Books › Violins, old & new, 1887 › scan 21
Scan 21
Violins, old & new, 1887
6 lines. Read by computer on 3 September 2026. Printed page 17. See the scan on archive.org.
1are opposed to all the dictates of common sense, but what is more to the point, they are not true.
3We wish our position to be distinctly understood. We believe to the full in the power, purity, and perfection of the finest of the Italian violins; but we deny in toto that the "secret" of their manufacture is lost, that they have never been equalled, or that they cannot be equalled. Such statements, we repeat, are neither in conformity with common sense nor with facts. Violins have been made in England (and also in America, if report be true) within the last few years which are not inferior, either in beauty of appearance, perfection of mechanism, or power and purity of tone, to the best instruments of Cremona. We do not make this statement on hearsay, for we have ourselves seen and played upon specimens of the instruments in question. Nor are we alone in our testimony, for we can refer to possessors of Cremonas who have compared them with the new instruments and who agree with our view. The gentleman to whom we referred, in our recent articles on "Old Violins," as having made violins of the finest quality, is Mr. John Day,* who is a retired organist, and is not only an enthusiast on all matters connected with
5* Since these articles were published, we have learned that Mr. John Day is a well-known solo violinist, and was a pupil of the late Charles de Beriot. He has, however, retired from the profession some time ago; he was also appointed a member of her Majesty's private band in 1847, an appointment which he still holds.
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.