Scan 68
Antonio Stradivari, his life and work (1644-1737), 1909
7 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1MAGGINI INFLUENCE AND THE "LONG STRAD" 45
2long-pattern instruments, and one bears the inscription, "A. D. I. 9. Novembre, 1691," and the letters S. L., which, possibly, as suggested by Mr. E. J. Payne, may mean "Stretto lungo."* If so, this would show that the term "long form" comes to us from the master himself. A second mould of this form is dated 1692. Now, were it not for our own observations, we should assume that these dated moulds marked the exact date of the commencement of this interesting type of violin; but such cannot be the case, as we had in our possession some few years ago an example dated 1690 in Stradivari's original figures. None anterior to that date have ever been seen by us, so we may take it that the year in question is most probably that of their birth.
4A slight study of the different dimensions which Stradivari worked out between 1690 and 1692 furnishes some interesting comparisons (see Appendix). It will be noted that in 1691–92 he made several violins of which the proportions are the largest we have ever met with. Not only have we the increased length, but combined with it the extreme width, and in one example the full height of sides. Specimens of these proportions are rare; we have only seen six. The examples in possession of Mr. Charles Fletcher, and that of Mrs. Ginn, of Boston, U.S.A., are typical instruments,—both are dated from the year 1691. The violin of M. Leopold Auer (of the same type as the two just mentioned) was also made about the same time. It will be remarked that these dimensions are nearly identical with those of the smaller pattern made by Maggini. It is instructive to find that in 1692–93 Stradivari returned to his first idea, retaining the extra length, but narrowing the width, apparently convinced of the futility of at-
6* Article 'Stradivari,' Grove's "Dictionary of Music and Musicians," 1883.
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