The Violoncello and Its History

FOOTNOTES

[1] In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries the name “Geige” violin, then in ordinary use, must not be confounded with the violin of our time. This term was not applied to the more modern instrument until later.

[2] A more detailed account of the above stringed instruments and their precursors is contained in my work, “The Violin and its Masters,” Second Edition (Leipsic: Breitkopf and HÄrtel), and “History of Instrumental Music in the Sixteenth Century” (Berlin: Brachvogel and Ranft), therefore a repetition of what is there said is unnecessary.

[3] The “big fiddle” of the sixteenth century must not be confounded with the stringed instrument of that time, of which the pitch answered to our modern Contra-basso, and in Italy was already called “Violone,” as appears from Laufranco’s “Scintille,” 1533.

[4] The word “beschriben” refers to the letters which, for the convenience of the player, it was the custom to mark for the fingers on the fingerboard.

[5] The artist who drew the sketches of the instrument for Gerle’s “Musica Teutsch” has left out the bridge in the “great viola.” See page 2.

[6] See the article “Kerl.”

[7] Also at the present time it is a family name. We need only mention G. H. Bruno Kerl, Professor of the Royal Berg Academy at Berlin.

[8] Other authorities, however, say he was a Breton—FÉtis, Casimir Colomb &c.—(Tr.)

[9] The name Duiffopruggar doubtless came from the same source as the surname Tieffenbrucker, still existing in South Germany.

[10] Mr. Heron Allen in his “Violin Making, &c.,” page 74, says that two were recovered.—(Tr.)

[11] The same Prince to whom Corelli dedicated his “Concerti Grossi,” published in 1712.

[12] Herr Obernetter, of Munich, has taken two beautiful photographs of this richly decorated instrument, which reproduce with great accuracy all its peculiarities. As far as I know they can still be purchased.

[13] Here may be mentioned also a third magnificent gamba, that of Vincenzo Ruger, said to have been made in Cremona in 1702. It is distinguished not only for its beautiful exterior in every respect, but also by an extraordinarily sonorous and unusually fine quality of tone, which combines the resonant character of the gamba with that of the violoncello. The latter circumstance is attributed to the fact that the back, which is usually flat in the ordinary gamba, is arched in this one. This instrument, which has been lately purchased by the Prussian Government for the Berlin Museum, was formerly in the possession of Herr Paul de Wit, in Leipsic. The account of instrument making published by him contains (Vol. VI., No. 21) a description and illustration of the gamba in question.

[14] Violuntzes is synonymous with the old French instrument, violonsse. Vide Grimm’s Dictionary of the German Language.

[15] The Kammerthon or chamber-pitch, as distinguished from the obsolete “Chorton” or choir-pitch, which formerly prevailed in German churches, was a tone, or even more, higher than the secular pitch.—(Tr.)

[16] “Faburden,” according to Mr. Niecks.—(Tr.)

[17] Concerning this, see my “History of Instrumental Music” in the Century, page 107.

[18] By the word concert, Mersennus means concerted piece.

[19] Maugars is called in the “Historiettes de Tellemant des RÉaux,” as FÉtis informs us, the “greatest fool that had ever lived.” His “RÉponse faite À un curieux” (completely unprejudiced, although somewhat conceited) in no way agrees with this. It is easy to discover that Maugars was not liked by his countrymen, because he openly declared that French music was far behind the Italian. On that account he had incurred the displeasure of French artists. The Parisian musician, Corrette, in the eighteenth century, was guilty of the same offence. He had been candid enough to say to the French that the standard of French violin playing of the eighteenth century was, compared to the Italian, in a disorganised condition. In retaliation they called his pupils scornfully “les anachorÈtes” (“les Ânes À Corette”).

[20] I give this and the following quotations from Maugars’ writings, according to my translations in the monthly parts of the “History of Music,” published in the year 1878.

[21] The English writers on music affirm that the well-known composer, Ferabosco, who was born at Greenwich in the second half of the sixteenth century, and who was also called Alfonso, was the son of the above Ferabosco, with which the remarks of Maugars agree. FÉtis doubts the truth of the assertion made by the English writers on music. The younger Ferabosco appears also to have been a gamba player, for he published, in the year 1609, in London, “Lessons for one, two, and three viols.” He died in 1665.

