CHAP. Til.] 



STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. 



147 



the violin, and the nature of the substance with which the sounding- 

 box is constructed. He himself made a trapezoidal violin, with flat 

 plates and rectilinear sides, and this form in a musical point of view, 

 had good qualities. But violins ' of glass, china, and metal, which 

 have been tried, are worthless. Evidently, the specific lightness of 

 the plates, the fibrous nature of the deal used for the belly, and its 

 elasticity, are conditions essential to the regularity and fulness of the 

 vibrations. The best instrument-makers know and apply the rules of 

 their art traditionally : the variable thicknesses of the wood for the 

 plates on the different parts of their surfaces, the quality of the wood, 

 the relative proportions of each part of the instrument, the fitting, 

 and lastly, and above all, the nature of 

 the varnish applied to the outside surfaces 

 of the violin, form a series of facts acquired 

 by long practice and numerous experi- 

 ments, the scientific analysis of which 

 would be very delicate and difficult. 



The age of violins, and their constant 

 use in the hands of first : rate players, 

 appear to have an effect on their qualities ; 

 it is possible that the elasticity of the 

 fibres is developed under the influence of 

 regular and accomplished playing. This 

 is the opinion of artists and physicists of 

 note. 1 



But it must not be forgotten that the 

 beauty of the tone of an instrument of this 

 kind depends, in great measure, on the 



talent of the artist in whose hands it may be. Nearly his whole skill, 

 from this point of view, lies in regulating the pressure by which his 

 right arm, or more properly speaking, his right hand directs the bow, 

 and the clearness and force with which the fingers of the left hand 

 press the strings. The purity of the notes, their power, mellowness, 

 the thousand varied expressions, of which they are susceptible, all 

 these marvellous qualities depend doubtless on the excellence of the 



1 Helmholtz says : " A great deal of the superiority of old violins may well be 

 due to their age and long use, which two circumstances cannot but favour the 

 development of the elasticity of the wood." 



L 2 



FIG. 99. Savart's trapezoidal violin. 



