Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-04-25

on a large scale have met with mishaps,, the
cause has generally been found to have been
extravaganza in a very different direction
than the one under present consideration.
ABOUT VIOLINS. h..
In the year 1914 there was born at Cremona
a son and heir to the ancient house of Stradi-
.varius, who was christened Antoine. For more
than one hundred years the Amatis had made
violins, and at this time Nicholas, the most
celebrated of the family, was turning out from
his quaint old workshop those marvels of
sweetness which have made his name famous
the world over. While the boy Antoine was
growing into tall, thin young man, be used
to linger, day after day, around Amiti's door,
way, never so happy as when handling and
intently studying the masters handiwork:
He set bis heart on being violin maker, and
so persistently urged his fathers consent that
it was not only given, but Nicholas Amati in
duced to receive him as his pupil. The mas
ter must have recognized something beyond
the common in the boy, for he took him into
his confidence, and taught him those secrets
of shaping and coloring which have been lost
so many years. ..F...
With all our boasted tools and experience,
no master.workman's violin of our day, can
compare with the handiwork of those simple
men, whose religion found expression in the
care and love with which they labored. :,
Antoine continued to work in Amati's shop
until he was 26 years old, and it was not until
the year 1890 that he ventured to change the
model his old master taught him. Then he
began to make instruments larger, the form
of the arching somewhat fatter, the thickness
greater toward the center to support the more
firmly the pressure of the bridge under the
tension Of the strings, and gradually thinner
toward the sides, to give all the necessary vi
bration.
The Amati violins have pure, sweet. tone,
but not much power; the first and second
strings are brilliant and clear in tone; the
third, round and mellow in power, and the
fourth, dry and feeble, owing to the narrow
ness and shortness Of the instruments in COM
parison with their thickness. Stradivarius
gave his violins a rich and powerful tone,
each string being of equal beauty, and carved
the scroll more finely than his master. He
chose figured maple for his wood, and var
nished his instruments in warm reddish or
yellow color. After the year 1925 his violins
are said to have fallen off in workmanship;
the arching became little more raised, the
varnish of darker hue, and the tone less
brilliant. He had become an aged man, and
doubtless left the work to his SONS, only CIV
ing them directions He died in Cremona in
1877, having attained the age of SO. The
ticket which accompanied his instruments
commonly bore the inscription: "Antonius
Stradivarius Cremona tacibat anno-."
There is a vast difference between four
buis d. or, the usual price of the violin then,
and one thousand dollars, the sum the same
instrument would bring now. And yet three
times this amount has several times been paid
for genuine Stradivarius, while one thou
sand guineas, it is said, were once refused for
one. .f. -. f. .'.
The most wonderful price ever paid, taken
at its present value, was given for Steiner
violin-1, 500 acres of land, on which large
part of the city of Pittsburg now stands, were
exchanged for one in the early par. Of this
century. The Steiner violins are noted for
their sparkling, fute-like quality of tone, es.
pecially on the first string. They are of Ger
man manufacture, and are made in Tyrol.
Jacob Steiner in his old age retired to Ben
edictine monastery, where, it is said, he lost
his reason, from modification at having sold
his violins so cheap. However that may be,
his most famous instruments were made du-
ring the latter part of his life; one Of these,
known as "Steiner's Elector," from his having
made one for each of the twelve electors,
brought, in the year 1771, no less than $500
forms.
The 18th century produced almost all the
great violin-makers. The next, perhaps, to
Stradivarius, ranks his pupil, Guarnerius,
sometimes called "del Jesu," on account Of the
II. H. S." often marked on his tickets. He
worked at Cremona until 1745, the year of
his death. Unfortunately, in his latest days,
be became careless and addicted to drink.
For long time he was imprisoned but the
jailor's daughter fell in love with him, and
brought him materials to make his violins,
selling them for him when finished. In his
best days he was most fastidious in the choice
of his wood and varnish, which was brown
i,h red. Paganini used to play on one Of his
violins; and Spohr said of another that it was
the finest instrument in the world.-1he
Aldine.