[22] See my work “The Violin and its Masters,” Part ii., p. 203.

[23] His name was usually written Sympson, but he sometimes himself spelled it Simpson.—(Tr.)

[24] This seems to have been the title of the first edition, a copy of which is in the possession of Messrs. Hill, of New Bond Street.—(Tr.)

[25] This work contains, besides the viola tutor, an introduction to violin playing. It is the first attempt at a violin school.

[26] Thomas Campion was a physician, poet, and musician in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and an authority on music. He published two books of Ayres, and various other pieces, besides the above.—(Tr.)

[27] He has already been mentioned, p. 13.

[28] Michael Corrette ascribes this to Sainte-Colombe in his violoncello school, which appeared in 1741, concerning which we shall speak farther on.

[29] Concerning this instrument, Mattheson says: “The Angelique, somewhat resembling the lute, must have been far easier to play, and has more cords or strings, which one can accurately touch by reason of their arrangement without moving the left hand much. There is nothing specially besides to remember.” It was, therefore, an instrument of the lute kind.

[30] He was perhaps a brother or relation of the instrument maker Tielke mentioned pp. 7 and 8 of this work.

[31] Compare p. 8.

[32]

It is worthy of observation that this second fugue (D minor) has the theme which Mozart, nearly 100 years later, made use of for the second Finale of the “Magic Flute.” There is no doubt this was purely accidental, as Mozart could hardly have seen Schenk’s work.

[33] A MS. copy exists in the Royal Library at Berlin.

[34] The MS. is preserved in the Royal Library at Berlin.

[35] It is to be found in the autograph collection of Count Wimpfen at his estate near Gratz.

[36] According to FÜrstenau, Abel was engaged as violoncellist at Dresden. See his “History of Music and of the Theatre at the Elector of Saxony’s Court,” Vol. II., p. 240.

[37] Sebastian Bach’s youngest son, Joh. Christian, was born in 1735, in Leipsic, and died in London in 1782, whither he had gone in 1759 as Band Conductor.

[38] According to Pohl, the number of these metal strings was raised to twenty-seven. (S. C. F. Pohl: “Haydn,” I., 250.) Information regarding the barytone and barytone compositions are to be found there.

[39] Pohl: “Haydn,” I., 257.

[40] Gerber mentions him as a violoncellist, which must be a mistake, since in the Parisian Opera orchestra, up to 1727, as far as is known, only gambists were employed. He may, however, have played both instruments.

[41] See “The History of the Violin,” by W. Sandys and Simon Andrew Forster. London, 1864.

[42] What would Gerber have said had he lived to see the present demand for instruments required to make up an orchestra?

[43] Gerber’s “Old Musical Lexicon,” p. 617, and Note, p. 86.

[44] In the preface to the violoncello tutor already mentioned, by Corrette, the untenable assertion is made that the violoncello was discovered by Bonocin (Buononcini), “presÉntement MaÎtre de Chapelle du Roi de Portugal.” A Bononcini, with the Christian name of Domenico, actually lived in 1737 at the Lisbon Court. At that period, according to FÉtis, he must have been eighty-five years old. He must therefore have been born in 1652. He could not have invented the violoncello (if one could call it an invention), as it evidently existed before his birth. It is not even certain that Domenico Bononcini was a cellist. Possibly Corrette confounded him with Giov. Battista Bononcini mentioned later.

[45] Another inaccuracy in FÉtis’s “Stradivari,” p. 46, is that the name of violino “had already appeared in Lanfranco’s work ‘Scintille’ of 1533.” This announcement has caused some confusion. Before Lanfranco’s work was accessible to me, I also in bonÂ fide had made the same assertion in my “History of Instrumental Music of the Sixteenth Century” (p. 73), and I now correct it. The word “Violino” is not mentioned by Lanfranco, but in every case only the termination “Violone,” which is bass viol.

[46] See monthly Magazine for the History of Music, Year XVI., No. 3.

[47] The well-known violin maker, Aug. Riechers, in Berlin, possesses a violoncello by Gaspard da SalÒ (small size).

[48] The French call this kind of recitative accompaniment “le recitatif italien.”

