Bow & Bridge Violin and bow makers, as the old books printed them

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Scan 773

Dictionary of music, 1900

18 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 765. See the scan on archive.org.

1The concluding sentence, "Ainsi périt le plus excellent musicien de toute l'Italie, environ l'an 1670," was probably added by Bourdelot's nephew, who published the work in 1715; for when Bourdelot died, in 1685, it is to be supposed that as he was so well acquainted with the details, he must also have known the exact year. The more correct date for S.'s death is about 1681 or 1682. The following of his compositions have been preserved: his oratorio, written for Rome, San Giovanni Battista (a 5, with instruments; Burney possessed a copy, dated 1676); the libretto for his opera composed for Genoa, La forza del amor paterno (printed 1678; both these works are connected with S.'s love adventure); also an oratorio, Susanna (dedicated to Duke Francesco of Modena, with date April 16, 1681, excluding, therefore, the supposition that he was murdered in 1670); finally, several operas and other works, which are in the Modena Library; a volume of cantatas, in the Library of the Naples Conservatorio; 21 cantatas, in the Library of St. Mark's, Venice (10 of which were published by Léon Escudier, with pf. accompaniment by Halévy), others in the Paris Bibliothèque Nationale and the Conservatoire library, in London, Oxford, Cambridge, and in private hands (Santini, Fétis). The arias "O del mio dolce" ("Pietà signore") and "Se i miei sospiri" (see NIEDERMAYER), circulated under his name, were not written by S. Monographs on S. have been written by A. Catelani ("Delle opere di A.S. esistenti nell' archivio musicale della R. Bibliotheca Palatina di Modena," 1866) and P. Richard, conservateur of the Paris Bibliothèque Nationale ("A.S.," 1866).
3Stradivari, Antonio, the greatest maker of violins, b. 1644, Cremona, of an old patrician Cremonese family, d. there Dec. 18, 1737. He was a pupil of Niccolò Amati, signed the first violins which he made for Amati with Amati's name; he married in 1667, and, probably, about this time began to work under his own name, i.e. on his own account. S. married twice, and had eleven children, of whom, however, only two sons became violin-makers, viz., Francesco, b. Feb. 1, 1671, d. May 11, 1743, and Omobono, b. Nov. 14, 1679, d. July 8, 1742. Both worked in partnership with their father, and were almost old men (58 and 66 years of age) when the former died. A comprehensive monograph, "Cenni sulla celebre scuola Cremonese degli strumenti ad arco … e sulla famiglia del sommo A. S." [1872], written by Paolo Lombardini, gives the genealogy of the S. family from the 13th century down to their representatives living at the present day; but among them is no violin-maker other than those mentioned. S. made a great number of instruments, 'celli as remarkable as his violins, violas, and viols of the older kind (gambas, etc.), lutes, guitars, mandolines, etc. He worked for about 70 years; his last known violin has the date 1736, in his own handwriting. His son Francesco signed from 1725 under his own name. Omobono made some instruments jointly with him, "Sotto la disciplina d'A. S.," and appears to have been more occupied with the material and with sales than with the making of the instruments. The father and the two sons repose in one grave. Fétis, also, wrote a monograph on A. S. (1856). (Cf. WASIELEWSKI and VIDAL.)
5Straeten, Van der. (See VANDERSTRAETEN.)
7Strakosch, Moritz, well-known pianist and impresario, brother-in-law and teacher of Adelina Patti, b. 1825, Lemberg, d. Oct. 9, 1887, Paris. S. wrote several pf. pieces, besides 2 operas.
9Strascinando (Ital.), dragging, becoming slower.
11Strathspey, a Scotch dance in C time and dotted quaver movement; it resembles the Reel, but is not taken so rapidly.
13Straus, Ludwig, an excellent violinist, b. March 28, 1835, Pressburg; pupil of Hellmesberger and Boehm in Vienna. In 1859 he became leader at Frankfort (Museum up to 1864, town theatre up to 1862). From 1864 he lived in England as solo violinist in the court band, leader at the Philharmonic, and for some time member of Hallé's orchestra at Manchester; also esteemed as a quartet player (also violist) at the Saturday and Monday Popular Concerts, and teacher at the London Academy of Music.
15Strauss, (1) Joseph, violinist and composer, b. 1793, Brünn, d. Dec. 2, 1866, Carlsruhe; he was the son of an able violinist, studied with his father, Blumenthal, Urbani, and Schuppanzigh at Vienna; also theory under Teyber and Albrechtsberger. At the age of twelve he joined the orchestra of the Vienna Hofoper, was next engaged at the Pesth theatre, 1813 became musical director at Temeswar, later on at Hermannstadt, Brünn, etc., and in 1822 was called to Strasburg to direct a German opera company. In 1823 S. became musical director at the Mannheim court theatre, and in 1824 court capellmeister at Carlsruhe. In 1863 he retired. S. wrote several operas (Berthold der Zähringer, Armiodan, Die Schlittenfahrt nach Nowgorod, and others), incidental music to plays, an oratorio (Judith), etc. There appeared in print a quartet for strings, several variations for violin, and songs.
17(2) Johann (sen.), one of the most favourite German dance composers, but who of late has been surpassed by his son, of like name (q.v.), in the favour of the public, b. March 14, 1804, Vienna, d. there Sept. 25, 1849. He was the son of a proprietor of a beer and dancing hall, and only received an erratic musical training, yet already in 1819 was able to take a post as violist in Lanner's (q.v.) Quartet.

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