The Violin Part 22

In referring to this lady's professional achievements, one of those who refuse to consider violin-playing as "an excellent thing in woman," has indulged in the following remarks: "It is said, by fabulous writers, that Minerva, happening to look into a stream whilst playing her favorite instrument, the flute, and perceiving the distortion of countenance it occasioned, was so much disgusted, that she cast it away, and dashed it to pieces! Although I would not recommend, to any lady playing on a valuable Cremona fiddle, to follow the example of the G.o.ddess, yet it strikes me that, if she is desirous of enrapturing her audience, she should display her talent in a situation where there is only just light enough to make darkness visible."-Shall we reply, ladies, to a detractor who is forced to seek support for his opinions in "fabulous writers," and, even then, drags forward that which is no parallel case? Nay, nay, let him pa.s.s! Let him retire into the darkness which he so unwarrantably recommends to others!

LUIGIA GERBINI, who ranks among the pupils of Viotti, attained considerable credit as a performer. In 1799, her execution of some violin concertos, between the acts, at the Italian Theatre in Lisbon, was attended with marked success; as were afterwards her vocal exertions at the same Theatre. This lady visited Madrid in 1801; and, some years later, gave evidence of her instrumental talent at some public concerts in London.

SIGNORA PARAVICINI, another pupil of Viotti's, earned a widely spread fame as a violinist. At Milan, where various fetes were given in celebration of the battle of Lodi, the wife of Bonaparte was very favorably impressed, during one of these, by the talents of Madame Paravicini. Josephine, a woman of generosity as well as taste, became the patroness of this lady, engaged her to instruct her son, Eugene Beauharnois, and afterwards took her to Paris. However, for some reason not publicly known, Madame Paravicini was, after a time, neglected by Josephine; in consequence of which, and of other misfortunes, she became so distressed in her circ.u.mstances, as to be compelled to live on the money produced by the sale of her wearing-apparel. Driven at last to the utmost exigence, she had no remaining resource, except that of applying to the benevolence of the Italians then in Paris, who enabled her to redeem her clothes, and return to Milan. There, her abilities again procured her competence and credit. Her performance was much admired also at Vienna, where, in 1827, she

"Flourished her _bow_, and showed how _fame_ was won."

According to the report which travelled in her favour from thence, she evinced a full and pure tone-a touch possessing the solidity and decision of the excellent school in which were formed a Kreutzer and a Lafont-and a mode of bowing so graceful, as to triumph over all preconceived ideas of the awkwardness of the instrument in a female hand. Madame Paravicini, in the course of her professional migrations, was performing at Bologna in the year 1832.

CATARINA CALCAGNO, born at Genoa in 1797, received, as a child, some instructions from the potential Paganini; and, at the age of fifteen, astonished Italy by the fearless freedom of her play-but seems to have left no traces of her career, beyond the year 1816.

Madame KRAHMEN, in 1824, executed a violin concerto of Viotti's, with great spirit and effect, at a concert in Vienna. At Prague, in the same year, a young lady named SCHULZ gave public delight as a violin performer. Mademoiselle ELEANORA NEUMANN, of Moscow, pupil of Professsor Morandi, also astonished the public in like manner at Prague, and at Vienna, when she had scarcely reached her tenth year! She is said to have treated the instrument with great effect, and with a precision and purity of tone not always to be found in those "children of _larger_ growth" who are content to subst.i.tute feats of skill, in place of these essential requisites.

Madame FILIPOWICZ, of Polish derivation, has given us evidence, in London, not many years since, of the success with which feminine sway _may_ be exercised over the most difficult of instruments.

The instances I have thus brought forward will probably be deemed sufficient-_else_ were it easy to go backward again in date, and to mention Horace Walpole's visit to St. Cyr, in one of the apartments of which serious establishment, he beheld the young ladies dancing minuets and country-dances, while a nun, albeit "not quite so able as St.

Cecilia," played on the violin!-Or, I might allude to the threefold musical genius of Mrs. Sarah Ottey, who, in 1721-22, frequently performed solos at concerts, on the harpsichord, violin, and base-viol!

Enough, however, has been produced, to shew "quid femina possit"-what the fair s.e.x _can_ achieve, upon the first and most fascinating of instruments.