[49] Accompanying the recitative with the cello was customary far into our century. I heard it in Italy at the representation of the old operas up to the year 1873. I am unable to say if the practice is continued. It has been abolished in Germany for the last ten years.

[50] The widespread opinion that Gius. Guarneri of the GesÙ did not make violoncellos is unfounded. Aug. Riecher informs me that Major H——r, in Berlin, is in possession of a cello which is undoubtedly genuine. Yet it seems as if this member of the Guarneri family had only made a limited number.

[51] The above sketch is taken from Corrette’s Violoncello Tutor, which was published in 1741.

[52] In my paper “The Violin and its Masters,” second edition (Breitkopf and HÄrtel), I have given a more detailed account of it as well as of the productions of the Italian, German, and French masters, which it is unnecessary to repeat here. See also the fabrication of musical instruments in Saxon Voigtland, by FÜrstenau and Berthold, 1876.

[53] Mattheson expresses himself about this in his original manner as follows: “The growling Violone (French, Basse de Violon; German, Grosse Bass Geige) is quite twice the size of the former, sometimes even more, consequently the strings, in thickness and length, are in proportion. They are of sixteen-feet tone, and most useful on the stage as a solid foundation for polyphonous pieces, such as choruses and similar things, as well as for airs and recitatives; its deep humming tone penetrates farther than the clavier and other bass instruments. It must, however, be heavy work if one has to practise this monster for three or four hours unceasingly.”

[54] Concerning this, I refer to my work “The Violin and its Masters,” second edition, 1883. (Breitkopf and HÄrtel, Leipsic.)

[55] Michael Corrette in the preface to his Violoncello Tutor refers to a stringed instrument in general use before the introduction of the violoncello into France with the tuning B, F, C, G, which he calls Basse de Violon. The instrument must be identical with the one described by Mattheson as Basse de Violon.

[56] FÜrstenau: “On the History of Music and the Theatre at the Court of the Princes of Saxony.”

[57] Hiller, Weekly News of May 21, 1770.

[58] Mattheson says, in his “Neu erÖffneten Orchestre,” that this instrument (Basse de Viole) was singularly prized and cultivated.

[59] H. Leblanc published a “DÉfense de la Basse de Viole contre les entreprises du Violon et les prÉtentions du Violoncel.” Amsterdam, 1740.—(Tr.)

[60] Some pieces composed for the viola d’amore by Ariosti, consisting of Cantabile, Vivace, Adagio, and Minuet, have been arranged by Alfred Piatti for the violoncello, and brought out lately in London.

[61] Concerning the diverse vicissitudes of Bononcini’s and Ariosti’s lives, which can find no particular mention here, see “Musical Lexicons,” extant.

[62] Born in 1649, at Trapani, in Sicily; died on October 24, 1725, at Naples. In Grove’s Dictionary, 1659 is given as the date of his birth—other authorities as above.—(Tr.)

[63] Gerber gives Venice as his birthplace; but in the Weekly News of the year 1770, Padua is mentioned, which is probably correct.

[64] In Jahn’s biography of Mozart is found the notice that Ferrari had been appointed to the Court of the Archbishop of Salzburg; at what period is not mentioned.

[65] FÉtis says in his “Biographie universelle des Musiciens” (Vol. II., 365): “The first edition of Corrette’s music tutor appeared in 1761.” On the title page, however, is plainly printed MDCCXL1. FÉtis has inadvertently put the number L before the X instead of after.

[66] The first edition of this appeared under the title: “Versuch einer GrÜndlichen Violinschule.”

[67] These cello pieces by Bach existed in all probability during this master’s directorship at KÖthen (1717-1723). Spitta: “Joh. Seb. Bach,” I., 678 and 707.

[68] Born towards the end of the seventeenth or the beginning of the eighteenth century, in Milan; died after 1770, in which year Burney found him still living.

[69] Born, in 1758, in Rome; died, 1832, in Paris. The two sonatas by San Martini and Porta have already been mentioned, p. 49.

[70] P. 29.

[71] “That which renders Boccherini’s compositions unlike all others of the kind is that he commonly assigns the principal part to the first violoncello.”—(Tr.)

[72] FÉtis mentions him as a mediocre composer. He was born at Perpignan in 1691, and died in Paris in 1765.

