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Scan 191
the history of the violin, 1864
4 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 169. See the scan on archive.org.
1There were several fine performers during this century, but with some few remarkable exceptions, this must be taken with reference to the state of practical music at the time; as probably many members of an accomplished orchestra of the present day could have successfully competed with the greatest names on record of these times. In the present chapter we shall confine ourselves to a few Continental celebrities, and in referring to them we may mention some anecdotes known to many of our readers, but we thought our subject would be made more complete by venturing to introduce them, and we will refer to Mr. Dubourg's interesting work on the violin for many others. With respect to the extent of the usual practical skill of the early part of the century, we may state that John Lenton, in 1702, published an instructor for the violin, wherein there are no directions given for the shift; though, as he gives the scale up to C on the second leger line, it must have been occasionally in use. He objects to the instrument being held under the chin, or so low as the girdle, in imitation of the Italians; it is to be presumed, therefore, that he intended it should be placed upon the breast.
3We may claim the great Pergolesi as a violin player, that having been his principal instrument, but one of the best known names, probably, is Tartini, who was born in 1692, and was skilled in the theory as well as the practice of music, and his method, as it is called, is still esteemed: the story of the Devil's Sonata is too well known to be repeated here. Amongst his best pupils were Pagin, Lahoussaye, and Nardini, whom Burney, in his "Musical Tour," names as the completest player on the violin in all Italy. Gavinies, who was born in 1726, had great execution, and was particularly skilful in accompanying the voice; he is considered the founder of the French school of the violin. Ferrari, another pupil
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