Chapter Four, Stradivari's Violoncellos

The excellence of Stradivari's violoncellos is even more remarkable than that of his other productions; in fact, we can unhesitatingly say that his finest examples stand without rivals. His genius and versatility are never more clearly shown than by the several forms which he created and worked out, ever seeking to evolve an instrument which should successfully meet the changing conditions of the times. The process of evolution was perhaps slow, but a perfect form was at length attained. (The "Castelbarco" of 1697 is pictured to the left.)

He fixed once and for all the standard proportions and dimensions of the violoncello. Posterity has not only admitted the correctness of his judgment, but re-echoes his triumph, as the further we experiment the more clearly do we perceive the futility of deviating from it in any respect. It cannot be claimed for Stradivari that he created the more practical dimensions of the violoncello; on the contrary, he seems to have taken up the modified instrument where his fellow-workers left it.

In the volume on Maggini published by us (Gio. Paolo Maggini-His Life and Work," by Lady Huggins. 1892) we have recorded how remarkable was the judgment of that maker regarding instruments of the violoncello form; although now, armed with the additional information which we have acquired, we hesitate to re-affirm that such instruments as he made were not really intended for five-string viols. Be this so or not, we are on absolutely safe ground in stating that true violoncellos were being made by Andrea Amati and his two sons, Antonius and Hieronymus, during the latter part of Maggini's life. Of the time previous to this period we cannot speak with certainty, but towards the close of the sixteenth century, and even earlier, there were no doubt four-string viols.

The Amati family evidently differed widely from Maggini in their views regarding dimensions, making, we believe, their violoncellos, without exception, of large size; and we account for this by the fact that the Church was the greatest patron of the makers. To facilitate their use during processions in the churches, a small hole was made in the centre of the back near the top to permit the insertion of a peg. A cord or chain attached to this peg and passing round the shoulders of the performer allowed him to play upon the instrument thus suspended. It is instructive to add that this peg-hole has been introduced in order to Italianise in appearance violoncellos which are certainly not Italian.

Reference to the compositions of the period of Andrea Amati and his two sons (1540-1630) conclusively shows that no solo music was written for the violoncello; in fact, at the latter date, this instrument was but in its infancy, and the viol-da-gamba still held considerable sway. It was used exclusively as a fundamental bass in the concerted music of the Church, or as an accompaniment to recitative instead of the viol-da-gamba.

("The instrumental music is much better than I expected. The organ and violin they are masters of, but the bass-viol they have not at all in use, and to supply its place they have the bass violin with four strings, and use it as we do the bass viol." -Extract from a letter addressed by Thomas Hill to his brother Abraham, written from Lucca (Italy) and dated October 1st, 1657. See "Familiar Letters of Abraham Hill." London, 1767.)

No players used the register beyond the second or third positions; in all probability they confined themselves entirely to the first, hence the now all-important question of the length of string (i.e. the stop) was of little consequence. Matters remained thus until towards the close of the career of Nicolo Amati (son of Hieronymus), who died in 1684. That this member of the Amati family advanced the progress of violoncello construction is unquestionable: we find that as early as 1640 he was experimenting with the interior thicknesses, and making in general an instrument of stronger build. The dimensions, however, remained similar to those in use by his ancestors-invariably large. Wasielewski (Wasielewski, "Das Violoncell und seine Geschichte," Leipzig, 1889.) states that among the earliest known Italian players who endeavoured to cultivate the violoncello as a solo instrument were Gabriel, born about 1640; Ariosti, 1690; Bononcini, 1672; and Francischello, 1692.

Now this entirely coincides with our knowledge on the subject. A race of players was springing up which grasped the capabilities of the violoncello and sought to demonstrate its merits. The time was, then, ripe for the makers to aid them by devising an instrument which would facilitate this new development. The excessive length of the stop and the otherwise cumbrous proportions, as well as the slower emission of the tone of the hitherto accepted instrument, must have forcibly struck the players directly they attempted to execute rapid passages. They accordingly talked with the makers of the period, amongst others with Andrea Guarneri, Francesco Ruger, and Giovanni Battista Rogeri, all pupils of Nicolo' Amati, and each one devised and made violoncellos of smaller dimensions.

Of those of Andrea Guarneri we can only speak with considerable reserve; he appears to have made but few, as we have met with only five or six authentic examples, one only of these having originally been of smaller proportions than hitherto customary, the others reduced in size since. His form reminds us somewhat of that of Maggini-breadth dis proportionate to length.

Francesco Ruger, the first of this Cremonese family of makers, and whose violoncellos were evidently in repute, judging by the number he made, seems in the majority of cases to have followed the Amati principles and constructed instruments of large size; still, here and there, we see one of smaller dimensions: that played by the well-known violoncellist, W. E. Whitehouse, is an excellent example.