[73] The sketch of Schetky contained in Forster’s “History of the Violin,” deviates substantially from Gerber’s information, which I have followed. Forster says that this artist studied jurisprudence at Jena and, under Frederick the Great, followed as a volunteer the forces commanded by Blucher in the seven years’ war. Then he also mentions his being a pupil of Philip Em. Bach. Whether this statement have any real foundation, and to what extent, must remain undetermined.

[74] Gerber gives 1745 as the year of JÄger’s birth, and Lauterbach in Upper Hesse as the place.

[75] Ed. Hanslick: “History of Concert Life in Vienna,” p. 115.

[76] See p. 72.

[77] See p. 28.

[78] Concerning the brothers Duport, see the following section.

[79] According to FÉtis. Gerber says in his “Dictionary of Musicians” that, about the year 1755, a cellist, by name Virgil Michel, belonged to the orchestra at Munich. Apparently he is identical with the one mentioned by FÉtis.

[80] See the next section.

[81] FÉtis has mentioned the greater number of these compositions in the respective articles of his “Biographie Universelle des Musiciens.”

[82] It is to be found in Carl Bank’s recently published Haydn Symphonies in score. Compare also Pohl’s “Haydn Biography,” I., 229 and 285.

[83] Recently has come out a Duet (D major) in three movements for violin and violoncello, by J. Haydn, which he must have composed during his residence in London for a certain William Forster. These compositions recall, not only in respect of form, Tartini’s manner, so that one is induced to look upon them as Haydn’s early work, which he wrote down from memory as a recollection.

[84] This has already been mentioned. Page 49.

[85] Compare with p. 52 of this book.

[86] His name was written in various ways—viz., Bertaut, Bertault, Bertaud, and Berthaud. The above is the right way.

[87] Franciscello must accordingly have written for the cello.

[88] The “Concert Spirituel,” which was the oldest concert institution of the French capital, was founded in the year 1725.

[89] Compare pp. 77 and 83 of this book.

[90] FÉtis says 1788. The title-page, however, of this Sonata bears the date 1787, by the engraver’s own hand.

[91] This must not be taken word for word, for Corrette, in his violoncello school, gives directions with regard to double stopping, though very insufficient.

[92] See pp. 51 and 54 this book.

[93] FÉtis says that Aubert published “deux mÉthodes de violoncelle,” but immediately after speaks of one “livre ÉlÉmentaire” of the same author, so that it may easily be concluded the first assertion was an error.

[94] FÉtis says from the elder Duport. This is, however, impossible as he had already settled in Berlin, in 1773, from which place he did not again absent himself.

[95] TilliÈre’s violoncello school appeared in 1764, and those of Cupis and MÜntzberger, to all appearance, came out before 1800.

[96] Here is an example or two: Alexander in his cello school, which appeared in 1801, takes up quite arbitrarily an “ordinary,” a “half,” and a “whole,” as well as a “mixed” THEORY OF FINGERING, and Fr. Kummer divides the fingerboard into “whole” and “half” positions. MÜntzberger says in his cello school, which appeared apparently in 1800, he wished that people could accustom themselves to say to the pupil as for the violin: “take this or that position.” Here is given a distinct indication of the application of the violin positions. In other cello schools, on the contrary, there is no reference to positions.

Duport, however, makes use of positions 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, &c., throughout his volume.—(Tr.)

[97] In the last century there existed in Naples four Conservatoires. But in 1806 they amalgamated into one musical Institute.

[98] Caffaro, opera and church music composer, was Director of the Neapolitan Conservatoire della PietÁ. Milico was then famous as a stage singer.

[99] See my work, “The Violin and its Masters.” 2nd Ed., 365.

[100] In spite of every effort, I have not succeeded in gaining any more details concerning the above violoncellists.

[101] This artist was a violinist, and was born on April 27, 1767, at Vechta, in Oldenburg, and died on November 21, 1821, as Hofkapellmeister, in Gotha.

[102] Bagge was a Prussian Chamberlain, who then lived in Paris, built a house there, and acted the part of an art patron. He died there in 1791.

[103] This notice is by the Court Chaplain of Hohenlohe in Kirchberg, Carl Ludwig Junker.

[104] Not 1820 in the Hartz, as is elsewhere said.

[105] Page 77 of this work.

