Chapter Five, Stradivari's Aims in Relation to Tone

To understand properly the aims of Stradivari in relation to tone, and justly to appreciate the successful results he obtained, it is necessary to review briefly what had been accomplished in this direction by his great predecessors- Gasparo, Maggini, and the Amati. Very few of Gasparo's instruments, with the exception of his violas, are known to exist; but the number of fine and well-preserved violas with which we are acquainted clearly show, by their uniformity of dimension and design, and by their simplicity of construction and material, that Gasparo produced a thoroughly satisfactory instrument, in which tone-probably for the first time-was treated as of paramount importance.

With greater attention to style and finish, Gasparo's celebrated pupil, Maggini, developed his master's principles in his more numerous violins so far as it seems possible to have done, and in their type of tone they are still unrivalled. They possess remarkable sonority, rich, full, and telling in quality, with a touch of pathos in it suggesting a fine soprano voice rendering some moving song. Maggini, in the smaller dimensions of a few of his violins and his slightly smaller violas, shows that he was taking part in a new tonal development, that which the Amati violins typify. Springing from the Brescian school-contemporaneous with it for about seventy years, and outlasting it by half a century-the work of the Amati, represented by four generations, shows curiously little variation in its aims.

These four generations of the Amati held to the same principles: to make a violin of smaller dimensions than the Brescian- therefore easier to play on-in which the tone was less weighty and full, but easier to produce and of lighter and brighter character.

They developed finish of work and beauty of appearance to the highest degree, although somewhat at the expense of breadth and virility of style. Amati instruments met with immediate and lasting success; and so well did they supply the needs of the period that for sixty years-from Maggini's death in 1632 until Stradivari commenced in 1690 to produce his long and flat patterned violin (pictured at left)-they held absolute sway; in fact, as the "Long Strad" hardly met with immediate recognition, the Amati violins really retained their position until Stradivari permanently challenged it by the definite and continued production of his later types commencing from 1704.

As celebrated players have either lacked proficiency with the pen or the inclination to use it, we must, in the almost total absence of any written record of the opinions of the many great performers who used Stradivaris and owed much of their fame to the superb tone of their instruments, attempt to supply this regrettable deficiency.

Dittersdorf and Spohr have left us their autobiographies, but in neither of these well-known works is there any description or analysis of violin tone, or any word of praise given to the skilled craftsmen who have left for the use of posterity such marvellous instruments. And in spite of the much-vaunted advance in education during the nineteenth century, and the supposed greater tolerance, interest, and breadth of view of our latter-day players, we as yet do not know of any instance where a celebrated player has taken the trouble to soberly put down on paper his views of an instrument, as Mozart did, even in the midst of a busy life, when he made the acquaintance of Stein's pianofortes ("Life of Mozart": Otto Jahn, v01. i., P. 360).

The training of Stradivari brought him in the early part of his career almost entirely under the influence of Amati traditions and characteristics, and the tone of the violins he made previous to 1684 cannot be distinguished from that of the average medium-sized Amati. There is the same bright soprano, woody quality of perfect purity, that freedom of response which is so helpful to the average player, and a sufficiency of volume for all purposes other than that of the rendering of solos under modern conditions, i.e. with a large accompanying orchestra in a great hall.

After 1684 the production of a violin of slightly larger dimensions, a tendency previously foreshadowed only in a few rare instances, which should equal in fulness and power of tone the large so-called "grand pattern" Nicolo Amati violins , occupied Stradivari's attention more or less continuously until 1690.

The construction by Stradivari of violins superior in power of tone to the average Amati was in all probability brought about by the existence then, as now, broadly speaking, of two distinct classes of players: the small but very important minority of soloists, to whom a tone with a considerable reserve of power was essential for performing in large buildings; and the large majority, who chiefly used their instruments for chamber music, etc., in ordinary dwelling-rooms. And it is indisputable that the greater number of players were, on account of its brightness and freeness of speech, perfectly satisfied with the tone of the average Amati and the violins inspired by it-such as the Amatise and smaller types of Stradivari, and the violins of Stainer and his imitators-until the end of the eighteenth century.

But by 1690 Stradivari evidently felt that it was time to throw off Amati influences, and put into practice the original ideas which had been maturing in his mind. He commenced the production of the "Long Strad," a type of violin remarkably individual in tone and design, though both are reminiscent of Brescian principles. There is the fuller, deeper quality, and greater reserve of power, less ease of production, and, owing to the longer stop, an increased difficulty for the performer. It must have been an attempt on Stradivari's part to combine in one violin the remarkable sonority and fulness of the Maggini with the brightness and easier speaking qualities of the Amati. An additional proof of Brescian influences at this period is afforded by the few violins of still larger dimensions than the "Long Strad," made by the great maker in 1691 and 1692, and which really approximate in size to the full-sized Maggini.

