SAINT, PAUL. Paris, about 1650. An excellent French maker.
SALO, GASPAR DI, Brescia, dates from 1560 to 1610. This celebrated
artiste was the contemporary of the ancient Amatis, and is thought by
some connoisseurs to have been the master of Andrew. However that may
be, as there can be no certainty of the fact, the varnish on which the
great Cremonese makers established that notable reputation which
distinguishes them to the present day, bears a strong analogy to that
of Gaspar di Salo, however they may have derived it. In this respect,
also, Gaspar excels Maggini, his pupil and follower, who was evidently
not initiated into the secret of making that excellent varnish which
characterises his master.
The pattern of the instruments which the two early and famous chiefs of
the Cremonese and Brescian Schools built, is however totally different.
Those of Gaspar are large, massive, double purfled, and with large
sound holes. Andrew is noted for a small pattern, and if he studied in
the Brescian workshop, he discarded the style he found there (varnish
excepted) and aimed at altogether a different object in his own
productions. Those of Gaspar di Salo are constructed with capacity and
strength to produce a considerable volume of tone. The Cremonese
Artiste on the other hand, made instruments which, both in their
proportions and adjustment, were especially adapted for the production
of a sweet but not powerful tone. Gaspar's instruments seem to
foreshadow in their tone and power, those of Stradiuarius and Joseph
Guarnerius, while the Amatis seem generally to have been contented with
producing a tone of surpassing sweetness. Gaspar also succeeded in
giving to his productions that fine tone which seems to have been
especially aimed at by the early makers, but as he also from the size
and strength of his instruments, produced more tone, he may be
considered far the superior of Andrew, the first of the Amatis. It is
on this account that in the present day, Gaspar di Salo is esteemed as
the greatest maker of his time, and connoisseurs value his instruments
accordingly.
There are not many violins by this great master, but of tenors and
double basses more. These are very fine and rich in tone. He was not
however famous for giving so very high a finish to his works as was
afterwards attained at Cremona. His violins are described as rather
long, and with a gentle elevation from the sides to the centre. The
sound holes straight and large, well cut and parallel, and double
purfling. The varnish is generally of a rich brown. These are the chief
external characteristics, but they have always possessed that "which
passeth show," and commanded the esteem of the dilettanti in that rich
quality of tone which is the first essential in a perfect instrument.
Signor Dragonetti, the greatest double bass player of our day, used one
of Gaspar's instruments, which was presented to him on account of their
admiration of his wonderful talent, by the order of the Convent of St.
Mark at Venice. Shortly before his death the Duke of Leinster offered
him L700 for it, a princely sum, but it was refused, as Dragonetti did
not feel justified in parting with it, and he ordered in his will that
it should be returned to the convent at Venice, which was accordingly
done. Ole Bull has a very celebrated violin of Gaspar's make. In the
first place, it was sculptured with Caryatides, by the great Florentine
artist, Benvenuto Cellini, at the special command of another eminent
person, Cardinal Aldobrandini, who presented it to the museum of
Inspruck in the Tyrol. In 1809 that city was assaulted by the French,
the museum was plundered, and this violin carried to Vienna, where it
became the property of another notable person, the Councillor Rehazek,
who was famous for his collection of ancient musical instruments. He
left it by will to another still more celebrated person, Ole Bull, the
distinguished Norwegian violinist, by whom it was exhibited in London
in 1862, and with whom it still remains. To our description of Gaspar's
instruments we should add that his tenors and double basses are of a
rather broader form than his violins.
SALLE, ---- Paris, 1800. This artiste was an excellent workman, and
famous also as a judge of old instruments.
SANONI, GIOVANNI BAPTISTA, Verona.
SANTI, GIOVANNI, Naples, 1730.
SANCTUS SERAPHINO, Venezia, about 1730. An excellent workman, whose
instruments possess almost the beautiful finish of Stradiuarius. He
used handsome wood of small figure, and his varnish is often beautiful
in the extreme. The model however approaches that of the Steiner
school, and the tone is therefore generally wanting in fullness and
roundness. He made also a few violoncellos with similar
characteristics.
