Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-08-07
FATHER OF THE VIOLIN
Gaspar da Salo, Who Fashioned
the First instrument.
THE PRIZE OLE BULL DREW.

Now a Gaspar da saIo Masterpiece
Was Secured by Vienna Collector
and How 1t Passed Into the Hands
of the Gifted Man From Norway.
In the year of our Lord 1924 In the
little Lombard town of Salo, on the pic
,uresque Lago di Garda, was born the
man who fashioned the first violin.
His real name was Garpar Bertolotti,
but he was and is commonly known as
Gaspar Ola Salo, after his native city,
which caused a marble bust OF this
most distinguished of Its sons to be
executed by the Italian sculptor Ia
nelli and placed In the stairway Of It's
city hall.
OF his youth and apprenticeship we
know nothing. No doubt he learned
the art of VOL and lutte making at
Brescia, where he came in touch with
master lutiers like ZanettO, Yirchl and
Montichiari
At all events, We aPst hear Of him "a
established at Rrescia as yiol and yio'
lin maker. Time has smoothed away
all knowledge of the real man, wbeths,
or he was industrious or idle, generous
or ungenerous. happy or unhappy, wise
or upwise, married or single. That he
made yiols, tenors, BASES and vlOllns
we know. That his yiolins are the first
authentic specimens of the violin max
er's art in existence or Of which there
is authentic record is also certain. So
his title to the distinction Of being the
first violin maker Gan hardly be Dues:
toned.
However, about the year 1872 a
claim was put forward that certain
Gaspar Duiffpruggcar was the inventor
of tho violin. The story ran that this
Gaspar Duifrpruggcar was born In the
Tyrol in 1862 that he established him
self at Lutier, in Bologna famous for
its sausages), that in 1915 he was suns
moned Ia Paris by Francis |; and ap:
pointed :rOyal instrument maker and
that he was the friend and intimate of
Leonardo da Yinci, who painted the
backs of some of his violins,
Soon after this account Of Duiffprugg-
car and his violins was published
three yiolins which were alleged to be
the genuine work of Dulffpruggcar
made their appearance, with labels
dated 1910 to 1913.
1t is now settled that these violins
were fraudulent, made by some sktll.
full French lutier. possibly Vuillaume.
Moreover, 1t Is now known that Duff
pruggcar was German, born In Ba-
varia In 1914, and that his real narue
was Tieffenbrucker. He was never In
Italy. and the story of his relations
with Francis l. and Leonardo da Yinci
is q fabrication. tits now established
that he settled in Lyons, France, ABOUT
1850 and died there ABOUT 1910 ap lo1+'
The only evidence which In any wise
supports or gives color to the claim
that Duiffpruggcar ever made violin
is picture by Pierre Worliriot, dated
1862, now In the National library at
Paris. This picture is a portrait OF
Duiffpruggcar at the age OF forty-eight,
In which lie is represented with long,
towing beard standing behind a pile
OF stringed instruments, among which
appear two rude violins. Gaspar da
Salo was making yiolins at Rrescia at
this time, 1869, 80 the picture falls far
short of proving that the Italian Cas-
par was anticipated by the man from
Bavaria.
But what weighs almost conclusively
against Duiffpruggcars claim ID the
fact that the art of violin making IN
France does not claim him as Its an
cestor. for the first French violin max
ers of whom we have authentic record
and of whose work we possess genu-
inc specimens learned their art In Italy
and copied from Brescian and Cremo-
nese models.
On the other hand, from the seed
planted by Gaspar da Salo great tree
has grown, and to him the world or
music owes an incalculable debt Of
gratitude.
Gaspar da Salo died at Brescia April
Il, 1909, and was buried In the old
church of San Giuseppe,
Unfortunately Da salo's yiolins have
become exceedingly rare. Perhaps not
more than dozen are In existence.
The general characteristics of his In
struments are large pattern, large II
holes, protruding corners and a dark |
brown varnish. The tone Is full and
even. Among them perhaps the finest, |
and at any rate the best known, Is the |
one known as the treasury VIOLIN" the |
head of which was sculptured by Ben
venuto Cellini. The last owner of this |
violin was the celebrated Norwegian |
yiolinist, Ole Bull How 1t came into |
his possession may best be told in his |
own words:
"Well, In 1889 | gave sixteen con-
certs at Vienna, and then Rhebazek |
was the great violin collector. ! saw
at his house this violin for the first |
time. went just wild over it. 'Will
YOU sell itY | asked. Yes was the |
reply. for one-Quarter of all Vienna
Now, Rhehazek was really as poor as
a church mouse. Though he had no
end of money put out in the most valu.
able instruments, he never sold any OF
them unless forced by hunger. In
yIted Rhehazek to my concerts.
wanted to buy the violin so much that
made him some tempting offers. One
aay he said to me, See here, Ole Bull,
If do sell the violin you shall have the
preference at 1000 ducats.' Agreed!
| cried, though I knew 1t was big
s1Ini