Chapter I: Front Matter

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ANTONIO STRADIVARI.

PRINTED BY E. SHORE AND CO.,

3, GREEN TERRACE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, LONDON, E.C.

_"THE STRAD" LIBRARY, No. VIII._

ANTONIO STRADIVARI,

BY
HORACE PETHERICK.

_Of the Music Jury, International Inventions Exhibition,
South Kensington, 1885; International Exhibition,
Edinburgh, 1890; Expert in Law Courts, 1891;
Vice-President of the Cremona Society._

COPYRIGHT.

London:
"THE STRAD" OFFICE, 3. GREEN TERRACE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, E.C.
E. DONAJOWSKI, 26, CASTLE STREET, BERNERS STREET, W.
D. R. DUNCAN, 186, FLEET STREET, E.C.

1900

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER I.

Date and Place of Birth of Antonio Stradivari--His Instructor
in the Art of Violin Making--Peculiarity of His Early
Work, Nothing Striking, but Slowly Progressive--Which
of the Designs of His Master He was Most Impressed
by, and His Own Modifications for Improvement--His
Departure from the House of His Master Free to Carry
Out His Own Inclinations 1

CHAPTER II.

Details of Further Improvements upon His New Designs--Modification
of the Soundholes--The Amati Varnish and
Stradivari's--His Secrecy of Method in Working--His
Knowledge of What was Wanted and Efforts at Advance
in Tone Quality 8

CHAPTER III.

The Date of the True Stradivarian Individuality--Alterations
in Design--Proportions Settled for Good--The Exceptions--The
"Long Strad"--The "Inlaid Strads"--An
Acknowledged Master of His Art--Black Edging--The
Arching and Channelling--The Brescians, the Amatis and
Stradivari 13

CHAPTER IV.

Lesser Known Patterns of Stradivari--The Treatment of the
Scroll by Him--The Individuality and Maturing of the
Style--The Purfling 19

CHAPTER V.

Stradivari's Great Success--His So-called "Grand Epoch"--His
Patrons--His Violins Reputed for Tone when Quite
New and Sought After--The Help He Received--His
Assistants and Pupils--Parts of the Work Requiring His
Individual Touch--The Members of His Family who may
have Assisted Him--Stradivari's Varnish--His Imitators 22

CHAPTER VI.

Some Modifications in Stradivari's Works--Variation in Finish
of Details--The Interior of His Violins--The Blocks and
Linings--The Bar--Thicknesses of the Tables--Heads or
Scrolls of His Different Periods 42

CHAPTER VII.

Stradivari's Tone and System--Those of His Pupils and
Assistants--Qualities of Tone Produced in Different
Localities 56

CHAPTER VIII.

The Reputed Golden Period of Stradivari Late in Life--His
Later Modifications of Design--Signs of Old Age Appearing--The
Help He Received 70