Books › The Violin and its Music, 1881 › scan 187
Scan 187
The Violin and its Music, 1881
4 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 163. See the scan on archive.org.
1The book of Ganassi has reference mainly to fretted Viols, but notices Viols without frets in a manner indicative of their having been but recently used. Now, although the book is dated 1543, we may conclude the adoption of Viols without frets probably took place about the beginning of the century. In taking this view, much weight is given to the opinion that the Italian Violin made its appearance early in the sixteenth century, since the Viol without frets was but the introducer of the wandering Fiddle—from whom it borrowed its finger-board—to the refined society of the Viols. To render association possible, however, it was necessary to re-habilitate the wandering Fiddle, and this was accomplished by giving it the garb of the Italian Viola, and henceforth it took its place beside it as its diminutive, The Violin.
3In continuing our enquiry relative to early Italian music, the writings of the famous Contrapuntists, Andrea and Giovanni Gabrielli, next claim our attention. These composers occupy a prominent place in the annals of their art. Andrea was the pupil of Willaert, and became organist of St. Mark's. Giovanni, the nephew and pupil of Andrea, also held the same post. To them appears to belong the honour of having been the earliest Italian composers who gave back to Germany and the Low Countries their music polished with the musical art of Italy, or through themselves and their pupils, Heinrich Schütz, Michael Prætorius, and others.
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