Antonio Stradivari Part 1

Antonio Stradivari.

by Horace William Petherick.

PREFACE.

It was in the month of April, 1898, when THE STRAD monthly magazine had completed its eighth year of issue, that the Editor Suggested that then might be an appropriate time for giving a biographical sketch of the great Cremonese master in serial form, expressed in a manner interesting and instructive as possible. With this view I took up the subject with some enthusiasm and proposed to work upon lines which I believed to be bound by truth. All references to peculiarities in connection with Stradivari's designs, construction and purposes should be the result of my own personal observation during many years of experience as connoisseur and expert. In formulating my results of study of a great number--possibly the majority--of the instruments of the master extant--I have abstained as far as possible from using technical terms not readily comprehended by a reader coming newly to the subject, and I trust all persons reading through the matter now collected, added to, and presented in book form, will find their time not mis-spent at least when they arrive at the conclusion.

HORACE PETHERICK.

Croydon.

INTRODUCTION.

It was during the second half of the sixteenth century that the violin, with its well recognised combined excellences of artistic form and musical sonority, was started on its way in the world to supply a want and prove its fitness as a leading instrument at once and for future times. So happily was this effected, so complete and mature was it in conception, that the advancing intellect of three centuries has proved incompetent to insert any fresh and permanent addition to its original simple arrangement. Precisely as it came from the hands of an artistic and inventive genius in the city of Brescia so we have it now, unchanged in its essential details of construction, although having its natural qualities made more evident after undergoing the modern adjustment with regard to accessories of detail, or regulation as it is termed. This has been effected by simply enlarging some parts for the purpose of allowing more freedom and convenience in the execution of more modern music, its elaboration of rhythm, besides the extended range of notes in the higher positions of the register, necessitating this. As might have been expected in connection with the then still living Renaissance period, on the violin making its appearance it was soon taken in hand by men of superlative talent, who stamped it with their own individuality in which was a marvellous perception of artistic quality. All that was to be done by means of proportion, form and colour, not setting aside the essentials of refined sonority, were combined, each aiding in the grand total and producing that known and so much sought after at the present day--a beautiful Italian violin. For about a century or more many Italian liutaros were busily engaged in sending forth under compet.i.tion works which are now by the cognoscenti treated as unrivalled excellence of quality, cla.s.sical, and the outcome of genius. Each worker being anxious to maintain the standard of excellence, or take a step forward in the practice of their art, the culminating point seems to have been reached when the artist under consideration in the following pages was executing his masterpieces in Cremona.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 cla.s.s 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 cla.s.s 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.

That his special abilities were thoroughly recognised by his parents receives much emphasis from the fact of his being offered to, and received as pupil by, Nicolas Amati, greatest of that great family of stringed instrument makers. Young Antonio was thus placed in the most favourable situation possible for the fructifying and development of his own particular talents. That portion of his life which was spent with the great master of line in violin facture, will, probably, in its details always remain a blank to us: but there is a lightning like flash thrown out by the fact of old Nicolas Amati bequeathing his collection of tools, patterns, etc., to Antonio Stradivari, and, be it noticed, not to his own son, then over thirty years of age. That the future master of his craft had been a steady and beloved pupil of his great teacher, there is no room for doubt; indeed, steadiness, fixity of purpose and honest intention, are manifested in his work during the whole of his career. The earliest of his handiwork has become known to us while he was with Nicolas Amati. In this he exhibits extreme delicacy of handling, and seemingly, in the confidence of his master, certain little modifications in the design of the sound holes were permitted, or perhaps pa.s.sed as improvements, but there is nothing eccentric or extravagant introduced, a gentle addition, or a trifle less here and there, being the way in which he ever cautiously worked out his idea of improvement, and this latter seems to have been the moving spirit during his whole life.

At no time do we meet with sudden departures, or what are sometimes termed flashes of genius--the onward progress of his style of design and its execution was as unimpa.s.sioned as his life was uneventful. When we examine the earliest known work of his hand--it may be observed on some of the late violins of his master--there is plainly perceptible the efforts at excelling where at all possible; and if, as is extremely probable--his master was sometimes desirous that the purfling should be somewhat bolder than was to the taste of his refined pupil, this was inserted with a delicacy and precision beyond what had been before deemed the acme of finish.

