Chapter IX: On the Construction of the Violin

The subject stated—Otto’s treatise—the component parts of the
violin—the _Cremonas_ and their makers—HIERONYMUS AMATI—ANTONIUS
AMATI—NICHOLAS AMATI—ANTONIUS STRADUARIUS—JOSEPH
GUARNERIUS—distinguishing characteristics of these makers—Tyrolese
instruments—JACOB STEINER—later Tyrolese makers—KLOTZ—STATELMANN,
of Vienna, and others—repairers—the principles of construction—the
bass-bar, sound post, bridge, _f_ holes, &c.—strings (called
Roman) from Milan—means of producing a smooth, clear tone—ANDREAS
AMATI—GASPAR DE SALO—GIOVANNI GRANZINO—GIOVANNI PAOLO
MAGINI—career of ANTONIO STRADIVARI, GIUSEPPE GUARNERI, and of
JACOB STEINER—notable sums offered for
instruments—imitators—RICHARD DUKE and the London makers—M.
CHANOT’S investigation into the true form of the violin—result—M.
SAVART’S experiments—M. VUILLAUME’S copies—his adventures in
search of materials—copies Paganini’s Guarnerius—his
probity—specimens at the Great Exhibition of All
Nations—construction of bows—Beware of Vampers!—_pp. 341, et seq._

CHAPTER X.

MISCELLANEOUS ANECDOTES, COLLECTED SCRAPS, ECCENTRIC VARIETIES,
&C.

Characteristics of the fiddle species—a caricature
repudiated—ambition let down—a new resource in difficulty—a
prejudice overcome—fifty years’ fiddling—another fifty years of
it—glory made out of shame—discrimination—the Cremona fiddle—an
apt quotation—the leading instrument victorious—sending for
time-keepers—musical exaction—a device for a dinner—a ‘practising’
coachman—a footman to match—a royal ‘whereabout’—precocious
performers—fiddlers’ tricks—eccentric varieties of the violin
kind—the fiddle of Ireland—of Tartary—African fiddle—Greek
fiddle—an eight-stringed violin—an intermediate
instrument—something _more_ than a violin—an air violin—automaton
violinist—the street-fiddler—epigrams.—_pp. 364, et seq._

THE VIOLIN,

ETC.