MAGGINI, GIOVANNI PAOLO, Brescia, 1590 to 1640. This celebrated artiste
was a pupil of Gaspar di Salo. His instruments are highly esteemed, and
are both rare and valuable. They are generally of a large pattern, with
elevated model, reaching almost to the edges; narrow ribs, double
purfling, frequently ending on the top and bottom of the back with an
ornament in the shape of a leaf--and fine yellowish brown or golden
coloured varnish, of good quality. Some few are said to have deep brown
varnish. They possess a tone of a peculiar character--deep, solemn, and
somewhat plaintive. Dubourg describes it as "less soft than that of a
Stradiuarius, and less potent than a Guarnerius, approaching that of a
viol, and has in it a touch of melancholy." From their size these
instruments had not been in great favour with violinists until the
celebrated DeBeriot introduced one, which from its splendid tone
brought them at once into esteem, and for which he has been offered
almost fabulous sums.
MAGGINI, PIETRO SANTO, Brescia, son of Giovanni Paolo, 1630 to 1680.
Followed the same style as his father, but was more particularly famous
for his double basses, which the Italians consider to be the best ever
made, after those of Gaspar di Salo.
MAIER, ANDREA FERDINAND, Salzburg, 1746. Little is known of this maker
except that he made the small instrument on which the immortal Mozart
first learned to play the violin, which event, could he have foreseen,
would no doubt have compensated him for the want of more general fame.
MALDONNER, ---- Bavaria, about 1760.
MALLER, LAUX, Venice. This artiste was an early and highly esteemed
maker of lutes. Mace in his curious and very interesting book, "Music's
Monument," mentions him as one of the best authors, _i.e._ makers. He
also says he has "seen two of his lutes ('pittiful, battered, cracked
Things,') valued at L100 apiece." Mace's book was published in 1676.
Think of L100 for a lute two hundred years ago, when the value of money
was at least six times less than it is now! This would make the
comparative value of a "battered" old lute about L600, a sum (with the
exception of the King Joseph Guarnerius, mentioned elsewhere) exceeding
the highest price we have heard of in modern times. Even the most
splendid and perfect violins of Stradiuarius have never realised as
much as this "pittiful battered lute!" In the face of this fact (as we
suppose it is) we cannot be surprised that enthusiastic amateurs should
in the present day give such large prices for the splendid productions
of the great Cremona Makers.
MARIANI, ANTONIO, Pesaro, 1570 to 1620. An imitator of Gaspar di Salo.
MARATTI, ---- Verona, 1690. Made good toned violins, but the
workmanship has little character.
MARQUIS DE LAIR, ---- A French maker about 1800.
MARSHALL, JOHN, London, 1760.
MARTIN, ---- London, 1790.
MAUCOTEL, CHARLES, London. An excellent workman, who has produced some
beautiful instruments.
MAUSIELL, LEONARD, Nuremburg, 1725. A capital imitator of Steiner,
whose style he followed so closely as to render it (as it is stated)
difficult to distinguish the one from the other. This is one of the
makers praised by Spohr in his "Violin School," as worthy attention
when a good Cremona cannot be got.
MAYRHOF, ANDREA FERDINAND, Salzburg, 1740.
MEDARD, HENRY, Paris and Nancy. A French maker, who is generally
considered to have been a pupil of Nicholas Amati, and was esteemed
nearly equal to his master; but Fetis includes him in his list of the
personal pupils of Antonius Stradiuarius.
MERLIN, JOSEPH, London, about 1780. A very ingenious person, who
obtained the honour of being mentioned in Madame D'Arblay's "Diary and
Letters." His violins were after the Steiner pattern, and well made,
but did not approach the Steiner tone.
MEUSIDLER, JEAN, Nuremberg, about 1540. A maker of viols, viols da
gamba, &c.
MEZZADIE, ALEXANDER, Ferrara, about 1700. A good maker who followed the
Amati style, and is reckoned by Fetis as one of that school.
MIER, ---- London, 1786.
MILANI, FRANCISCO, Milan, is supposed to be a pupil of Guadagnini and
followed his style,--about 1760.
MILLER, ---- London, about 1750.
MOHR, PHILIP, Hamburg, 1650.
MONTADE, GREGORIO, Cremona, 1735. Considered to be a pupil of
Stradiuarius, but more probably an imitator.
MONTAGNANA, DOMINICO, Venezia, 1725. This excellent artiste made
instruments generally of a large size, and used wood of a large and
beautiful figure. The varnish exceedingly brilliant and of a rich
yellow or yellow red colour, and the tone everything that can be
desired. Mr. Perkins had a violoncello of this make, which was
originally sold as a Joseph Guarnerius, and was said in the catalogue
to be uncommonly fine and handsome. This is another of those careful
artistes, whose productions are now in high esteem when one of the
three great masters cannot be obtained, and which will very probably
hereafter rank with them and become very famous.
MORRISON, JOHN, London, 1780 to 1819.
MORELLA, MORGLATO, Mantua, about 1550. Famous for rebecs, viols, and
viols da gamba.