The discontinuance of their production after 1692 shows that this design was not appreciated so much as the "Long Strad." The continued construction of the latter type until 1698-99 speaks convincingly as to Stradivari's faith in his own creative capacity and the discernment of some at least of his patrons. As if to signalise the year still more, and offer further proof of the mastery he had attained to, 1690 saw the production by Stradivari of one of his masterpieces-the "Tuscan." (Pictured at left)

Of all the violins made in the period previous to 1704, the "Tuscan" represents most perfectly the greatness of his ability. The bold, original style, perfect technical workmanship, and splendid all-round tone, completely convince one for the first time of his great skill and originality. The tonal characteristics of this fine and perfectly preserved violin are a woody and intensely brilliant quality, clear and resonant as a bell-but without a trace of metallic shrillness-and a sonority made remarkably telling by the brilliancy of the quality. We remember Joachim's first acquaintance with the "Tuscan "- how, after playing a few passages on it, he stopped and exclaimed, "Listen ! how it rings!" then, after again preluding, "How pure and brilliant! I was led to believe that the tone was unsatisfactory. How is it possible for anybody to have come to such a conclusion? Surely they could not have tried it."

On similar private occasions it has been our privilege to listen also to Lady Halle, Piatti, Sarasate, and other distinguished players trying Stradivaris and fine specimens of the other great makers; and although so individual in the tone they produce, we have always noted one characteristic which they possessed in common. In testing the volume of tone, they would strive to gauge the resonance, i.e. the carrying or travelling power of the sounds; and they knew by experience that, for violin tone to carry in a concert hall, it must be produced in such a way that the strings continue to vibrate after the bow has left them, which implies that the strings must not be attacked with such force by the bow that the vibrations are checked or damped. We digress to state this, as we find such a large number of players leaning in the other direction, and evidently believing that the greater the force with which they apply the bow to the strings the more carrying must be their tone. Many instruments can be most forcibly attacked and thoroughly satisfy the ear of the player; but to the experienced listener in a concert-room the result is lamentable-sonority, brilliancy, quality, and charm all being found lacking.

After 1699 no more "Long Strads" were made; and although during the years from 1690 to 1699 Stradivari made other violins more or less in accordance with this and his earlier designs-and, indeed, continued to use his earlier designs until 1704-there is nothing in their tonal characteristics to call for individual mention.

Many violins of choice quality, with sympathetic responsiveness and sufficient volume of tone, can be found among those made between 1698 and 1704; but because Stradivari, in his desire to preserve some of the beauty and grace of the Amati form, made the arching somewhat Amatise, they are not appreciated so much as they deserve to be. The existing prejudice against violins apparently high in the arching is the result of the defectively constructed and exaggerated copies of Amati and Stainer, so lacking in power, distinction of quality, and fulness of tone, which were made in large numbers by workers of inferior capacity during the whole of the eighteenth century. As with most reactions, the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction ; so that now violins of the highest merit, even by Stradivari, are apt to be condemned because the arching is not, as gauged by the eye of the average player or critic, of a "certain apparent flatness;" an impartial trial of the tone is out of the question-the eye has already decided!

In judging such questions as the arching or dimensions of a violin, the untrained eye is quite untrustworthy, and even the highly trained eye may be deceived. The form of the arching, springing at once and gradually from the edge, or dipping slightly before the rise commences; whether the edge is broad, narrow, ridged, or flat; whether the wood is handsome or plain, broad or narrow in the figure; and, lastly, the colour of the varnish,-all these features, separately or in combination, tend to mislead the eye.

Our experience teaches us that if the important factors in violin construction-i.e. graduation of the thicknesses, structural stability, height of sides, and general dimensions-are designed to be in proper relation with the form of arching chosen, the quality of the tone may be slightly varied, but the volume not appreciably so.

The "Betts" violin, another masterpiece, made in 1704, is a notable and wonderfully preserved instrument, standing out from the violins made in the adjoining years in a like degree to the " Tuscan," although any affinity with the latter in either tone or design is only indirect. The distinguishing features of the tone are the mellow brilliancy of the quality and the facile articulation.

