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51
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
DECEMBER 28, 1918
We then come to romantic times when sere-
naders and other wandering musicians went up
Some Interesting Information Regarding the Various Evolutions in Design and Form Which Have and down our countryside giving forth recita-
tive ballads and legendary histories to the light
Resulted in the Modern Violin Described Concisely by Alexander H. Kolbe
notes of their as yet incomplete music. It seems
In so far as the violin can be said to have any the violin for a good deal over a century, al- a far cry from the musician of old Rome or an-
definite origin in one man's mind, Zanetto, who though in the same time most other instruments cient Athens twanging his lyre as a mere faded
lived at the end of the sixteenth century, is re- have either evolved, as in the case of the piano, accompaniment to the robuster strings of me-
diaeval times. This is but half the journey.
sponsible for much of it, writes Alexander H. or changed in form or character. The shape of
Kolbe in the International Musician. Natural- the modern violin shows no apparent deviation Ever in search of better things the old craftsmen
ly in those far off times shapes varied. There from type. It exhibits all the modern craving looked for louder notes. The fidel, the lute and
the viol became instruments for solo music in-
was not that free inter-communication of ideas for standardization.
which has so greatly killed individual ideas and
The flat box has become the wonderful instru- stead of mere accompaniment machines. Look
reduced most things to pattern. While the Ital- ment that makes a wider musical appeal than at your violin and you will find it pierced with
ians were working on definite ideas there were all others. Pine wood and maple, catgut and two reversed S-like openings to let out the
handy craftsmen pursuing their own lines here. ebony, combine to give us the developed "box." sound. Its bridge is shorter. The strings are
History books are so largely matters of mere Brazil wood and horse hair, with the rosin of the four, tuned in fifths. The corners are enlarged
warfare that it surprises you to find that there ancient, draw forth from it the best cacophony and it possesses a waist. All these points are
developed from the old viol. No longer is it
were probably violin makers experimenting in of sweet sounds.
flat, but curved outwards on the front and back
our own land at the time of the Great Revolu-
How the Violin Was Developed
so as to enlarge the resonance chambers. These
tion. It is to the great land of romance, to
Gradually from the lyre came the develop- things increase the volume of sound and were
Northern Italy and the Tyrol, that the chief
ment of the fidel and similar instruments in thought out one by one by the great Venet.
credit is due, in part, owing to the fact that the
use before the fifteenth century, such as were
necessary strings were (and still are) more
carried by the troubadours. Now we arrive at
easily made in that pleasant climate.
Three
BAND INSTRUMENT MAKERS JOIN
the period of a long flat box, but whether they
names stand out in this connection. The
"stopped" the notes or not we do not know.
Amati family for development; Antonio Stradi-
The Band Instrument Manufacturers' Asso-
These wandering musicians or troubadours
vari, the famous pupil of one of that family, for
would seem therefore to be the musical ances- ciation, organized recently, has been elected to
his workmanship and tone; and much later
tors of the concert musician of to-day; the per- membership in the Music Industries Chamber
Stainer, of Tyrol, whose regularity was chief
sonal romance may have been lessened; the of Commerce, this making the ninth division
improvement. Of these, to the collector or the
now included in that organization, and covering
music we wager is improved.
non-musician the middle name is best known.
practically the entire music industry with the
Mankind
was
not
satisfied
with
the
ancient
From this period there arose definite schools of
exception of the talking machine trade. An ex-
violin builders basing themselves on the Italians fidel. The lust for improvement set in again cellent showing, truly.
and swept away this primitive box of sweet
or on Stainer.
strains. Blocks were fitted into the corners and
Meantime viol and violin had existed side by by dint of this strengthening process it became
TO MAKE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
side for over a century and a half, but the latter possible to enlarge and lengthen the pattern.
The American Harmonica & Accordion Mfg.
was slowly killing the former. The eighteenth By this stage the notion of stopping the strings
century saw the contest closing, and by its end with the fingers was certainly known. Remem- Co., of Manhattan, was incorporated at Albany
there were a number of English violin makers ber that the fidel was held under the chin as is late last week with a capital of $6,000 for the
of repute, from which we may conclude that the its descendant with the two d's (fiddle) to-day. purpose of manufacturing musical instruments.
violin was in general use to the exclusion of the In order to stop the strings therefore, the idea Those interested are J. G. Hines, F. H. Gerodette
older type.
of making a neck at one end, so that the fingers and F. C. Beatty.
of the left hand could go around that end, grew
What of the Bow?
What of the bow? Nothing is left of the orig- and developed, and we have arrived at the viol.
SLIDABLE MOUTHPIECE HARMONICA
inal military bow but the name. Its shape, its Its seven strings were strained taut by a high
WASHINGTON, D. C, December 23.—Bernard F.
size, its constitution are all altered. Nor can the bridge and were in musical thirds and fourths,
Italians claim to have decided its final shape or while the hollow part of the viol was strength- Laukandt, Red Wing, Minn., was last week
completed its development as they substantial- ened by ribs. The result was a soft note bear- granted Patent No. 1,285,747 for a harmonica, or
ly did for the violin. Tourte, of Paris, in the ing possibly the same relation in tone to the mouth organ provided with slidable mouthpieces,
and consists in the novel construction of the
latter half of the eighteenth century, is respon- modern violin as does the spinet to the piano.
parts forming the mouthpiece of this popular
sible for the bow's shape. The collection of
musical instrument.
horse hairs in flat array took the place of a
single bow string long, long ago, while the rosin
'OLD ft NEW
VIOLINS
GRAND PRIZES^
manufactured from turpentine applied to pro-
[ B E S T S T R I N G S * C1W1G0I8MSU0UIS 190*1
duce the continuous plucking is certainly as old
as Pliny.
JOHNFRIEDRICH&BRO.
SEND FOR
^ 279 MfTM AVE
AND
There has been no considerable modification of
OUR
K
-
NEW YORK
THE ORIGIN AND GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE VIOLIN
I WILL B U Y
FOR CASH
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Peate's Music House,
Utica, N. Y.
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