Cremona! Who has not heard of this now celebrated Italian city? And yet
but for a fiddle maker it is very probable indeed that it would never
have been known beyond the circle of its own local interests and its
relations with neighbouring cities. Now, however, its name is a spell
to conjure with. A Cremona Violin is, to a rich amateur, a loadstone
that is sure to attract the shining metal from the depths of his purse.
Seven hundred pounds have been given for a Guarnerius Violin! Think of
that ye dilettanti who are so proud of your pictures and marbles! Even
the poor fiddler has his Mecca far away, and it is called Cremona. Like
pictures, the Cremona Violins are real works of art, and like them
also, were once to be had for trifling sums. Cuyps and Paul Potters,
Stradiuarii and Guarnerii were once to be had for three or four pounds
each that are now worth as many hundreds. A Cremona instrument has even
been considered a worthy gift to pass between crowned heads, Pope Pius
V. having presented a violoncello by Andreas Amati to Charles IX. of
France. Fleeting however are the honours of time! Cremona has lost its
most famous names from among its citizens, and with them its most
distinguished characteristic. For nearly a hundred years no maker of
great skill has arisen to dispute the glory of the place with the
Amati, Stradiuarius, and Guarnerius, by whom the fame of Cremona will
be carried to the latest generations.
It is now about three centuries since there flourished at Cremona its
first great violin maker. Andreas Amati appears to have been born there
in 1520, and died in 1580. The family was an ancient one, and is
mentioned as early as 1097 in the records of the city. It is a
remarkable fact, and shows in a strong light the difference of manners
and customs in different countries that both Amati and Stradiuarius
seem to have been of ancient and honourable families, and yet
notwithstanding their adopting an avocation which would in England be
thought to tarnish an old family name, they lived and died respected
and honoured by their fellow citizens. There is no account of how or of
whom Andrew Amati acquired the art of violin making; but it is clear
that by some means he had attained to a considerable amount of skill.
Under the head of Gaspar di Salo, we have however hazarded a conjecture
that he had been to Brescia for the first principles of the art, but
that he had adopted little that he found there except the varnish and
the general routine of the workshop. Some of his instruments are
described as beautifully made, and to have amber varnish of excellent
quality of a deep rich yellow tinted with brown or light red colour.
His violins appear to have been chiefly of the small pattern and high
model. The backs are mostly cut the reverse way of the grain to the
present rule, forming what are now termed "slab" backs. They possess a
delicate graceful tone of wonderful sweetness, which has also been more
or less the chief characteristic of the other makers of this family.
With reference to this peculiarity, an eminent writer observes that in
the times in which the Amati lived, the tone was not required to be of
that powerful character which modern players demand, and that such an
immense tone as many later instruments possess would not then have been
tolerated. This is very probable, and may account also for the elevated
model which was adopted both by Andrew and some others of the Amati.
This model conjoined with their beautiful workmanship and generally
small size, combined to produce that elegant delicious sweet tone which
of all other makers, the Amatis especially possess. They also, all of
them, made a greater number of instruments of the smaller size than
what is known as the grand pattern, no doubt because the tone produced
by them was found generally sufficient. They were also made to carry a
much lower bridge and a lighter bass bar than are now used, and the
proportions were arranged accordingly. On this point M. Maugin, author
of a Treatise, entitled Manuel du Luthier, makes some remarks which we
have translated as pertinent and valuable. Speaking on the subject of
repairing old instruments, he says, "There is no violin maker now, who
does not put, whether in the instruments he has to repair, or in those
which he makes, a much stronger bar than those which were employed by
the great makers themselves. They must have felt the necessity of doing
this or they would not all act in this way. Now what is the reason of
this mode of working? I have seen in the hands of rich amateurs,
several instruments which have been preserved with a religious care,
absolutely in the form which Amati and Stradiuarius had given to them.
