four generations of the Amatis—The tonal success of their instruments—The non-existence of any record by past great players of the tonal merits of their instruments—The pre-\68^ Stradivari—Its character of tone—Changes between 1684 and 1690—The Long Strad of 1690—Its tonal quality—The " Tuscan " The brilliancy of its tone—The production of tone in relation to Stradivari instruments—Lady Halle, Joachim, Sarasate, and Piatti—Prejudice against certain violins—The difficulty of forming a correct judgment—The " Betts " Stradivari The distinguishing characteristics of its tone—The result attained by Stradivari—The " Ernst " Stradivari—The " " " Viotti —Joachim's violins, their tone—The " Alard example—Violins of the years 1720-22—Sarasate's violin, I 724—Other examples—Reason why Stradivari instruments are in universal use—A resume ... 152 CHAPTER VI. Stradivari's material. d M*ed c°ncerning its magical properties- Its nart Tn "fTn t0 .° the successful construction of an mstrument-A"LPf^nt A retrospect concerning the wood used by the — CONTENTS PACE early makers—Where obtained—The making up of faulty pieces—Stradivari's preference for the wood of certain trees in given years—Scarcity at times of foreign maple—The pine of the bellies—The virtues of old wood .... 167 chapter vii. Stradivari's varnish. The varnish used by other Italian makers—Amateur workers on the subject—Was the recipe a trade secret ? —The present existence of Stradivari's written formula—Whence sprang the use of fine varnishes and pure colours ?—The Amati colour—The basis of Stradivari's varnish—Reade's remarks —The importance of the colour—The effect of light—The picturesque appearance of the backs—The gradual disuse of oil varnishes—The reason for this, its revival, and final disappearance—The effect of the varnish upon tone . .174 CHAPTER VIII. STRADIVARI'S CONSTRUCTION. Based upon the work of the past—The master, above all, a practical workman—Examination of the interior construction —The thicknesses of Gasparo, Maggini, the Amati, and those of Stradivari—The blocks and linings—The bass-bar, its function and origin—The bars of early makers compared with those used by Stradivari—The outline—The marked ori- ginality of the Italians—The use cf moulds for bending the sides—Those employed by the master—The purfling—The sound-holes—The modelling—The head—Stradivari's method of work—His bridges, finger-boards, and fittings—The Dalla Valle Collection of patterns, etc.