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

Books › Dictionary of music and musicians, 1908 › scan 109

Scan 109

Dictionary of music and musicians, 1908

21 lines. Read by computer on 5 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. Printed page 89. See the scan on archive.org.

1by Ornithoparcus and Glarean. A few other sacred works by Forster himself are contained in other collections. Winterfeld gives Forster's setting of 'Vom Himmel hoch' for five voices. The second part of Forster's collection of Weltliche Lieder was reprinted in score by Eitner in 1904.
3J. R. M.
5FORSTER, WILLIAM (I), eminent violin maker, born May 4, 1739, at Brampton, Cumberland, was son of William, and grandson of John Forster, makers of spinning-wheels and violins. He was taught both trades by his father, and also learned to play on the violin. He came, as a cattle-drover, to London in 1759, took up his abode in Prescott Street, Goodman's Fields, and for a time endured much privation from inability to obtain suitable employment. Ultimately he was engaged by a music seller on Tower Hill named Beck, and the violins made by him being much improved and quickly sold, he started in business on his own account in Duke's Court, St. Martin's Lane, whence he shortly removed into St. Martin's Lane, and speedily attained great reputation. Forster afterwards added to his business that of a music-seller and publisher, and in that capacity in 1781 entered into an agreement with Haydn for the purchase and publication in England of that master's compositions, and between that date and 1787 published eighty-three symphonies, twenty-four quartets, twenty-four solos, duets and trios and the 'Passione,' or 'Seven Last Words.' About 1785 he removed into the Strand (No. 348), where the business was carried on until the pulling down of Exeter Change. In 1795 he issued a copper medal or token, halfpenny size, bearing—Obverse, 'Wm. Forster, Violin, Tenor and Violoncello Maker, No. 348, Strand, London.' Prince of Wales's feathers in the field. Reverse, the melody of 'God save the King' in the key of G. A crown in the field, above it 'God save the King,' beneath it '1795.' William Forster died at the house of his son, 22 York Street, Westminster, Dec. 14, 1808. W. H. H.
7FORSTER, WILLIAM (II), son of the above-mentioned, and generally known as 'Royal' Forster, from his title 'Music Seller to the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cumberland.' Born 1764, died 1824. Like his father, he made large numbers of violins which once enjoyed a high reputation. By making the bellies of their instruments thin, and increasing the weight of the blocks and linings, the Forsters obtained, while the instrument was still new, a strong and penetrating tone, which found high favour with Lindley and his school. Being well made and finished, and covered with excellent varnish, their instruments have much that commends them to the eye. The Forsters copied both Stainer and Amati. 'Royal' Forster had two sons: WILLIAM FORSTER (III) (1788-1824), the eldest, devoted himself to other pursuits, and made but few instruments; but the second,
9SIMON ANDREW FORSTER (born 1801), carried on the business, first in Frith Street, afterwards in Macclesfield Street, Soho. Simon Andrew Forster made instruments of high model and no great merit. He is best known as the author (jointly with W. Sandys, F.S.A.) of The History of the Violin and other Instruments played with the Bow, 1864. He died Feb. 2, 1870.
11E. J. P.
13FORSYTH BROTHERS, a firm founded at Manchester for the sale of pianos, by the brothers Henry and James Forsyth in 1857. They had been brought up, and represented the third generation of the name, in the establishment of John Broadwood & Sons. Forsyth Brothers began engraving music in 1872, with Hallé's 'Practical Pianoforte School,' the first numbers of which were published by them in Jan. 1873, and at the same time they opened a London publishing business in Oxford Circus. An appendix to the 'School,' entitled the 'Musical Library,' was commenced some time after, and a catalogue was formed which includes several compositions by Stephen Heller as well as important works by other composers. They have also added to the instrumental part of their business an agency for American organs, from the manufactory of the Dominion Organ Company, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Henry Forsyth died in July 1885. Mr. James Forsyth has, in connection with the business in Manchester, maintained an important share in the management of the leading concerts of that city. Since 1901 the firm has been a limited company under his presidency. A. J. H.
15FORTE, loud: an Italian word, usually abbreviated into f. A lesser degree of loudness is expressed by mf—mezzoforte; a greater one by più f and ff, fortissimo, and the greatest of all by ffff, fortississimo as in Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (Finale), Eighth ditto (1st movement), Overture, op. 115 (at end), Leonore, No. 2 (beginning of the Presto), or at the grand climax near the close of the Finale of Schubert's Symphony in C, at the end of the extraordinary crescendo. ffff has been occasionally used by later composers, as in the Overture to 'Charlotte Corday,' by Benoît. one of two readings
16FORTE, loud: an Italian word, usually abbreviated into f. A lesser degree of loudness is expressed by mf—mezzoforte; a greater one by più f and ff, fortissimo, and the greatest of all by fff, fortississimo as in Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (Finale), Eighth ditto (1st movement), Overture, op. 115 (at end), Leonore, No. 2 (beginning of the Presto), or at the grand climax near the close of the Finale of Schubert's Symphony in C, at the end of the extraordinary crescendo. ffff has been occasionally used by later composers, as in the Overture to 'Charlotte Corday,' by Benoît. one of two readings
18Fortepiano—afterwards changed to Piano-forte—was the natural Italian name for the new instrument which could give both loud and soft sounds without mechanical aid.
20fp. is a characteristic sign in Beethoven, and one which he often uses; it denotes a sudden forte and an equally sudden piano. He will require it in the space of a single crotchet or even quaver, as in the Overture to Leonore, No. 2 (bars 82 et seq. of the Allegro, and bar 222—fpp). Again, he was very fond of a forte passage succeeded suddenly, without any diminuendo, by a p, as in bars 64 to 72 of the Allegro of the same work, where the sudden p on the F# is miraculous; or in the reprise of the subject after the trumpet fanfares, where if the p is not

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