Books › The violin : how to choose one, 1893 › scan 51
Scan 51
The violin : how to choose one, 1893
6 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 47. See the scan on archive.org.
1can scarcely be described in words or weighed in the finest balance of criticism, is usually conspicuous by its absence. Two notable instances are the violins used by the great artists Johannes Wolffé and Tivadar Nachez. The first uses a black-looking instrument, which cannot be placed, but which looks and sounds like old German. It has a tremendous volume of tone of a somewhat viola-like quality, and seems (like the favourite Strad of Sarasate) to rattle badly on the fourth string, but it suits the powerful arm of M. Wolffé perfectly, and by sheer force carries all before it. The violin of M. Nachez, on the other hand, is a fine Stradivarius, which seems as nearly perfect in quality of tone as a violin can be. and from the first impact of the bow conquers the listeners by its engaging sweetness. Who shall say which of these is the superior violin? A man conquers by power, a woman by sweetness; so we might waive the question by calling the one violin masculine in tone, and the other feminine. But both men and women are necessary to the perfect equilibrium of the world; so violins of both qualities are necessary to the full and complete satisfying of different temperaments and tastes in the musical world. Many players cannot distinguish the "Italian tone" at all, and grow furious and abusive if you hint never so gently that their ear is imperfect or untrained; but the evidence of the actual existence of such a distinguishing tone is too overwhelming to be thus set aside. It can be proved by a scientific experiment that there are some notes so high that no human ear can distinguish them, or even hear them, but the point of the scale at which different ears fail to catch the sound varies considerably, even among trained musicians—sometimes as much as a whole octave. Take two persons thus different in their powers, and you will find the one whose highest note has been passed by the instrument loudly declaring that it gives forth no sound at all, while the other as loudly declares that he hears it distinctly. It is the same with some in speaking of the "Italian tone." They insist that they do not hear it, and we must believe that they do not, and simply let them alone.
3Reliable Experts.
5It is possible after having read thus far that some one may still be doubtful of his own powers, and say—"But I wish
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