His departure from the house of Nicolas Amati had to be taken some day in the ordinary course of events, and he would then act alone in compet.i.tion among the growing swarms of makers who were now busy as bees in most parts of Italy. The start is generally reckoned to have occurred between the years 1664 and 1666, it may have been in 1665, when he had reached his twenty-first year.

That old Nicolas Amati was right in his estimate that young Antonio Stradivari's natural abilities augured well for his success as a liutaro, was now to be proven. With the best possible recommendation--that of being trained by the most distinguished maker of the city--he carried others no less necessary for the long course of thought and labour that he was about to enter upon. These were, an earnest desire for improvement in all his undertakings, natural, indigenous ability for tasteful design and its mechanical execution and the power of steady concentration of the faculties, backed up withal by a sound, physical const.i.tution in which "nerves of iron" must have been a conspicuous element.

To those who at the time may have been looking forward with some speculation as to what young Stradivari would put forth now that his course was free and untrammelled before him, there was probably some disappointment at finding no signs of striking originality, no spasmodic struggles of genius to a.s.sert itself by throwing aside those individualities, general and detailed, which were so well marked in the work of his great teacher, and which as pupil he had been studiously and conscientiously carrying out. On the contrary, his efforts seem to have been rather to draw the mantle thrown by his master closer around him than to dispense with any part of its protective power. Thus we see in his works of this period which have remained to us, very little more than replicas of those of his master in which he for some years perhaps had taken no inconsiderable part. But in doing this, the intention and power of selection guided by sound judgment at once a.s.serted itself. He did not take that pattern known to us moderns by the name of "grand,"

and which term was in all likelihood quite unthought of by either himself or his master. Who invented it is a question that may be left complacently to the bookworm of the future.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE HOUSE OF ANTONIO STRADIVARI.]

There is really nothing in the so-called "grand" pattern of Nicolas Amati that seems to agree happily with that t.i.tle, it is, on the other hand, one in which the love of dainty elegance of contour has been allowed almost unrestricted play by its author, and to an extent undreamt of before. He perceived, however, that there was a limit, a step further, and disaster would be certain; Nicolas was sufficiently wide awake not to take it, but left it for his hosts of imitators, many of whom, not gifted with the same perspicuity, "rushed in where angels fear to tread," their just reward being laughter and derision. The attainment of elegance at the expense of strength and stability was not at all in agreement with Stradivari's artistic tastes, and we accordingly have no evidence of his having touched the so-called "Grand Amati;" that which he did take up with was less complex in the subdivision of its curves, and a more simple looking thing altogether.

To him it may have seemed to have more of the true characteristic quality always accompanying the grand in art, that of simplicity. It was this pattern, and this only, so far as our information goes--that Stradivari took as the basis on which any future developments should be grounded. He worked upon it for some time seemingly to his own contentment and probably the satisfaction of his patrons, these being sufficiently numerous and influential to enable him ere many years had pa.s.sed to think of purchasing a house.[A] This he accomplished in the year 1680, when he was thirty-six years of age. Now be it noted Stradivari had been working on the simplest of Amati patterns for fourteen years, and during that time from his steady industry the number of violins, besides other instruments of the family, which left his atelier must have been very large. The similarity in type and regularity of excellence in finished workmanship was almost enough to have impressed the connoisseurs of the day that there was no originality or speculation in the maker, but it was just about this time that the independency of thought began to manifest itself; it was almost as if the acquisition of the freehold property had stimulated the self-reliance which had no doubt always been present, but which was now to show itself more clearly in his art. He had been in practise long and successfully enough to give a right claim to mastership. The veteran Nicolas Amati, who was now over eighty years of age, had probably been doing little or nothing for some time, and so his pupil, with all his admiration for the retiring chief, felt at full liberty to do really as he liked.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STRADIVARI'S WORKSHOP.]

[Our ill.u.s.tration of Stradivari's atelier is from a painting by Rinaldi, the sketch for which was made on the premises. The church of St. Domenico, Cremona, was demolished some twenty years since and our ill.u.s.tration is from a photo taken just before the event. The Chapel of the Rosary, being the place where Antonio Stradivari was interred, is the one below and to the right of the tower and lighter in colour than the others.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 1. Grand Nicolas Amati. No. 2. Nicolas Amati pattern of Stradivari. No. 3. First independent pattern of Stradivari.]

