The Plague and the Violin
The plague may have contributed to the Cremonese, and specifically, Antonio Stradivari, rising to the top of the crop. Prior to 1630, the Italian town of Brescia was widely considered the center for the finest instruments throughout the world, and a talented luthier named Gasparo da Salò (May 20, 1542 — April 14, 1609) was at the helm. While it is unsure if he was responsible for the designs that would ultimately lead to the modern day power and volume that is attributed to today’s violins and other stringed instruments, Stradivari was known to study his designs. Let’s look at this important craftsman and his contributions to modern classical music.
Gasparo was a great Brescian maker, a violinist and double bassist, and in 1562 he would make a name for this region as the center for quality instruments. His grandfather was a land and flock owner who it is believed likely produced musical gut stings, moved the family to Salo, capitol of the Riviera del Garda, for greater opportunities. The rich musical community there influenced the family, and by Gasparo’s time, Brescia would set the stage for an important and influential career.
Gasparo developed the art of violin and string making to new heights and passed the trade on to five of his students, including his children. His exports reached Rome, France, and Venice. While Brescian musicians and luthiers may have not survived the plague, their instruments did. Archival evidence shows many instrument makers inventories from as early as 1530, carrying “Violins from Brescia” while similar documentation of instruments from Cremona do not show for some 50 years later. Although a contemporary of Andrea Amati, another famous luthier of his time, his methods and materials are quite different.
If you are interested in the specifics of what made the Brescian violins and violas such works of musical quality, I suggest you take a look at Phillip J. Kass’s article “Luthier Gasparo da Salò’s Work Illustrates a Style of Making That Stood in Contrast to the Cremonese” (Nov 2019). He does an excellent job at outlining the specifications of Gasparo del Salo’s creative genius and the reason his instruments are so revered, even to this day. In his article, her recounts a famous legend that he says everyone in the world of violins eventually learns. The story is of the hot competition that existed between Brescia and Cremona, that would only be settled by the plague, and the surviving master, Nicolo Amati, who would survive and bring Cremona fame in the world of violin making. This is of course, only legend, and often exaggerated, but it does highlight these two cities and their importance in the modern-day design of contemporary violins.
Kass notes of the Brescian legacy, “Even Stradivari, in the 1690s, seems to have created something that was a refined, Cremonese interpretation of the Brescians in his “Long Pattern,” a large body with arching that reflects the barrel-vault shape from up north.” Some 80-plus instruments by Gasparo del Salo still exists and are used in celebrations in his honor. Many of them are in exhibits and under lock and key. Gasparo’s creations are notable for one other reason besides his artisanship and impact on modern violin makers. He also made an especially important double bass.
In the late 1700s, a virtuoso would make his mark as the principle bassist at Chapel of San Marco in Venice, Italy. While there, he was renowned, and a prized part of the orchestra. The Russians even tried to buy him away, and the Italians countered with hefty salary increases. In an attempt to retain him even further, he was granted a prized Gasparo Del Salo double bass. Domenico Dragonetti would shake up the world with this instrument, and his acquisition would help him craft a sound that would bring even the great Ludwig von Beethoven to tears. He would play this instrument for Napoleon and make his mark on the world as the first double bass virtuoso.
Gasparo del Salo may have been an important figure in the world of the modern violin, but his double bass would help a whole new perspective on how we use, listen to, and compose for this important part of modern music. Thanks for reading and enjoy today’s listening example of the famous Gary Karr performing Dragonetti Double Bass Concerto in A major.
Read more great stories about music, history and its intersections with our modern world at https://Hughbass.com. Thanks for reading!
