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Scan 278
Violin tone and violin makers, 1916
2 lines. Read by computer on 27 September 2026. Printed page 256. See the scan on archive.org.
1produced a violin bearing a close resemblance to the "Betts," and which is in the possession of Colonel Glennie. The year 1709 seems to have been one of the most prolific in Stradivari's career, and many fine examples, such as the "Ernst," and "La Pucelle," were made in that year. At about this period the violins having a body length of 14 1/8 inches begin to appear. In the preceding period 14 inches was the general rule. The backs of these violins are mostly made from handsome wood with a broad curl. The years 1710 to 1716 inclusive were productive of many of the finest violins ever made by Stradivari. Amongst them are the "Parke," 1711, the "Dolphin," 1714, the "Gillott," now rather absurdly called the "Emperor," the "Alard," all made in 1715, and the famous "Messie," remarkable for its unique state of preservation, and the magnificent "Cessol," both of which belong to 1716. Between 1720 and 1725 the outline changes somewhat, and is squarer in the shoulders and the curves of the lower bouts. So far as tone goes some of the best toned fiddles in the world were made about this time, and it may be here added that of late years the later works of Stradivari have received much attention from concert players on account of their masculine tone. In the years immediately preceding his death the maker was in the habit of recording his age in manuscript either upon the labels or on a slip of paper just beneath them. Messrs. Hill enumerate eight examples of this practice; another from the year 1731 came under the writer's notice in 1912. In the labels dated prior to 1730 the maker's name is spelt "Stradiuarius," but from that year onwards it appears as "Stradivarius." The number of ornamented and inlaid instruments which have survived seems to be about a dozen. Messrs. Hill
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