The step he took, insignificant enough to the casual observer now, must have been equally so then, but proved one of the most important ever taken in this branch of art, considering the restraints necessarily encompa.s.sing any efforts at original design. This is perhaps the more evident when the main features of the Amati designs and others of the time are a.n.a.lysed. It will be seen that the upper and lower thirds of the design have much in common with each other, and that the middle or waist partakes also of the same characteristics, the whole being a series of full rounded curves, varied as required, to harmonise and flow with ease and grace to the squared corners. The slightest possible narrowing or decrease in the size of the upper of the waist curve and a corresponding enlargement of the lower part, served in the hands of Stradivari to impart a different aspect to the whole pattern. The waist, now less pinched in at the middle, looked longer without being really so. The parts above the upper corners and those below the lower ones were modified, the large curves becoming a little flatter just before blending with the smaller ones. From these alterations, each one trifling in itself, there resulted what may be called the first or earliest Stradivari pattern; in it were the germs of all the succeeding ones that contributed more and more to the fame of their designer as they appeared. The natural caution or indisposition to throw aside one pattern before a fair trial of the newest had proved acceptable to his numerous patrons, was possibly the cause of Stradivari's running the older designs alongside the newest creations of his fancy. Thus we find that mixed with the innovations are what he might have called his old Amati pattern, probably off the same moulds that he had used when first starting in business on his own account, or even before.

CHAPTER II.

DETAILS OF FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS UPON HIS NEW DESIGNS--MODIFICATION OF THE SOUND HOLES--THE AMATI VARNISH AND STRADIVARI'S--HIS SECRECY OF METHOD IN WORKING--HIS KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT WAS WANTED, AND EFFORTS AT ADVANCE IN TONE QUALITY.

Leaving the consideration in general of the designs of Stradivari's early days, that is, for such a long life, we may look over some of the details. It is well known to connoisseurs that the handiwork of Nicolas Amati was during his best days of the utmost delicacy; in his later work we notice an approach to heaviness in some respects. The very beautiful subdivisions and subtleties of the curves in pattern and modelling began to disappear and the purfling became bolder. Young Stradivari, when working on some of his master's violins, seems to have been allowed to do some of this, probably with the material given out by old Nicolas.

The work of the young man may be known by its greater decision, such as would be reasonably expected; but after leaving the Amati household the natural bent towards exceeding refinement soon a.s.serted itself. The purfling, particularly after some years, is narrower, and inserted with a precision and ease in its course impossible to excel, even if approachable. The mitring at the corners ends in a bent point in the manner introduced by Hieronymus Amati and not, as has been stated, by Stradivari; the latter carried out the ideas of Nicolas in making it very sharp and this mannerism he continued throughout the whole of his career.

Stradivari from the first made his sound holes more perpendicular than those of his master; after leaving him, they also became more slender and the upper and lower wings wider and closer to the opposing curve.

The precision and sharpness of the cutting of these parts has become the standard of excellence to which hundreds of Stradivari's imitators of different countries and times have striven to attain. It is, perhaps, in these parts of the different instruments--for Stradivari soon got to work on all the four sizes, besides other kinds not played with the bow--that his fine nervous system manifests itself, the sureness of his knife when pa.s.sing along from one point to another leaving an edge upright and clean as cut gla.s.s, yet with a free grace of line never excelled by any master of the renaissance period.

Of the parts the young a.s.sistant of Nicolas Amati was allowed to put his individuality to, conspicuously stands the scroll. The one typical of Nicolas's later days, although free and elegant, yet had a somewhat heavier touch about it, possibly the master was gradually losing his muscular power, more necessary to exert in this matter of detail than any other. Stradivari began his own type by bringing the first turn from the axis or "eye" a little higher up than that of his master; the axis itself is a trifle larger and flatter, the edges of the turns are squared off with a machine-like exactness that does not interfere with the ease and flow of line. The peg box is strong and ample, after a few years it became ma.s.sive, more so occasionally than is to be met with at any other time, the grooves down the back are not so deep, the termination or sh.e.l.l likewise and a little wider.