From the year of the "Betts" it is immediately evident that Stradivari had arrived at the principles of tonal or acoustical construction for his violins which were to serve him until the end of his career. Although he is always varying in a slight degree the dimensions, outline, form and amount of arching, etc., the salient properties of the tone remain the same; and there are no such remarkable innovations as the previous years have shown. Evidently Stradivari had solved his life's problem, viz. how to produce the character of tone that would meet with the approval of his progressive and increasing patrons and be likely to assure a future for his violins.

To sum up, the tone had greater brilliancy, fulness, and power than that of the average Arnati violin; and although not quite equal in these qualities to the Maggini instrument, except in the brilliancy, the Stradivari violin offered less difficulty in playing to the performer, owing to its smaller dimensions.

Stradivari must have realised that the merit of his pro- ductions justified him in working for futurity; he no doubt thought that as the instruments of his great predecessors were justly famous and sought for then, so would his own be in time to come.

We recall a violin of special tonal merit made in 1709- Lady Halle's, formerly Ernst's. And who that has heard Lady Halle play will not bear this statement out? The ripe, woody, and yet sparkling quality, its perfect responsiveness and equality on all the strings, and the ever-swelling sonority, all contribute to delight the cultivated listener.

Sir William Huggins possesses the fellow to this violin, made in 1708. No direct traces of Amati influence are apparent either externally or in the tone; the different arching, absence of hollowing, lightness of the edges, all denote a structure in which tone has become the paramount consideration.

The year 1712 provides us with a superb example- the violin used by Viotti until his death, when it was sent over to Paris, and sold with other effects by public auction. It is of the maker's largest and boldest form, extremely handsome in appearance, the tone being remarkable for luscious maturity of quality and sympathetic responsiveness to the lightest possible touch of bow and finger. The noble beauty of its tone seems to us to echo the elevated style of Viotti's compositions and his broad and impassioned playing.

Viotti, we must recollect, was the first supremely great violinist and composer for the violin to introduce and prove to his audiences the merits of Stradivari violins; and we find his followers and admirers- Baillot, Habeneck, Kreutzer, Lafont, Rode, and many others-all using Stradivaris, and permanently establishing their position in the world of music. Several other Stradivari violins are associated with Viotti's name, and existing evidence points to his having been in the habit of obtaining violins for friends and admirers; but the pedigree attached to this violin is undoubtedly authentic, and its superior merit cannot be questioned, although we fear that many of the rising generation of soloists would not appreciate its tonal qualities;-they would find it lacking in assertiveness.

That the sense of beauty or distinction of tone is today cultivated to the same extent as formerly is, we venture to think, more than doubtful. The custom in modern orchestral scoring of sacrificing the individuality of the instruments in order to obtain effects of greater sonority or of technical dexterity, and the abuse of the full-sized concert grand pianoforte in chamber music, seem to be largely destructive of the feeling for beauty of tone. We fear it would be monotonous and a trial to our readers' patience if we continued to analyse in detail the tone of the many renowned Stradivaris dating from the period 1704 to 1720 that we are treating of. The great pair used by Joachim; the "Alard" the "Dolphin;" the "Cessol;" the "Messie," and many others, possess the same salient tonal characteristics that we have already described; and it is only their owners and others intimately acquainted with them who can discern the subtle individual traits which distinguish the tone of one from that of another.

Listeners to Dr. Joachim's performances on one or the other of his fine Stradivaris-even those well acquainted with his playing-must often have marvelled at the multitudinous shades of tone which he could produce from them. The massive fulness, the mellow and entrancing woodiness, the intense and thrilling passionateness, and the brilliant vivacity-all these varieties of tone, and many others too indefinite and subtle for our powers of description, would he draw forth from these unique instruments, as the spirit of the music he was interpreting prompted.

That famous example the "Alard" (pictured at the left) exhibits all the necessary qualities to constitute it one of Stradivari's most remarkable achievements. The searcher after the ideal in tone-and there are many such-will look for the combination in one violin of absolute beauty of quality, great volume, and perfect articulation. These perfections exist in a large number of the great master's instruments, but never in the proportions to suit the hypercritical. The quality of one Stradivari does not please him, another is wanting in power, and a third does not respond easily enough to the performer. However, the "Alard" possesses these attributes as happily blended together as is possible in a violin made by mortal hands.

