Books › The Strad; a monthly journal for professionals and amateurs of all stringed instruments played with the bow, 1890 › scan 20
Scan 20
The Strad; a monthly journal for professionals and amateurs of all stringed instruments played with the bow, 1890
59 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1vibrate and thus spread it, good or bad. Such is the result with these two violins when tried by this theory. Now let us see how far they accord with his own theory. He says backs and bellies are worked alike, and the results would be alike if changed. That is a fact impossible to verify, but the fact stands that they are not alike now, and that must suffice for the present.
3The tone of one of these violins is very uneven, the D string upon it being different in nature to the other three, so much so, that it appears like playing upon another instrument. The tone of the other was more even and better what there was of it, and not unpleasant in quality, but it lacks power.
5There appeared lately in the English Mechanic, No. 1516, a long letter containing a series of simple experiments, all illustrated, which, if I had not tried the matter last summer when Mr. Honeyman's book first appeared, would to my mind have completely exploded Mr. Devoney's theory of toning the plates. It would take far too much space to attempt to set them out here, but such of your readers as care to do so can procure that journal, and there on pages 175 and 176, they can study the arguments for themselves.
7If Mr. Devoney can prove his case, well and good. I shall be pleased at any time to attend a meeting, if you call one, to verify his results, but his proof must come in the shape of tone which must possess quality and power, by which I mean that which can be heard with effect at a distance at least as great as that possessed by the instruments copied.
9Since writing the letter which appeared in your March issue, I have been making some experiments, with the following idea in view. The air mass of a violin being correct or nearly so, is it possible; by altering, augmenting, and varying the bass bars from the usual size and shape, to compel it (the air mass) to vibrate with more vigour than usual by reason of the bass bars beating or acting upon it in some such manner as would powerful reeds, and so augment the tone and carrying powers of the instrument? This peculiar far reaching character of the tone of a good violin is what I hold to be its most important feature. I have made these experiments on some violins I have been making, and as they are well spoken of by several eminent professionals who have tried them, I am inclined to think there may be something in my idea. I am now going to procure two ordinary warehouse violins, alter one, the worst, if there is any difference, and note the result. I shall thus be better able to note the effect of the alteration than by keeping entirely to my own work, and with your permission I will, in a future paper, make known the results and particulars of the experiments to your readers.
11J. K. MONK.
13THE RITTER VIOLA.
15To the Editor of THE STRAD.
17Dear Sir,—I should be very glad if you would print an article in your next issue as to the merits, etc., of the new Ritter Viola that appears to be making such a sensation in Germany.
19I am a tenor player myself, and am interested with the literature and very fond of the instrument, but why it is so much neglected I cannot really find out.
21I have been told by friends that they doubt whether the viola is worth serious study, as it is simply an enlarged violin. So is the 'cello, and may I ask is that worth serious study? There must be something about the viola that is not liked, otherwise how can we account for the scarcity of players? If Herr Ritter has so altered it that it will become in time as well known and played as the violin, he will have done a good thing.
23A friend of mine not long ago, when I showed him a programme of a concert I had been playing in with the violas, with the names of the players printed at the back, very innocently asked me what a violas was, and he is supposed to be a very well informed man, occupying a good position, and I know there are many people who do not even know there is such an instrument. Why cannot we hear a solo occasionally at some of the first-class concerts by a well known player?
25I think I am not exaggerating too much when I say that viola players in general would welcome a series of articles in your valuable paper dealing with that instrument. The subject is interesting enough, as I believe I am right in saying that the tenor violin was in general use some time before the treble instrument, when the viola da gamba and viole d'amour were put on the shelf.
27Your article on "The Old Maid of the String Quartet" I am sure was read with great interest by viola players all over England, and we should owe you many thanks if you could give us some more by a well known player, who makes a speciality of the instrument.
29Hoping you may be able to find space for these lines,
31I remain,
32Yours sincerely,
33ALFRED D. KETTLE.
35Chertsey.
37[A "Review and Criticism" of Ritter's Viola Alta appears in this issue.—Ed.].
39To the Editor of THE STRAD.
41Dear Sir,—Among the many interesting papers which are at present appearing in your valuable journal, there are none more enjoyable than "Chats with Students of the Violin," by J. T. Carrodus.
43But what a mistake he makes when he supposes that the sign I.H.S. was adopted by Joseph Guarnerius, the famous violin maker, because "he belonged to some secret society bearing that sign."
45This sign, I.H.S., has been used for centuries by the Catholic Church as a perpetual reminder of the redemption of mankind by the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. It is to be found sculptured in the cathedrals and altars, carved on the tabernacles and embroidered on the priests' vestments. The cross as everybody knows, was the instrument of our Lord's Crucifixion, and the letters I.H.S. are the initials of the words "Iesus (or Jesus) Hominum Salvator"—Jesus the Saviour of Men.
47Joseph Guarnerius, animated by the faith that was in him, annexed the sign to his name, thereby demonstrating to future ages, that in addition to being a violin maker of the first rank, he was also a good and practical Catholic. I am,
49Yours respectfully,
50P. McGEEHAN.
52Rawyards, Airdrie.
54THE CLEF QUESTION.
56To the Editor of THE STRAD.
58Sir.—The question of the abolition of one or more of the clefs now used in music is an absorbing one to musicians. I think it will be apparent to most instrumentalists (especially if they dabble in composition) that the number of the clefs is a great convenience
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