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Scan 54
Old Violins And Their Makers, 1883
4 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 40. See the scan on archive.org.
1became a matter of the first importance, and, if not synchronically, yet duly contemporaneous with this sudden inflation in the number of clerical and lay establishments, we find that quite exceptional augmentation of the number of violin makers already referred to.
3One of the earliest of these Amati pupils was Giofredo Cappa, who was born in Cremona in 1590. He is said to have established himself about 1640 in the town of Saluzzo, in Piedmont, where he formed what is termed the school of Saluzzo, and which does not appear to have any existence to speak of, except upon paper. It is also stated that he subsequently migrated to Turin, and that he was working there as far down as 1712. He certainly had time to form many pupils, for these dates yield him an age of 122 years. The figures are given by a high authority, with due gravity and without any remark. Perhaps there is some error in the date of his birth, or some confusion of his name with that of another Cappa of a later date. He is said, by M. Fetis, to have been a pupil of Hieronymus and Antonius Amati, and by others to have been trained by the great Nicolas Amati; but M. Vidal, the authority who is in part responsible for the above dates, says he was only a contemporary of Nicolas. However, if these discrepancies may be ultimately reconciled, Giofredo Cappa appears to have made good instruments — violoncellos and violins. The last-named authority, who saw several, describes them as not being particularly carefully or cleverly made, the arching too strong, the sound holes too wide and badly designed, the wood not very well chosen, &c. On the other hand, this maker is favourably spoken of by
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