The bridges of these violins had only an inch and a fraction of height
above the belly, while now-adays bridges have a height of an inch and
(say) three-eighths. Now, the belly being put into vibration by strings
at a great distance from it, and these strings vibrating by themselves
more at the distance of fourteen lines than at twelve, it has been
found necessary to strengthen the bar which, without that, being drawn
into too great a vibration, would give to the strings sol and re a
cottony sound which would have quite spoiled the goodness of the
instrument." M. Maugin does not say why higher bridges are now used,
but there is no doubt on this point. All judges concur that the pitch
having been so greatly raised since the old instruments were built, a
stronger bar has been found necessary, to counterbalance the increased
tension of the higher bridge.
Andrew Amati gave to his instruments a still more decided swell than
the later members of his family, his successors no doubt finding a
diminution in the rise of the model to produce a fuller if not a
sweeter tone. This principle was gradually carried forward till it
culminated in Antonius Stradiuarius, who brought it to perfection and
demonstrated that the flat model produced the greatest vibration and
consequently the most powerful tone. Otto in his celebrated work on the
Construction of the Violin, does not mention Andrew Amati, but says
that those of Hieronymus were the oldest Cremona Violins. This is one
of the mistakes in his original work which renders it comparatively
useless. Connoisseurs and collectors have dissipated those errors, and
we now know to a certainty that to Andrew Amati of Cremona, and Gaspar
di Salo of Brescia, (of whom also Otto was ignorant,) we owe the
establishment of these two great schools of violin making. From their
great age, the instruments of these two great makers are now very rare.
They are most of them about three centuries old, and though they appear
to have made a considerable number, they have through the influences of
time and accident gradually disappeared. Some of Andrew Amati's
instruments are still left however in the hands of dilettanti and
collectors, and retain that distinguishing characteristic of delicious
and sympathetic quality which has been the chief charm of all the Amati
productions. Andrew had a brother called NICHOLAS, of whom little
appears to be known.
After ANDREW, as great makers, come his two sons ANTONIUS and
HIERONYMUS, who flourished from 1550 to 1634. ANTONIUS made many small
pattern violins, which possess in the highest degree the distinguishing
characteristic of the family--a sweet but not powerful tone. He also
constructed some of a larger pattern. ANTONIUS and HIERONYMUS
conjointly built a number of large pattern violins, which are of high
finish and beautiful wood. They are very highly esteemed, and a well
preserved example will command a large price. NICHOLAS was the greatest
artiste of this deservedly celebrated family, and many instruments
still exist to attest the excellence of his workmanship and his
knowledge of the proportions requisite to produce a fine tone. He also
built many small pattern instruments, but he appears to have almost
anticipated Stradiuarius and succeeded in producing some instruments of
the grand pattern which possess a very powerful as well as sweet tone,
and are considered to rival in every respect the famous instruments of
that great master. Some of his violins possess a distinguishing mark in
a rather abrupt rise in the centre. Otto describes it as a "sharp
ridge." It is not exactly so, but is still very different to the
gradual swell on the other Cremona instruments. His best violins, which
are known by the title of Grand Amatis, are those which approximate
closely to the very best instruments of Stradiuarius and Guarnerius.
There can be no doubt therefore, that in these fine specimens of his
skill, he had hit upon the same principles which afterwards guided
those distinguished artistes in the construction of those most renowned
violins which now command the admiration of violinists throughout the
world.
We have said that the chief characteristic of the Amati violins is a
sweet but not powerful tone. It is necessary to qualify and explain
this remark. From their excellent construction and beautiful wood,
which has evidently been selected with the greatest care for its
resonant quality--their age and long and careful use, their tone is
divested of all extraneous properties, and become fine and pure.
Notwithstanding therefore their original small tone, when fitted with
the modern appliances of larger bars and higher bridges, some have been
found quite competent for all purposes. In 1861 the celebrated
instrument by Antonius Amati, which was presented by George IV. to
Francois Cramer, was sold by auction, and it was stated in the
catalogue that that great performer always led the Ancient and other
concerts on that instrument. The fact no doubt is that it is the fine
and pure quality of tone that tells, arising from age, constant use,
and beautiful woods. They seem to be now divested of all extraneous
characteristics and are become refined and ethereal, and are in fact
the nightingales of the stringed tribe. That the Stradiuarius and
Guarnerius have equal quality combined with more power arising from
their flatter model is undoubted, and therefore they are the most
valued. It is believed that the finest specimen of the skill of
Nicholas Amati is in the possession of Ole Bull. It is of the large
pattern, and possesses a magnificent tone, as many of our readers have
no doubt heard.
