Books › Notice of Anthony Stradivari, the celebrated violin-maker, known by the name of Stradivarius:, 1864 › scan 100
Scan 100
Notice of Anthony Stradivari, the celebrated violin-maker, known by the name of Stradivarius:, 1864
4 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 78. See the scan on archive.org.
1method was adopted by Stradivarius; indeed, we shall find a proof of it in what follows. But, in the first place, let it be observed that the experiments and discoveries of Chladni, on the vibrations of sonorous plates of all kinds, have made known a preferable method to percussion for determining the specific intonations of woods of given dimensions: this method consists in the friction of a bow against the edges of a rod suitably prepared. But such a dimension of rod had to be sought, from which might be obtained with facility a sound sufficiently intense to be accurately appreciated, in order that the intonation might be determined and compared with other sounds produced likewise by the friction of the bow.
3Some fragments of instruments by Stradivarius presented dimensions large enough to admit of rectangular rods being made out of them—cut perpendicularly, and parallel to the fibres of the wood—of a length of 20 centimètres [7.874 in.], a breadth of 20 millimètres [.787 in.], and a thickness of 5 millimètres [.197 in.]. These rods were alternately put into vibration, by holding the one under examination between the fingers, in such a way as to touch it only at points a quarter of the length from each end, and presenting the side of the thickness to the action of the bow, precisely at the middle of the length. On the upper surface of the rod, some fine, dry sand was scattered, and, in order to leave this surface perfectly free, the rod was held at one end, between the first finger and thumb, and sustained horizontally with the little finger underneath. In this position, and with the bow in action, the sand
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