During the years from 1704 to 1720 we find occasional divergences in pattern, in some cases intentional no doubt, as it is improbable that all Stradivari's patrons required the greater sonority of tone. Many of the dilettanti, the Roman Catholic ecclesiastic, and the elderly aristocrat, preferred the dulcet, easy-speaking tone of the smaller Amati; and this must account for the smaller-sized "Strads" which we find occasionally interspersed between the larger types.

Sometimes, too, the nature of the wood in the back, though handsome, has caused a lack of sonority; at other times the belly wood is plainly responsible for the want of brilliancy; or occasionally the varnish or model is to blame. But with these reservations, what a marvellous result do these sixteen years give us! Instrument after instrument of wonderful tone; the notable points of his predecessors' instruments happily welded into a whole of surpassing merit-sufficient of the noble breadth and sonority of the Maggini, combined with the brightness and woodiness of the Amati, and at the same time a flexibility of tone as a whole; thus placing in the hands of the player of average capabilities an instrument as efficient for him as for a great and inspired performer.

During 1720-22 Stradivari, still indefatigable, was most actively occupied in making yet another type of violin, one differing in tone from anything he had yet produced-a. type, although of medium dimensions, presenting, owing to the square appearance of the outline and sound-holes, flatness of the arching, etc., an unusually sturdy and robust appearance, though somewhat inelegant. Special features of the tone are a vigorous and incisive power, less flexible and less easy of production, and a quality slightly metallic, suggestive of that of a fine Joseph Guarnerius del Gesu or of a Carlo Bergonzi, which undoubtedly this type of violin foreshadows.

The "Blunt" of 1721, the "Brandt" and "De Chaponay" of 1722, are perfect representatives of this type; while the "Rode," although of this date (1722), and partaking of the same characteristics-except in regard to its ornamentation- is distinguished by a mature fulness and spontaneity of utterance somewhat wanting in the former. In the greater number of the violins made by Stradivari personally from these years until the end of his career, the same distinctive tonal properties predominate.

The vigorous and incisive sonority and pungent quality formed a most effective tone for the use of a virtuoso; and evidently this is the cause of a number of them having been used by such celebrated players as Baillot, Hermann, Kreutzer, Kiesewetter, Wilhelmj, and Ysaye; and naturally the constant practice and great skill of these players would enable them to overcome the want of ease of articulation which we have mentioned.

Sarasate's Stradivari, made in 1724, stands apart by itself in both tone and style; and all who have listened to this delightful master of the art of coaxing forth pure and beautiful tone must have been struck by the ethereal and sparkling quality of his "Strad"- never sonorous, yet always clear and distinct, even when passages of the most extreme rapidity and delicacy are being rendered on it. The instrument and the performer seem to be merged in one individuality.

The dawn of the nineteenth century saw the introduction of Stradivari's instruments to the musical world at large: the end of it finds the use of them as universal as their number will allow of. Other reasons may have contributed to their more and more extended use, such as their superior state of preservation and robust build in comparison with the larger number of the earlier makers' instruments ; but the chief reason, we believe, is the extraordinary capacity in the tone of Stradivari instruments for meeting the needs of all descriptions of players.

Any listener who has heard a sufficient number of them in public and private, and who has reflected thereon, must have noticed their perfect fitness for use by the public performer of average attain ments-how in such hands they give forth a woody, round, and brilliant tone, full of charm and singing quality. And in listening to various Stradivaris used by different capable players one feels how flexible is their tone-flexible in the sense that it so easily adapts itself to various modes of production, the method and temperament of the artist influencing the instrument so that it represents his individuality as much as it does its own. The bright, full woodiness is the most distinctive quality in Stradivari tone; and it is precisely this character which makes it so helpful to the average performer, as it causes the tone to blend well with the majority of voices and instruments, making the Stradivari above all the instru- ment for chamber music, while at the same time it is equally effective in the concert-hall.

It is interesting to remember in passing that while Stradivari was exerting all his skill in perfecting the instru ments which enable us to enjoy the highest and most ideal form of chamber music yet achieved-the string quartet- Corelli, his great contemporary and countryman, was composing the famous works that led to its development, and determined the lines on which a well-nigh inexhaustible store of lovely chamber music has since been written.

Those who have listened with discerning ears must have heard how different were the qualities of tone produced from their respective Stradivari instruments by Lady Halle, Joachim, Sarasate, Piatti, and others. In the hands of such great artists Stradivari violins or violoncellos will entrance by their quality, astonish by their force and depth, and stir all the emotions by their varied capacity for expression. And these instruments, produced two centuries ago, are still for practical purposes superior to any which have since been made.

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