Part V: The Question of ‘Italian Tone’

The question of ‘Italian tone’ is much disputed. Players and dealers will insist that Italian instruments possess unique qualities that cannot be found elsewhere. The truth is probably a bit more mundane. There are more old Italian instruments of the best class and quality in existence than any others purely because of the unique length of the history of the craft in that country. Given that old violins with a fully ripened tone are generally more desirable than immature instruments, an old, well-played-in, and fine-sounding violin is more likely to be Italian than from any other tradition.

At the same time, German and English makers in the 18^th century did themselves no favours by addressing the cheaper end of the market. The hastily made and poor-sounding instruments that were produced in large numbers have tarnished the reputation of non-Italian makers, and in particular Jacob Stainer, whose instruments they attempted to copy. In truth, outside the outstandingly great Italian makers, headed by the triumvirate of Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri, the instruments of few other Italian makers are intrinsically superior to those of the better makers in other countries. ‘Italian sound’ is more likely the product of a deeply rooted tradition of craftsmanlike instruments, which on the whole have been treasured and well played-in throughout their long lives, rather than the result of some lost art or secret knowledge.

Cremonese varnish

Much importance is attached to the Italian varnish in setting these instruments apart from their northern rivals. It is certainly true that the Cremonese varnish still remains the universally acknowledged paradigm, but it covers a wide variety of colours, applications and finishes. It is very hard to define a single varnish that includes virtually all the possibilities — from a thin, pale golden covering to a thick, deep red — but that is how Cremonese varnish can appear. The uniting traits are that it is always soft and tender in texture, and has an extraordinary ability to transmit and reflect light in different ways in different environments and from different aspects, while still showing off the grain and figure of the wood beneath to its absolute best.

Varnish of this quality was not necessarily the exclusive property of the Cremonese. Indeed, the evidence is that it was a common preparation of easily available oils, resins and pigments that was widely used throughout Europe in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. Makers as far away as Henry Jaye in London had access to a vivid red oil varnish in the 1620s. In fact, the most beautiful red varnish came relatively late to Cremona. Francesco Rugeri used a deep red in the late 1660s, and was probably the first Cremonese to do so. The strong red tone appears in Stradivaris only after 1700. Ironically, it may have been the Füssen makers who brought red-coloured varnish with them and set the fashion first in Venice, Bologna and Naples.