Scan 76
The violin & its story : or the history & construction of the violin, 1905
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 60. See the scan on archive.org.
1Matthäus Klotz, of Mittenwald. This, however, is not correct, for the art of violin making was established in Mittenwald by Egidius Klotz, the father of Matthäus, who came from Mittenwald, his native place, to Jacob Stainer, to learn the business, and then went back there. He was a clever pupil of Stainer, and his violins stand as high in esteem as those of his master. Klotz taught his son Matthäus all parts of the violin maker's art, but that vivacious and pushing youth did not at first take kindly to it. After he had laboured for twenty years in Mittenwald as an instrument maker, a longing to become perfect took hold of him, and led him to leave his home. He accordingly started on his travels, meeting with numerous adventures both gay and grave, and visited the cities of upper Italy which were most famous in connection with his craft, Florence and Cremona among the rest, returning home full of practical experience, and with the fixed resolve that Mittenwald must be a second Cremona. Some time in 1683 he began to put this resolve into action. He took in hand the sons of numerous leading citizens, instructed them in all the branches of violin making, and founded by these means a big manufacturing centre which not only enriched the town in his own day, but which is even to this day in a flourishing condition.
3Matthäus was in this case a real friend in need. An insult which had long before been offered to the proud Venetian merchants by Duke Sigmund had caused them to cease to take their wares to the market at Botzen, and to carry them to Mittenwald instead, and, as the result, for nearly 200 years the latter city had enjoyed great prosperity. But in 1679 the market was once more transferred to Botzen; the thriving business streets of Mittenwald became almost deserted, and the prosperity of the place proportionately diminished. Then came Matthäus Klotz with his violin factory, which soon put the old town on its legs again.
5The great abundance of pine trees contributed to the making of the fortunes of Mittenwald and the district.
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