Giovanni Battista and Pietro Giacomo Rogeri, who both worked at Brescia, were evidently associated: the strong similarity in form, model, proportions, and general design of their instruments shows this. They seem to have at once hit upon an admirable form of violoncello of excellent dimensions, which, although lacking the perfect symmetry of Stradivari's, is of high merit. A fine and characteristic example of the first-named maker is that owned by Colonel Wright, and the same may be said of the instrument by Pietro Giacomo, for many years used by Signor Piatti as his solo cello (Now in the possession of Miss Muriel Handley.) Curiously enough, neither maker seems to have varied much from the one form; at any rate, we have never seen a specimen by them of larger dimensions.

We thus find that the change from the earliest type of true violoncello as made about 1600 to that of smaller form, which originated between 1660 and 1700, took close upon a century to effect, The struggle for supremacy between viol and violoncello was both long and keen, and it was only when makers built a violoncello upon lines more nearly approaching those of the viol-da-gamba in proportions, that this latter instrument received the final blow, to the effects of which it slowly succumbed.

It must not be assumed that when violoncellos of diminished size were in the hands of players, the making of those of large form was immediately discontinued. Quite the contrary appears to have been the case. The Church, slow to move-and her influence in the matter was Paramount-apparently still preferred the larger size, and thereby materially retarded the change. Not until towards the time of Stradivari's death-i.e., in the thirties of the eighteenth century and later-do we find the makers finally abandoning the old traditions as regards dimensions. That Stradivari was not idle during this period of transition in violoncello-making, we may take for granted; he could not but have seen the innovations of his fellow workers, heard the reasons for and against, and, probably, mentally summed up the subject. Still, he does not seem to have actively moved in the matter for many years: in fact, previous to 1680 we know of no violoncello made by him. We do not of course assert that none exists, but only place on record that we have not yet seen or heard of an example made at an earlier date.

We have already stated how closely we believe Stradivari's early working life was interwoven with that of his master, who died in 1684, and that it is consequently most probable that part of his time was taken up in other ways than in instrument-making. The earliest dated Stradivari instrument of the violoncello family known to us is one made in 1667, the master's twenty-third year and the year of his marriage. It is a most interesting example, although it has been considerably altered; and we are able to recognise that the master tried to combine the principal features of both viol and violoncello, for whilst retaining the flat viol back canting off at the top, he adopted the violoncello outline, form of sound-holes, and dimensions. We believe this instrument was strung as a viol, but cannot speak with certainty, as the original head has vanished. We are also acquainted with a viol-da-gamba, or, to speak correctly, with the material which once formed one. The often over-ingenious hand of the modern maker has employed itself in adding fresh wood in all directions, with a view to transforming the instrument into a violoncello; and armorial bearings have even been painted on it in order to hide the joints of the new wood. (This instrument is now in the possession of an American lady, who seriously assured us of her intention of going to Italy in order to trace the origin of the coat-of-arms it bears.)

Brought to France from Italy by Tarisio in its original state, it may possibly be the viol made by Stradivari in 1684 for the Contessina Cristina Visconti, the patterns of which are preserved in the Dalla Valle Collection. With what profound interest would we not have gazed on these two intruments, which before falling into the hands of vandals, were unique specimens of the illustrious master's work-the former especially-forming a link between viol and violoncello!

We have much evidence to show that in the years following 1680 Stradivari turned his attention more frequently to the construction of violoncellos. His fame was fast growing, and we learn from the Arisi manuscripts that he was receiving orders for sets of instruments and for single violoncellos destined for the highest in the land: for Kings, Ducal Princes and other illustrious patrons.

We estimate that between 1680 and 1700 Stradivari made at least thirty violoncellos: twenty-five are known to us; and how instructive to note that all-without exception- were made of large size! Was it that the instrument of smaller proportions found as yet little favour with the majority of players? or was it that, assuming they were only to be used in churches and in the chapels attached to the palaces of the nobles, the larger-sized cellos were preferred? It may be Stradivari himself still clung to the Amati traditions in this respect, although we cannot help believing that the master would have constructed instruments of smaller dimensions had he received orders for them.

The violoncellos of David Tecchler furnish us with an instance of this long-prevailing preference for the larger- sized instruments. He was without serious rival as a maker in Rome during half a century (he worked from 1690 to 1747), and was no doubt the privileged maker to the churches of the "Eternal City." Of his violoncellos we have seen many-at least fifty-and of that number only four were of small proportions. The deplorable practice of altering the dates of the labels inserted by Stradivari --and the pre-1700 violoncellos have been especially tampered with--renders it impossible for us to point with certainty to the earliest example hitherto met with. We can approximately fix the date of birth of a given specimen, but are unable to do so with absolute precision.