We think we shall please our readers by inserting verbatim the
following excellent description of the Amati instruments, furnished to
us by an able and experienced connoisseur. He says:--
"NICHOLAS AMATI and the BROTHERS AMATI. The tone is with few exceptions
sweet in quality and seldom powerful, but admirably suited to the
amateur. The workmanship is of the highest order, which conduces to
this result. The wood must have been selected with great judgment. The
bellies are nearly always of a fine reedy nature. Sometimes the backs
are whole backs (in one piece), at others in two, more often the
latter. The varnish of a beautiful amber colour, and there are a few
instances of fine red. The sides generally rather shallow, heads of
exquisite form and well defined. The care bestowed upon them alone
bespeaks the hand of the artist. There are several magnificent tenors
and violoncellos, and perhaps three or four double basses. The tenors
are sometimes seen of large size. The Amati family made several sets of
instruments for foreign courts, which bear their particular arms,
mostly beautifully painted on the backs. The violins known as Grand
Amatis are the best, and were made by Nicholas Amati. They take their
name from their size. He also made many long pattern instruments, and
also several three quarter violins, which have conferred a great boon
upon juvenile violinists who are able to purchase them, by giving them
an opportunity of early becoming familiar with the irreproachable
Italian quality of tone."
In reference to the remark made in the preceding paragraph, it is
recorded that a set of instruments, no doubt one of those therein
alluded to, was made for Charles 9th of France by Andrew Amati,
consisting of twenty-four violins, six violas, and eight basses. These
were lost from Versailles in 1790, and have not been recovered, except
two which M. Cartier discovered some years since. Notwithstanding that
Andrew Amati was the first maker of any note, except Gaspar di Salo of
Brescia, it is clear that he had attained an astonishing amount of
skill, as there is an account of a violoncello which was offered by
auction at the sale of the celebrated Sir Wm. Curtis's instruments by
Mr. Musgrave, who in the catalogue stated that "a document was given to
the proprietor when he purchased this instrument, stating that it was
presented by Pope Pius 5th to Charles 9th of France for his chapel. It
has been richly painted, the arms of France being on the back, and the
motto 'Pietate et Justitia' on the sides. The tone of this violoncello
is of extraordinary power and richness." Mr. Forster supposes this to
have been one of the instruments mentioned before, but that would
destroy the value of the document given to Sir William, because if
Andrew Amati made it for Pope Pius 5th, who presented it to Charles 9th
it could not have been one of those made by him expressly for that
monarch. It is clear however that the tone was both grand and fine, and
therefore the first of the Amatis must have attained great ability in
his art. We have before mentioned the celebrated Nicholas Amati violin,
dated 1679, formerly the property of the same distinguished collector,
Sir W. Curtis, and which has since been sold by Mr. Hart to the great
violinist Ole Bull. This is considered the finest specimen of the Amati
skill and was thus described in the catalogue of the sale--"This is
justly considered as one of the most beautiful and finest instruments
in the WHOLE WORLD." The Count de Castelbarco of Milan, possessed a
quartett of instruments by Nicholas Amati, which have since been sold
in London (see the article on Stradiuarius.) M. Fetis describes these
as _admirable_, but as our readers will see, the English connoisseurs
do not appear to have coincided generally with the critic on their
quality, as only one of them produced any great price. There is a
splendid grand Amati in the hands of an amateur in Derbyshire, which
formerly belonged to Mr. Hankey the banker, for whom it was purchased
with others by Viotti, who dedicated several of his compositions to
him. This instrument possesses in an eminent degree the admirable
qualities of the Amati tone, with also considerable power. Another of
the same set in the same hands is a splendid Stradiuarius of the large
pattern with a magnificent tone. There are many fine examples of the
different makers of this celebrated name in this country. English
connoisseurs suffer those of no other nation to excel them in their
collections.