SAPINO, ---- Cremona. Pupil of Guiseppe Cappa, made instruments after
the style of the Amati.
SANZO SANTINO, ---- Milan.
SAUNIER, ---- born in Lorraine 1740. An excellent artiste whose
instruments are reckoned among the best of the French school.
SCHEINLEIN, MATTHIAS FREDERICK, Langenfeld, born 1710, died 1771.
SCHEINLEIN, JEAN MICHAEL, Langenfeld, born 1751. Made instruments which
are said to be good but not strongly built.
SCHMIDT, ---- Cassel, mentioned by Otto as living in 1817, and praised
by him as an excellent maker. His instruments are of the flat model of
Stradiuarius but have the edges larger and the purfling further from
the sides.
SCHONGER, FRANCIS, Erfurth, made high modelled instruments, but of poor
tone.
SCHONGER, GEORGE, Erfurth, son of the above, modelled his instruments
in the Italian style and produced some very superior examples.
SCHORN, JACOB, Salzbourg.
SCHORN, JOHANN, Inspruck, 1688.
SCHOTT, MARTIN, Prague.
SHAW, ---- London, 1656.
SIMPSON, JOHN, London, 1790.
SIMPSON, J. and J., son of the above.
SIMON, ---- Salzbourg, 1722.
SIMON, ---- Paris.
SMITH, HENRY, London, 1629. This may be a celebrated maker of viols,
&c., mentioned by Mace, 1676, as one of the best then known.
SMITH, THOMAS, London, 1756 to 1799. This well known maker was a pupil
of Peter Wamsley. His violoncellos are of the Steiner model, and some
of them possess considerable power, and were formerly highly esteemed,
but they are now considered to be deficient in quality and wanting in
the rich fine tone of the Italian artistes. Notwithstanding, they are
still favourites in the country; the editor knows two of his
violoncellos which have been respectively sold for L30 and L40 within a
few years.
SMITH, WILLIAM, London, 1771.
SOLOMON, ---- pupil of Bocquay, a good French artiste.
SPEILER, ---- 18th Century.
STADELMANS, DANIEL, 1744, Vienna.
STADELMANS, JOHANN JOSEPH, Vienna, 1784. Fame speaks very highly of
this maker, who closely imitated Jacob Steiner and ranks next to him
among the German makers.
STEINER, JACOB, of Absom in the Tyrol, born about 1620, date of death
not known, but at about the age of seventy retired to a Convent.
See separate chapter on this celebrated artiste.
STOSS, FRANCIS, Bavaria.
STORIONI, LORENZO, Cremona, living in 1782, said to be the last of the
great Cremona makers. Forster says his instruments resemble those of
Joseph Guarnerius, and that Vieuxtemps' solo violin in 1861, was by
this master, and was very much admired. His violoncellos are very
powerful. The author knows a violin which an authority says is by
Storioni, but which the owner considered to be by Antonius and
Hieronymus Amati. The same authority says there are only two in England
of this make. It possesses a splendid fine full and rich tone,
beautiful wood for the belly, but the back rather plain, varnish deep
yellow with reddish tinge. Workmanship not very fine. We mention those
little known artistes' instruments when we have seen them, because they
are now rising in value and are esteemed as likely to afford good
instruments to those who cannot afford those of the three great
masters.
STRADIUARIUS, ANTONIUS, Cremona, born 1644, died 1737.
See separate chapter for a fuller account of this celebrated
artiste.
STRADIUARIUS, HOMOBONO, Cremona, son of Antonius; made instruments
under the direction of his father, which were signed "_Sub disciplina
A. Stradiuarius._"
STRADIUARIUS, FRANCISCO, Cremona, another son of Antonius, and signed
in the same manner as his brother.
STRAUBE, ---- Berlin, 1770. Constructed after the Italian model. His
instruments are scarce and good.
STRNAD, GASPAR, Prague, 1781 to 1793. This maker bears a good
reputation.
STURIONUS, LAURENTIUS. See Storioni.
SURSANO, SPIRITUS, Coni, 1764.