That Nicolas Amati would by any possibility neglect to duly initiate his favourite pupil in the mysteries and secrecies whereby his work should receive its final crowning adornment, its envelopment in the thin film of glory, is not to be thought of. The l.u.s.trous solution that was so fitting an accompaniment to the dainty designs of the Amatis, was from the first handled with a masterly dexterity and perfect knowledge by Stradivari. Most of the early work is covered with the orange or amber colour that were the prevailing tints on the early productions of the brothers Amati as well as Nicolas. It is somewhat curious that most of the prominent varnishers among the liutaros of Italy seemed to prefer this in their early days: or was it that the deeper or more intense colours required longer experience in management? Anyhow, so it was, and Stradivari seems to have been no exception to the general rule. If a well preserved early Stradivari is placed side by side with one of "the brothers" or Nicolas Amati's amber coloured specimens, the varnish enveloping them will be seen to be precisely alike, whether considered in respect of transparency, consistency or thickness. Here is art indication that for the best part of a century, these clever artificers of Cremona had the same stuff, used it in precisely the same manner, to a hair's breadth, for they knew there was no going beyond it; every part of the process was methodically carried out in compliance with certain laws known to, or inst.i.tuted by, previous masters. There is an old Latin motto implying that "the perfection of art is to conceal art";--it it has often been quoted in ill.u.s.trative reference, sometimes with sly humour, at others in most serious vein, for instance, when an eminent judge's judicial wig was known to have beneath it another of equally natural pretentions, and when quoted as the motto for the year in a Royal Academy catalogue, to be interpreted by the n.o.ble army of "rejected outsiders" as meaning extra efforts that year by the Council at concealment or suppression of art that was superior to their own.

But if there ever was an instance in which this motto could with strictest appropriateness be applied, it was the work of Stradivari.

Most if not all of the known masters have at times shown by some little accident or other, their method of working, thus, notwithstanding the extremely careful and finished work of the Amati family, there is occasionally to be seen some un.o.bliterated signs--truly very slight--of their having traced their pattern on the wood for either the sound holes or the turns of the scroll. Stradivari left no evidence of this, nor are any distinct traces left inside or out that would betray the manner, kind of tool, or direction of working. Further, in most beautiful specimens by the "brothers Amati," besides other great varnishers, some faint indications have been seen of imperfectly dissolved resin, but not so with Stradivari, who carried out to the letter in this department of his art, that steadfastness of purpose in striving to do in the best way, that which his judgment had p.r.o.nounced to be the best thing to accomplish. He further carried this out afterwards in the application of the deeper coloured, and usually softer, varnishes, which when manipulated by other masters of the same school, have frizzled or c.o.c.kled from some cause. This is seldom if at all to be observed in any of Stradivari's work, he seems to have taken every possible precaution for preventing change in aspect after the instrument had received his final touches.

We may now retrace our steps for awhile and take up another thread of the fabric of Stradivari's individuality, that which is in fact by dealers ignored and by players adored. There can be no question that during his minority under the great Amati, young Antonio must have been much interested in his master's fame for imparting a fine quality of tone to his instruments. It must soon have been apparent to him that success in his career would not be achieved by progress in the artistic part of his work alone. The critics of the day, who must have been sufficiently numerous and exacting in accordance with the advanced state of the art, would naturally be alive to any subtleties of difference between the productions of the reigning king of liutaros and his successor. The onward progress of musical composition and increase in the numbers of public performers, virtuosi, and others, demanded from an artificer taking this position, at least equal skill in producing those essential qualities for which the city of Cremona had become famous. Old master and young man probably had many a talk over what was best to be done to keep pace with the increasing requirements of the moment, and the time approaching when the hand of the former in the course of nature would lose its cunning. The hour came, the man was ready. Stradivari started forth from his master's house with full confidence in having a true and good grasp of the wants of the moment and those looming in the future. In the good patronage which soon came to him, was contained the a.s.surance that his estimate, although formed so early, was perfectly correct; thenceforward he saw no reason for alteration in the type of acoustical quality that distinguishes all of his instruments, and that which he had once for all fixed upon.

Briefly the acoustical quality of his instruments may be described as a further development of the tone brought to such a high degree of excellence by the great Amati; an increase in the volume and energy, with more equality of scale, while retaining all the other qualities that had caused players and listeners alike to be delighted, and which had given such renown to the great family of liutaros in Cremona.

CHAPTER III.

THE DATE OF THE TRUE STRADIVARIAN INDIVIDUALITY--ALTERATIONS IN DESIGN--PROPORTIONS SETTLED FOR GOOD--THE EXCEPTIONS--THE "LONG STRAD"--THE "INLAID STRADS"--AN ACKNOWLEDGED MASTER OF HIS ART--BLACK EDGING--THE ARCHING AND CHANNELLING--THE BRESCIANS, THE AMATIS AND STRADIVARI.