Books › Grove's dictionary of music and musicians, 1922 › scan 749
Scan 749
Grove's dictionary of music and musicians, 1922
6 lines. Read by computer on 5 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1The explanation of this is possibly to be found in the fact that Stradivari's superior gifts placed him in a high position of trust, freed him from many of the duties exacted from his comrades, and gave him the privilege of making his own instruments and using his own labels. The question must still be somewhat a matter of surmise, but the above conclusion is certainly strengthened by the excellent violins which issued from Stradivari's hands whilst apparently he still worked in the studio of the great Amati. Again, the termination of Stradivari's apprenticeship can only be approximately stated to have taken place a couple of years before he purchased his house in the Piazza Roma in 1680. Already in 1666—and possibly as early as 1660—Stradivari was making violins in which he affixed his own labels. These early violins are particularly noticeable for their poor material, thick yellow varnish, solid build, and their proportions, which follow those of Amati's smaller pattern, i.e. about 13½ long; 7½ width of lower bouts; 6½ width of upper bouts; 1⅛ lower ribs; 1½ upper ribs. With one or two exceptions, notably the ornamented violin known as the 'Hellier' Strad (1679), which tends towards the grand Amati in measurement, and is remarkably heavy in style of work, Stradivari adhered to the small model until 1684, after which date he definitely turned his attention to larger-built instruments. There is little doubt that by this time he had gained some prestige as a maker, and this, combined with the loss of his master's living influence, gave freedom to and further awakened his inventive faculties. Until 1684 he merely proved himself to be an uncommonly skilled craftsman, but the years which intervened between 1684 and 1700 marked the progress of those experiments which were to culminate in the uttermost perfection of form and balance. It must be observed, however, that notwithstanding the changes which took place in Stradivari's work during this period—generally alluded to as the 'Amatisé period'—the perfect poise and equilibrium, so characteristic of his later work, is to some extent lacking. That Nicolo Amati's precepts still strongly influenced him is proved by his first innovation, which consisted in adopting a standard of length, varying from 14 inches to 14⅛ inches, and proportions similar to those of the 'grand' Amati. In some instances he flattened the model, in others arched it almost to a central point, more generally he adhered entirely to the Amati model, though the solidity of his edges always remained the same. The scrolls also, during these years, evidence the master's indecision by the deviating vigour and occasional feebleness. A marked alteration in the detail of his work took place in 1688, when Stradivari first outlined the curves of the scroll in black, and also similarly accentuated the centre-line or back rib of the scroll. This original idea was one which evidently commended itself to him and to his patrons as, with but few exceptions, he continued to place it on his scrolls until the end of his life. Briefly to summarise this early period, we may say that, between 1684 and 1690, Stradivari principally strove to avoid the defects of others, while seeking new paths for himself; but in the meantime the beauty, accuracy, and finish of his work was gaining steadily every year. The cutting of his ff holes, the carving of his scrolls, the exquisite precision of the purfling, all prove the complete dexterity with which he handled his knife. Then, as a crowning point to this perfect craftsmanship a new set of proportions suddenly suggested themselves to his maturing brain, and we find him in 1690 creating the 'Long Strad.' The abrupt appearance of this complete innovation is not easy to account for, but the growing demand for strongly toned instruments for use in the churches doubtless influenced Stradivari in the first place, and as the authors of Gio. Paolo Maggini, his Life and Work (Hill & Sons) state, the form and proportions were suggested by a Maggini violin which came under his notice. This search for power in Stradivari's work is observable from the moment that he threw off the yoke of the 'small' Amati pattern. He gradually increased his breadths year by year, and even contemporaneously with the 'Long Strad,' he made violins in 1691 and 1692 of still larger proportions, by combining extreme breadth with the utmost length of the long pattern. The dimensions of a typical 'Long Strad' of 1690 will be found recorded in Messrs. Hills' Appendix to their work already mentioned.
3During the years following 1684 the varnish upon Stradivari's violins became gradually deeper in colour, and, as on the 'Long Strads,' it is of a rich hue of amber and light red. Until 1698 Stradivari adopted the 'long pattern' almost entirely, then came a return to the proportions which preceded the year 1690, and we get violins of about 14 inches in length, with widths similar to those of the 'Long Strad,' but with outlines more curved, corners longer, body fuller, and a whole of more harmonious appearance. It is interesting to note before leaving this period that the backs of the 'Long Strads' are nearly always cut in one piece; that the model is rather flat, but sloping gracefully from the centre to the purfling; that the ff holes, to fall in with the general design, are set rather upright, nearer together, and more open; the pine is fine grained, the mitres square, and the exquisitely carved scrolls are proportionately long.
5With the year 1700 dawned the finest decade of the great Cremona master's greatest period. Slowly but surely he discarded the Amati tradition which had again asserted itself in 1698 and continued to a certain extent until
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