THE END.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] M. Cartier, Musicien de la Chapelle du Roi, announced for publication, several years ago, an "Essai Historique sur le Violon, et sur les progres de l'Art Musical, depuis le moyen age." This announcement was accompanied by the following observations:-"An Historical Essay upon the Violin may, at first sight, appear to many to possess but little interest. They will not readily believe that it is capable of exciting their liveliest curiosity, and of presenting an object of real utility, inasmuch as an attempt will be made to lead the mind from the mere mechanism of the art to a moral and scientific view of the subject, and to a consideration how far the _beau ideal_ of music is indebted to the violin. The author proves that this instrument was unknown to _the ancients_, and derives its origin from the _Druids of Gaul_, from whom it afterwards pa.s.sed to the bards of Scotland-that, from this obscure beginning, it made its way through the dark ages, with slow but certain success, till the beginning of the 17th century, when it attained the first rank among instruments."-(_Harmonicon_, 1827.) I have not been able to discover whether this promised treatise has yet seen the light. The idea of tracing the instrument to the _Druids of Gaul_ seems more romantic than rational; but it would be something gained for _la gloire de la France_, could such a theory be substantiated.

[2] In England, during the time here referred to, the instruments of the viol cla.s.s were so much in favour that every considerable family had, as a necessary part of its establishment, a complete _chest of viols_, that is to say, a treble, tenor and ba.s.s-viol, each played with a bow, and bearing such proportion to one another as do the modern violin, tenor and violoncello.

[3] "Memoirs of the Musical Drama."

[4] M. Baillot makes a somewhat longer draft upon the past tense; for he states, that for nearly _three hundred years_ back there has been no change in the structure of the violin.-Introduction to the "Methode de Violon du Conservatoire."

[5] They who enjoy the advantage of access to curious books may see a figure of a Provencal Fiddler in "Diez, Poesie der Troubadour." Viol was the old Norman French name for the fiddle used by the minstrels of the middle ages, which was furnished variously with 3, 4, 5, or 6 strings.

Viula was the Provencal term-and arson, or arcon, for the _bow_.

[6] "It is a kinde of disparagement to be a cunning fiddler."-_Feltham._

[7] The lute, of which hardly the shape, and still less the sound, are now known, was, during the 16th and 17th centuries, the favourite chamber instrument of every nation in Europe.

[8] According to Strutt, the name of _fiddlers_ was applied to the _minstrels_ as early, at least, as the 14th century. "It occurs (says that writer) in the Vision of Pierce the Ploughman, where we read, 'not to fare as a fydeler, or a frier, to seke feastes.' It is also used, but not sarcastically, in the poem of Launfel:-

They had menstrelles of moche honours, Fydelers, sytolyrs, and trompoters.

"I remember also (says Strutt) a story recorded in a ma.n.u.script, written about the reign of Edward III, of a young man of family, who came to a feast, where many of the n.o.bility were present, in a vesture called a coat bardy, cut short in the German fas.h.i.+on, and resembling the dress of a minstrel. The oddity of his habit attracted the notice of the company, and especially of an elderly knight, to whom he was well known, who thus addressed him: "Where, my friend, is your fiddle, your ribible, or suchlike instrument belonging to a minstrel?" "Sir," replied the young man, "I have no crafte nor science in using such instruments." "Then,"

returned the knight, "you are much to blame; for, if you choose to debase yourself and your family by appearing in the garb of a minstrel, it is fitting you should be able to perform his duty."

[9] The miserable state of itinerant fiddlers, and other musicians, is described by Putenham, in his _Arte of English Poesie_, printed in 1589; and Bishop Hall, the satirist, adverting to their low condition, describes them as

Selling a laughter for a cold meale's meat.

[10] The learned Wilhelm Grimm, who quotes this curious record from _Storck, Darstellungen aus dem Rhein-und Mosellande_, conceives that this armorial bearing fully explains the allusion to the fiddle of Volker, the accomplished musician and warrior in the old poem of the "Nibelungen Lied" (supposed of the 12th century), and forms a key to the enigma of his being exhibited in the joint capacity of champion and fiddler, and bearing his fiddle, that is, his _arms_, into the battle with him.

[11] The readiness of an apothecary to _take up a viol_ does not seem, after all, a thing so much out of course. The singularity is, rather, that he should be able to _make so little of it_.

[12] The viol, less powerful and penetrating than its supplanter, the violin, was not without its recommendatory qualities. Hawkins speaks of "the sweet and delicate tone which distinguishes the viol species." Old Thomas Mace, who wrote when the viol was declining in fas.h.i.+on, was emphatic in its praise. "Your best provision," says he, "and most compleat, will be a good _chest of_ viols; six in number, viz. 2 ba.s.ses, 2 tenors, and 2 trebles; all truly and proportionally suited."

[13] According to this loose diction of honest Anthony's, it would appear as if Troylus and Achilles had exhibited a rivalry on the violin, like Lafont and Paganini!