[106] P. 78.

[107] The first of these appeared at Schott’s, in Mayence; the other, for “Elementary instruction,” at Haslinger’s, Vienna.

[108] Concerning Dotzauer’s violoncello compositions, Philipp Roth’s “Guide to Violoncello Literature” may be consulted with special reference to their degree of difficulty.

[109] See under the violoncello players of Russia.

[110] See page 72.

[111] Not to be confounded with the excellent cellist, Wilhelm Lindner, who was Chamber Musician of the Grand Duchy of Baden, and died on August 19, 1887.

[112] Compare p. 91.

[113] He is now member of the Royal Theatre Band at Cassel. No information about him could be obtained.

[114] See page 69 of this book.

[115] FÉtis erroneously says that Bagge was born in Bohemia, about 1815.

[116] Not to be confounded with Georg Eduard Golterman, to be mentioned farther on.

[117] Also the two Maras (father and son) had an important effect on Violoncello playing in Berlin, though not so great as that of the brothers Duport. Concerning the elder and younger Mara, the necessary details will be given in speaking of the Bohemian violoncellists.

[118] FÉtis contests this, for he says: “The German biographers of Kelz affirm that he (Kelz) was advised by Duport; but this is erroneous, as at this time (1811) Duport was no longer in Berlin.” This could only refer to L. Duport, for his brother remained until his death in the Prussian capital.

[119] At Breitkopf and HÄrtel’s.

[120] See p. 79 of this book.

[121] See amongst the Belgian Cellists.

[122] See p. 153.

[123] See p. 138.

[124] See p. 138.

[125] See p. 130.

[126] See p. 97.

[127] Alphonse d’Eve received the appointment of Choirmaster at the Antwerp Cathedral on November 5, 1718, having previously directed during a long period the choir of the church of St. Martin in Courtrai. The announcement of FÉtis that d’Eve composed a solemn Mass in the year 1719, for two choirs, with accompaniment for instruments, amongst which there was an obbligato for Violoncello, is a matter of interest to us.

[128] FÉtis points out that he was at the Favart Theatre. MÜntzberger, however, calls himself on the title-page of the Cello School: “Professeur de Violoncelle au ThÉÂtre Feydeau.”

[129] FÉtis gives the year of his birth 1812. His brother, Joseph, was born 1816.—(Tr.)

[130] For the Cellists, Hegar and Giese, see pp. 130 and 152.

[131] See p. 131.

[132] See p. 153.

[133] Alfred Heyn, a pupil of Fr. GrÜtzmacher, was then solo cellist in the municipal orchestra at Aix and now lives at Darmstadt. Compare p. 138.

[134] See p. 15.

[135] Grove’s Dictionary gives the date of birth as 1751. Leslie Stephen, 1751 or 1755.—(Tr.)

[136] Grove gives 1776 as the date of his birth.—(Tr.)

[137] See Rob. Schumann’s biography, by the author of this book (Auf. III., p. 195). Leipsic: Breitkopf and HÄrtel.

[138] See p. 133.

[139] FÉtis says that Zyka was born about 1730. But his birth must have been earlier, for according to FÜrstenau’s account (History of Music and the Theatre at the Electoral Court of Saxony), he had been already, in 1743, appointed to the Dresden band, though FÉtis erroneously makes him a member only in 1756.

[140] Michael Kleophas, Count Oginski, was born at Gurow, near Warsaw, on September 25, 1765, and died in Florence on October 31, 1833. He was High Treasurer of Lithuania.

[141] Not on September 2, as occasionally given.

[142] In all probability Beethoven’s Cello Sonatas (Op.5), composed at latest in 1796, were the first of their kind. The Sonatas for Piano and Violoncello, written by Bonifazio Asioli, of which F. GrÜtzmacher has brought out a new edition, appeared, as may be concluded from the dates given by FÉtis in his “Biographie Universelle,” Vol. I, p. 155, first at the beginning of our century.

[143] I have only mentioned above the most noteworthy portion of the newer and newest Violoncello compositions. For the remainder I refer to Philippe Roth’s “Guide to Violoncello Literature” (Breitkopf and HÄrtel, Leipsic, 1888).

[144] This list is not chronological, but arranged alphabetically according to the initial letters of the authors.

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