1684 is the first authentic date known to us: it is that of the instrument in the possession of the well-known player, Leo Stern. It was brought to England at the beginning of last century by General Kyd, who entrusted it to the hands of Dodd, one of the best makers of that period, in order to have the size slightly reduced-which operation was judiciously carried out. Its proportions are still of the largest; and the presence of holes in the head for a fifth peg clearly indicates the interesting fact that it was originally strung with five strings. (An Amati scroll with five holes is pictured to the left.)

In character the work is decidedly heavy; the edges, corners and head being particularly massive, The wood of back and sides cut on the slab, and the varnish of light yellow colour, are thoroughly characteristic of the master at this period. We do not propose to criticise this instrument in detail as a representative pre-1700 example, since, though built in every respect on the same lines as a violoncello, it was clearly intended for a bass-viol of extra large proportions, and, as far as we know, is unique of its kind.

The firm grasp of their craft possessed by the great Italian makers is more clearly brought home to us by the study of their violoncellos, and nothing is more remarkable than the fidelity with which they transferred to violoncello form and proportions all the salient features seen in their violins. Each maker apparently sketched out his ideas in the form of the smaller instrument, cultivating in nearly every case a style peculiarly his own; then reproduced the same on a larger scale for his violoncellos, modifying in character neither outline, model, sound-holes, nor head. It was thus the Amatis worked, and Stradivari continued on the same lines.

In the chapter on violins we have shown how the master, as time passed on, severed himself from the Amati form and teaching, and asserted his own distinctive style; and this severance is similarly illustrated by his pre-1700 violoncellos.

The most perfect and representative specimen of the work of this epoch is the admirable instrument made in 1690 for Cosimo de Medici, now in the Musical Institute at Florence. The "Aylesford" bass, dated 1696, brought to England by Giardini about 178o and sold to Lord Aylesford, is also a characteristic example.

Both these instruments are of quite exceptional interest, for we see them as left by the maker as regards form and dimensions, We know of but one other in a similar state-the violoncello dated 1697 owned by the Marquis de Piccolellis, which was originally in the Castelbarco Collection. The remaining examples known to us have all been reduced in size-in some cases satisfactorily and judiciously, in others not so. The "Archinto" bass, dated 1689, now owned by the well-known Parisian cellist, M. Jules Delsart, and the one dated 1691, for some years the solo instrument of M. Hollman, are both excellent examples; the former being especially handsome in wood and in relatively fine preservation.

In form and character Stradivari violoncellos-e.g., the "Tuscan" and the "Aylesford"-differ from those of the Amatis, as do his violins. The general proportions were approximately the same, but in outline we find Stradivari's work more symmetrical, the elongated and less curved bout sharing more equally in the proportions of the whole. Edge, corners, purfling, sound-holes, and head all are of bolder treatment, and aid in imparting that masculine appearance which is so admirably in keeping with the large size. The modelling of both back and belly is full and well-arched, though not too high at centre, and is thus the better suited to the light interior thicknesses to which the instruments were worked by the master. Stradivari doubtless recognised, especially in the case of the belly, the weakness which would result had he, notwithstanding the light thickness, allowed the model to scoop to any extent around the edge. The stronger curve of the arch obviously counteracted any such tendency.

The cutting of the sound-holes, and the extreme accuracy with which the scrolls are carved at this period- not to mention the beauty of their lines-are beyond criticism: they stand unsurpassed, we may say unequalled, by any after effort of the master. The head of the "Aylesford" violoncello is especially remarkable.

We note that in the selection of his material for the violoncellos-as for the violins of these years-Stradivari was more partial to maple cut the slab way of the grain. That of the "Archinto" and "Tuscan" instruments is the exception, and in both cases very choice wood was used, cut the right way of the grain. He also in several instances used for the back, sides, and head, poplar-tree wood or a similar species, such as lime-tree wood-a feature much more frequently met with in the violoncellos of his contemporaries, notably in those of Francesco Ruger. The Amatis seldom used it, though Andrea Guarneri and his son Joseph did sometimes; whereas Giovanni Grancino, the Testores, and their followers of the Milanese School rarely dispensed with it.

The pine used by Stradivari was with but rare exceptions of good quality, and generally of fine grain, though we have seen bellies of remarkably open and even grain made at this period. Like other makers, Stradivari at times (although less frequently) formed the bellies of several pieces of pine glued together-generally four. This was done in order to obtain the necessary size in pieces free from serious blemish. In the same way we see wings added at the bottom curves of the back, more especially in the large-sized basses.

Proceed to Chapter Four, Part Two

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