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Scan 56
The violinist, 1900
42 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1Several of our prominent soloists and composers, Joseph Hoffman among others, of the present time, have lately said, that there are no composers at present who are the equals of the old masters down to the days of Liszt and Wagner. Perhaps some of these things I have mentioned has considerable to do with it: Living at high pressure, too much noise and bluster—no time to concentrate the mind on anything long at the time.
3L. P. Wildman.
5Editor The Violinist:
7Robert Braine, head of the violin department of the Etude, in the September issue is determined to uphold old violins as the only violins worth noticing, but his attempts to prove that the several trials of old and new violins within the last few years in Paris, and the one held last June in Chicago, have no value in determining the relative worth of old and new, lacks logic from every point. He says, it is well known among professional violinists that to get the best tone from a violin the player must use it continually for quite a while in order to get the best results; but, at these several trials, the players had to play new and old without any previous preparation, so that one violin stood really just the same advantage as the other, and a new violin gained the highest number of votes for excellence of tone at each trial. Now, according to Mr. Braine, the old violins being better in tone—more responsive than the new, should have shown it at these trials, as long as the players did not know whether they were playing a new or old one, and the audience did not know except to listen and judge of the tone alone. Other tests of the same kind are being arranged for the future, and Mr. Braine will find they will all result in the same way—in favor of the new violin. Then Mr. Braine says another proof that old violins are better than new ones is the fact that all the great violin soloists use old instruments. I have lived in the musical world long enough to know that with few exceptions—one of these exceptions is Arthur Hartmann—the solo players will not touch a new violin; they shun them as they would a rattle snake. Another reason the great players use the old violin, is, they find it pays as an advertisement; the continual harping away about this Strad, or that Guarnarius, is swallowed by the greater part of the public just the same as years ago they believed in P. T. Barnum's "Wooley Horse," "Mermaid," etc. Perhaps after a few more violin trials, the public will begin to know more about violins.
9L. P. Wildman.
11Editor The Violinist:
13Enclosed find post office order for $1.50 for one year's subscription, beginning with the January number, to be mailed to a friend, ______ ________.
15I, myself, am a regular subscriber but obtain the magazine from our local news company. I have shown the magazine to a number who are interested in the violin. I look forward with interest to the arrival of each number.
17Wishing you every success,
19Respectfully,
21C. H. Davis.
23On page 12 of the April issue of The Violinist is a photogravure of a lady tuning a violin. This, to me, appears to be a very interesting pose and makes a picture well worth framing, but as I do not wish to maim a copy of the book I wish to inquire if you have an extra impression of this picture which you could send to me.
25I think I recognize the lady, but am not sure.
27The accompanying verses are an able expression of a beautiful thought.
29Yours fraternally,
31C. H. Davis.
33Editor The Violinist:
35It was with much pleasure that I received the lovely little book you sent me and I take the first opportunity to show my appreciation of such a helpful book. I am a struggling violinist and teacher in a country town and it is only with the help of The Violinist and such books as you have sent me that I can keep up my practice and keep in touch with the musical world. I expect to take your little magazine as long as it exists. I do not know when it is time for me to send in my renewal subscription. Please let me know.
37I shall do my best to get new subscribers for your magazine.
39Very truly yours,
41Mrs. E. S. Gardner.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.