Evening star., 1932-09-19
ANCIENT MUSICAL
PIECES ARE BOUGHT
Portion of Arnold DoImetsch
Collection Acquired by
FoIger Library.
BY JAMES WALDO FAWCETT.


A portion of the celebrated Arnold
Dolmetsch collection of ancient musical
instruments has been purchased by the
trustees of the Folger Shakespeare
Memorial Library and will be placed
on exhibition in the new library
building.
These acquisitions are six in number
and are in each instance of the type
which Shakespeare knew and to which
he made frequent reference in his plays.
First on the list is lutte made by
Michele Flarton at Padova or Padua,
Italy, in 1898. 1t bears a label, giving
the place and date, and is stamped with
the initials of the maker.
The second item Is an Italian cypress
wood clavichord of peculiar shape and
construction. Mr.. Dolmetsch considers
1t "a unique example of an early
clavichord that is. 'bundfrei' through
out except in the extreme bass Its
date is given as about 1000.
Music Desk.
The third piece is an Italian cypress
wood wing shaped virginia. or clavi-
cembalo with music desk. The desk is
stained, and Mr.. Dolmetsch suggests
this fact indicates it was the property
Oh d COI1lpOSeI, NIlO WlOlC lllS az
the instrument 1t was made about
1910, and was restored by Pietro
Antonio Gait at Florence, Italy, in 1854.
The fourth item is an English treble
Viol. made by John Strong OF Somerset
about 1870 An exceptionally beautiful
example of refined Workmanship. the
:rain of the wood at the back suggests
the figure of a tortoise. The word
"chelys," signifying "the tortoise" was
the scientific name for the viol.
viola de gambia, called by Shakespeare
viol de gamboys. Its date is about 1915.
The back is beautifully inlaid in typical
English style and workmanship.
The sixth piece is an italian pentago-
nal virginals without stand. 1t was
intended to be placed on table, and
its outer case is of recent make. The
instrument proper is of cypress wood
carved rose of surprising beauty and
delicacy.
Genuineness Certified.
Mr.. Dolmetsch has certified the gen.
uineness of all the group. They are in
condition to be played. Three of the
instruments were used on the occasion
Of the dedication of the library, April
% last.
lhe purchase OF l1le pieces Ildu OcSll
contemplated by Mr. Folger for sew
eral years before his death. in 1880.
1t was his desire to add to his collec-
ton representative instruments OF
Shakespeare's time and he had made
careful study of the subject.
Shakespeare's reference to the viola
da gambia occurs in Twelfth Night"
He speaks of the lutte in many of his
works. and mentions the viol in Rich
ard II" and in 'Periclec."
Nj. Dolmetsch's home is at Hasle-
mere. Surrey, England. There he has
his workshop and studio. and there each
Summer he gives festival of old cham
Der music, playing the instruments of
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
the clarichord. viol. lutte, dulcimer and
other ancient musical inventions whose
names have 'retreated into poetry
Appeared in Concert Tour.
About 20 years ago he made an
American concert tour, accompanied
bv his wife. their sons. Rudolph and
Carl. and their two daughters. A FAM
ilv group of artists, their repertoire
stops with Mozart They are devoted
to Purcell, Corelli, Veracini, Diego Pisa
dor, Foruueray. Albinoni and Martin
Pearson, and are keen students of Bach,
but more modern masters they ignore
Mr.. Dolmetsch believes mo art can
develop healthily unless grounded upon
a real direct comprehension of the
achievement of past generations. The
neglect of this truth is the principal
cause of the futile striving after origi-
nality and the misguided experiments
which have brought music to its present
chaos"
To the modern ear the music of the
six instruments acquired by the Folger
Library is thin and silvery, like the
tinkle Of a woodland brook. 1t is ex-
ceedingly sweet and clear in timbre or
tone color