Chapter XXI: Notes on Tone

CARRYING POWER: Carrying power distinct from loudness of tone--True toned violin rarely seems loud to the player--How such violins are abused--What players do not always realise--Carrying power and its relation to tone explained. QUANTITY _VERSUS_ QUALITY: A quotation very much to the point--A warning to be remembered--Importance of good tone--The player’s limits in tone--How the violin’s tone-capacity affects the player. FLEXIBILITY OF TONE: The meaning of flexibility--What the tone loses without it--Its importance to the student and artist. TONE FAILURE: Violins which “lose their voice”--Conditions responsible--Reasons suggested for the failure in old violins and new. FIDDLES CLASSIFIED: Difficulties of tonal classification render results only approximately accurate--May be roughly divided into four groups: (1) Superior tone--The violins possessing it; (2) Excellent tone--Where it is found--Difficulties of selection--Ancient and modern fiddles--Human limits and consecutive reproduction of superior tone; (3) Good tone--Wide range for selection. Where this tone is usually found. Expert advice essential in selection; (4) “Just Fiddles”--What they are--Their legitimate place--Those to whom they bring pleasure. A STRANGE BELIEF: A quotation and comments thereon--“Stradivari as a failure if living to-day!” TONE HEALTH: Some habits and fallacies--Fresh air and the fiddle--Musty fiddle cases--The carelessness of violinists--A suggested vandalism. TONAL MISJUDGMENT: A few instances--A professional violinist and two violins--The opinions of himself and those of his hearers--A Stradivari violin and a talented amateur--His mistake and the result--An artist, an expert, and a poor toned violin--The result--Some great players and their tone--Where it fails--A player of ability and a factory fiddle--Its “suitable” tone--Accessories and tone--The important accessories of the violin--The sound post--What it may do and what the player should do--The bridge--How to keep it in the correct position--Strings--Some simple advice--The bow--A few remarks on its selection--The fiddle doctor--Deceptive simplicity of the violin--What to do in the case of accidents, etc. 111-126

CONCLUSION 127

ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL VIOLIN MAKERS 129

VIOLIN TONE AND VIOLIN MAKERS