Scan 73
The violin: its famous makers and their imitators, 1875
4 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 37. See the scan on archive.org.
1We are indebted to Brescia for the many grand Double-basses and Violas that were made there by Gaspard di Salo and Magini. These instruments formed the stepping-stones to Violin-making, for it is evident that they were in use long before the first era of the Violin. The Brescian Violins have not the appearance of antiquity that is noticeable in the Double-basses or Violas, and for one Brescian Violin there are ten Double-basses, a fact which goes far to prove that the latter was the principal instrument at that time. The bowed instruments then in use appear to have been the following: the Viola, which was used under the chin, the Viola da Braccio, a much larger instrument, which was played resting on the knee, the Viola da Gamba, used between the legs, and the Violono. There were both large and small Violonos. The stringing of all these instruments was different to that now in use, and they have been in most cases transformed to suit modern requirements, the large Violas having been reduced, the Viol da Gambas either made into Violas or strung as Violoncellos; there have been also other changes. The Violin would, therefore, seem to have appeared during the latter part of the life of Gaspard di Salo.
3From Brescia came the masters who established the school of Cremona. The Amatis took the lead, their founder being Andrew Amati, after whom each one of the clan appears to have gained a march on his predecessor until the grand masters of their art,
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