Scan 212
Antonio Stradivari, his life and work (1644-1737), 1909
8 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 188. See the scan on archive.org.
1copies of Stradivari, Guarneri, or Amati, and accordingly the character of their tone varies but little. Again, take the violins of J. B. Guadagnini and the finer specimens of the various members of the Gagliano family. They are constructed on the principles of Stradivari, the material used is in many cases acoustically equal, yet they have by no means the same character of tone as a Stradivari. And why? Because their varnish and their methods of applying it were in most cases very different.
3Lupot, the French violin-maker, who is justly celebrated for his fine copies of Stradivari, furnishes yet another instance in support of our view, and it is all the more instructive in that he was the earliest maker who continuously, earnestly, and closely followed the models of the great master. His varnish is, with certain exceptions, of a soft texture and laid on heavily, and the tone is consequently of a stiff and veiled character.
5Let us now look at home, and we find the very interesting fact that one of our most meritorious makers, Daniel Parker, produced copies of a "long Stradivari" as early as 1720. Form, construction, and material are often excellent; but the varnish is of a hard texture, and consequently the tone of his copies is of a more metallic timbre than that of a Stradivari.
7Many other equally striking facts could be cited, but we think sufficient has been said to show that our views are well founded.
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