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Scan 347
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians;, 1904
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1The same may be said of another very early composition for violin solo, 'La sfera armoniosa da Paolo Quagliati' (Roma, 1623). Of far greater importance, and showing a great advance in execution, are the compositions of Carlo Farina, who has justly been termed the founder of the race of violin-virtuosos. He published in 1627, at Dresden, a collection of Violin-pieces, Dances, French airs, Quodlibets, etc., among which a 'Capriccio stravagante' is of the utmost interest, both musically and technically. Musically it represents one of the first attempts at tone-picturing (Klangmalerei), and, however crude and even childish, the composer evidently was well aware of the powers of expression and character pertaining to his instrument. He employs a considerable variety of bowing, double-stopping, and chords. The third position, however, is not exceeded, and the fourth string not yet used. Tarquinio Merula (about 1640) shows a technical advance in frequent change of position, and especially in introducing octave-passages. Paolo Ucellini, in his canzoni (1649), goes up to the sixth position, and has a great variety of bowing. Hitherto (the middle of the 17th century) the violin plays but an unimportant part as a solo instrument, and it is only with the development of the Sonata-form (in the old sense of the term) that it assumes a position of importance in the history of music. The terms 'Sonata,' 'Canzone,' and 'Sinfonia' were originally used in a general way for instrumental settings of all kinds, without designating any special form. Towards the year 1630, we find the first compositions containing rudimentally the form of the classical Violin Sonata. Its fundamental principle consisted in alternation of slow and quick movements. Among the earliest specimens of this rudimentary sonata-form may be counted the Sonatas of Giov. Battista Fontana (published about 1630), a Sinfonia by Mont' Albano (1629), Canzoni by Tarquinio Merula (1639), Canzoni and a Sonata by Massimiliano Neri (1644 and 1651). From about 1650, the name Canzone falls out of use, and Sonata is the universally accepted term for violin-compositions. M. Neri appears to have been the first to have made the distinction between 'Sonata da chiesa' (church-sonata) and 'Sonata da camera' (chamber-sonata). The Sonata da chiesa generally consisted of three or four movements: a prelude, in slow measured time and of pathetic character, followed by an allegro in fugato-form; again a slow movement and a finale of more lively and brilliant character. The Sonata da camera, at this early period, was in reality a Suite of Dances — the slow and solemn Sarabandes and Allemandes alternating with the lively Gavottes, Gigues, etc. The artistic capabilities of the violin, and its powers for musical expression, once discovered, the clergy, ever anxious to avail themselves of the elevating and refining power of the fine arts, were not slow to introduce it in the services of the Church. We have seen already the extended use which Gabrieli, in his church-music, made of orchestral accompaniments, and how, from merely supporting and doubling the voices, he proceeded to obbligato instrumental settings. From about 1650, instrumental performances unconnected with vocal music began to form a regular part of the services of the Church. This was probably nothing new as regards the organ, but the violin was now introduced into the Church as a solo-instrument, and the Violin Sonata — then almost the only form of violin-composition — thereby received the serious and dignified character which exercised a decisive influence upon the future development, not only of violin-playing, but of instrumental music generally. The influence of this connection with the Church afterwards extended to secular violin-music. The Dances pure and simple soon made room for more extended pieces of a Dance character, and afterwards almost entirely disappear from the Chamber Sonata, which begins more and more to partake of the severer style of the Church Sonata, so that at last a difference of name alone remains, the Church-Sonata-form dominating in the Chamber as much as it did in the Church. The first great master of the Violin Sonata is Giovanni Battista Vitali (1644–1692). He cultivated chiefly the Chamber-Sonata, and his publications bear the title of 'Balletti, Balli, Correnti, etc. da Camera,' but in some of his works the transition from the Suite-form to the later Sonata da camera, so closely allied to the Church-Sonata, is already clearly marked. In musical interest, Vitali's compositions are greatly superior to those of his predecessors and contemporaries. His dances are concise in form, vigorous in character, and occasionally he shows remarkable powers as a composer. [See Vitali.] His demands on execution are in some instances not inconsiderable, but on the whole he does not represent in this respect any material progress. The Ciaccona, with variations for violin solo by his son T. Antonio Vitali, is justly famous.
3The first beginnings of violin-playing in an artistic sense in Germany were doubtless owing to Italian influence. As early as 1626 Carlo Farina was attached to the Court of Dresden. About the middle of the century a certain Johann Wilhelm Furchheim is mentioned in the list of members of the Dresden orchestra, under the title of 'Deutscher Concertmeister,' implying the presence of an Italian leader by his side. Gerber, in his Dictionary, mentions two publications of his for the violin: (1) 'Violin-Exercitium aus verschiedenen Sonaten, nebst ihren Arien, Balladen, Allemanden, Cou-ranten, Sarabanden und Giguen, von 5 Partieen bestehend, Dresden, 1687'; and (2) 'Musikalische Tafelbedienung (Dinner-Service), Dresden, 1674.' Thomas Baltzar was, according to
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