Scan 274
Antonio Stradivari, his life and work (1644-1737), 1909
12 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 246. See the scan on archive.org.
1violoncellos. No individual year, however, equals the total of 1709, which is, so far, the most productive on our record. 1710 approaches it, with nineteen violins and one violoncello, while 1711 gives but seven violins and three violoncellos. The years 1715, 1716, and 1717 yield respectively thirteen, fifteen, and thirteen violins, and three violoncellos. The remaining years are marked by a fair average.
3The last decade, 1720–30, accounts for one hundred and four violins, one viola, a viol altered to a viola, and five violoncellos; the years 1720, 1721, 1722, 1723, and 1724 give respectively thirteen, fourteen, twelve, eleven, and twelve violins—the last year a violoncello also; the year 1725 gives but five violins and two violoncellos.
5The remaining seven years, 1730 to 1736 inclusively, we can credit with forty-seven violins, two violas, and six violoncellos. 1730 gives nine violins; 1731, seven; 1732, eight; 1733, four; 1734, five; 1735, three; and 1736, eight. The last year, 1737, gives three violins. We consequently arrive at the following total:—Violins, 540; Violas, 12; Violoncellos, 50.
7The very limited number of the works of the early period 1665–80, will be observed: an unaccountable fact unless our explanation be the correct one. The increase after 1684, the year of Nicolò Amati's death, certainly tends to give weight to our views regarding the working conditions of Stradivari's earlier years.*
9A study of the above figures suggests the very natural question, "How near does this summary approach to the actual number of Stradivari's existing works?" In the case of the violins, we unhesitatingly express our belief that we have only succeeded in recording three-fourths of them, as we have traces, more or less clear, of quite one
11* See Chapter II.
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