[14] That the Italians (says M. Choron) have perfected every sort of vocal composition, is generally agreed; but a fact which is apt to be overlooked, is that they have been the instructors of all Europe in instrumental composition, and that to them we are indebted for the first and most esteemed models in that department of the art. It is the Italians who invented all the various kinds of instrumental music which we have called single pieces or solos, from the sonata to the concerto.

In violin music, Corelli, Tartini, and their pupils, preceded the composers of all the other nations of Europe, to whom they have served as models. The same may be said with regard to the harpsichord, from Frescobaldi to Clementi. All other single pieces have been constructed on the model of the compositions for the two instruments just named.

[15] At the time of Corelli's greatest reputation, Geminiani asked Scarlatti what he thought of him. The man of hard learning replied that "he found nothing greatly to admire in his composition, but was extremely struck with the manner in which he played his concertos, and his nice management of his band, the uncommon accuracy of whose performance gave the concertos an amazing effect, even to the _eye_, as well as to the ear; for (as Geminiani explained) Corelli regarded it as essential to a band that their bows should all move exactly together, _all up_, or _all down_; so that, at his rehearsal, which constantly preceded every public performance of his Concertos, he would immediately stop the band, if he saw an irregular bow.

We may smile a little at Scarlatti's criticism; but the smile may extend at the same time to the quaint precision of the Corellian custom it notices:-a custom which suggests the idea of military mechanism, as well as military time; or rather, which reminds us, in a still more lively manner, of the old nursery paean.

Here we go up, up, up, And here we go down, down, downy!

Scarlatti (it may be here observed) was the first who introduced into his airs, accompaniments for the violin, as well as bits of symphony;-thus both enriching the melody, and giving relief to the singer.

[16] The only English editions of the above-named works are those published by Messrs. Robert c.o.c.ks and Co.; one of which editions is printed from the original plates of copper, which formed part of the stock of Walsh, who printed for Handel.

[17] Burney has made the mistake of stating that the work dedicated to the Cardinal was the _Opera Quinta_; and, although this was obviously a mere slip of the pen, carrying with it its own contradiction, it is curious to observe with what easy acquiescence the successive English Compilers have reprinted the error.

[18] The overture is inserted in the printed collections of Handel's Overtures; and it is conjectured that it was the _first_ movement which appeared so difficult to Corelli.

[19] This must have happened about the year 1708; as it appears that Scarlatti was settled at Rome from 1709 to the time of his decease.

Corelli's Concertos therefore must have been composed many years before they were published.

[20] The coincidences suggested by this juxta-position are so inviting for an epigrammatic twist, that the indulgent reader will perhaps, pardon the following attempt:

Each heading, in his art, the school of Rome, Painter and Fiddler here have found their tomb.

Though dead in body, both in fame are quick- Fame wrought with _hair_ appended to a _stick_!

So Genius triumphs, and her sway extends, By means minute attaining greatest ends.

[21] Dr. Burney dates his birth 1666; but Sir John Hawkins, who a.s.signs the date above given, is the more likely to be correct, as he was personally acquainted with Geminiani.

[22] According to Dr. Burney's reckoning, his term of years would have been 96: the reason for supposing that authority erroneous has been already stated.

[23] It is a somewhat curious circ.u.mstance that the descendant of Carbonelli, with an _i_ less than his progenitor, is at this day exercising that very liquid calling which finally prevailed with the man of music. Whether, besides selling superlative wine, he makes any pretension to support the ancestral honors on the violin, is a point I am unable to determine.

[24] There is another account of this love episode in Tartini's life, which does not conduct it so far as matrimony, but represents that, when all the arguments of his friends against the match were found to be without effect, his father was compelled to confine him to his room; and that, in order to engage his attention, he furnished him with books and musical instruments, by means of which he _soon overcame his pa.s.sion_!

This statement, so opposed to the general experience of such matters, will easily be discredited by all youthful hearts. Cure a young gentleman's pa.s.sion, his first love, by locking him up in a study!

Preposterous. Let us cling to the more current account, and confide in probability and Dr. Burney.

[25] Of several treatises which Tartini has written, the one most celebrated, his "Trattato di Musica, secondo in vera scienza dell'

Armonia," is that in which he unfolds the nature of this discovery, and deduces many observations tending to explain the musical scale, and, in the opinion of some persons, to correct several of the intervals of which it is composed.

[26] For Tartini's judicious letter of elementary hints, addressed to Madame Sirmen, see the chapter on _Female Violinists_.