VIOLIN-MAKING IN GERMANY: A TRADITION OVER CENTURIES A General Overview by Roland Baumgartner A lecture presented May 2, 1992, at the general meeting of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers in ChicagoNote from the editor: The copyright of this text is retained by the author. In addition, the rules adopted by the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers expressly forbid the copying of this document or its distribution to anyone not a member of the Federation.The field of German-violin making is so extensive that it is difficult to define the criteria by which one should describe it. Many master violin makers or individual cities could, by themselves, provide enough material for several lectures, or even fill numerous publications. 1 have therefore decided to present what is rather a personal view of the subject. I am well aware that such an objective cannot claim to be in any way comprehensive, and I would like to beg forgiveness of all those great and famous past master violin-makers that I have forgotten, or who I am unable to mention due to lack of time. The first question is whether one should arrange this synopsis geographically or chronologically. 1 personally do not consider a clear-cut differentiation to be possible, so I would like to try to combine the two aspects. To start off with, I would like to show you on a map what I consider to be those regions that can be counted as belonging to the German school. Of course, many of you already know these names, either because you yourselves come from Germany, or perhaps have German ancestors, or perhaps were trained by, worked for, or had professional contact with master violin- makers of German origin. You can see on the basis of the instruments that you have brought together and displayedhere, that there are a lot of German instruments to be found in the U.S.A. It is necessary to differentiate between, on the one hand, those schools which distinguished themselves by the style of their work and which were important influences on subsequent generations, and on the other hand, important, large cities which, due to their function as economic centers , attracted violin-makers who then practised their professions there as instrument builders or repairers. As far as written sources are concerned, the book by Willibald Leo Baron von Liitgendorff, “Die Geigen- und Lautenmacher Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart" (The Violin and Lute Makers from the Middle Ages to the Present), first published in 1904, but amended in later, slightly revised editions, gives a very good overall view. It is, however, the supplementary volume edited by ‘Thomas Drescher, published in 1990, that offers the most precise information on many of the old master violin-makers, especially pertaining to their dates of birth and death, as well as other geographical details. Instruments that are 200 or more years old can really be clearly attributed to a particular maker when either a specimen with an original, unremoved label, or else an appropriate example is on hand. Otherwise it is, at the best, only possible to attribute an instrument to a particular region and a particular period. This is, of course, not just a problem with German instruments, but withinstruments in general. A thorough examination must also allow for the fact that, especially in the early period, many large workshops existed where numerous employees produced instruments that were then sold under the name of the owner of the workshop.Fiissen The cradle of German lute-making, and the violin-making that emerged from it, is undoubtedly Fiissen. Flissen today is a district capital in that part of Bavaria known as Schwaben; it lies on the small Lech river, at the Eastern foot of the Allgau alps. In the year 1313, it came into possession of the diocese of Augsburg, and thereafter became part of Bavaria in 1802/03. This school must be the oldest of its kind in Europe. The “Via Claudia Augusta", the major alpine highway which joined Venice with Augsburg, as well as the excellent transport facilities on the waterways of the Lech and the Danube rivers, made trade with the cultural centers of Burope easy. It is therefore not astonishing that the craft of lute-making spread beyond the borders as early as the sixteenth century. The route from Innsbruck to Fiissen followed the old Roman road over the Fernpass. This joined the commercial centers of northern Italy with those of Flanders. Somehow or other, Stainer must have used these routes when he first came into contact with the craft of violin-making. sen dates from The first code of craftsmanship in Fi 1562. It laid the foundation for the German code of craftsmanship, which is still valid to this day. The famousengraving by Woeriot that shows the often cited Kaspar Tieffenbrucker (born 1514) together with a variety of instruments, also supposedly dates from 1562. That is during the same period when Andreas Amati was already a recognized master of his craft in Cremona. Therefore it would be incorrect to refer to Tieffenbrucker as being the first violin-maker. Nevertheless, Tieffenbrucker's contract with relatives of the same name in Venice, as well as his departure for Lyon, are proven facts. Very early works from Flissen, which unfortunately one hardly comes across today, particularly with the original label, are very similar in style to early Brescian patterns (such as double purfling and the outline). There were many other, long-since forgotten instrument- makers from the region near Fiissen that emigrated to France, Italy, or even to England. Due to the Thirty Years War, ( 1618 to 1648 ), craftsmanship suffered an important hiatus, and the instrument-makers did not attain new significance until late in the seventeenth and during the eighteenth centuries. The best known names from the area around Fissen are, amongst many others, Alletsee, Stoss, Geissenhof, Fendt, Hellmer, Eberle, Bairhoff, Thir, Niggel, Posch, Rief, Willer and Gedler. We will come across these names later in connection with other cities. In most cases it was economic considerations that forced many representatives of these families to emigrate to the four corners of the earth.The real heydey of violin-making in Fiissen began in the eighteenth century. Instruments produced there and in Vils during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries are clearly patterned on instruments made by Amati or Jacobus Stainer . Less arched instruments, patterned on Stradivari or Guarneri, do not appear before the eighteenth century. They were often made by master violin-makers who originally came from Fiissen, but who had in the meantime been active in important cities such as Paris, Vienna or London. Makers of Filssen 16th/17th century 18th century 19th century Fichtl family Fichtl family Gedler family Greiff family Gedler family Stoss family Kaspar Tieffenbrucker Fendt. family (1514-1571) Niggel Sympertus Stoss family Franz GeissenhotThe Tyrol Starting in the eleventh century, the Tyrol, with the exception of the diocese of Brixen and Trient, came little by little under the rule of the Dukes of Tyrol. Duchess Margarete Maultasch bequeathed the Tyrol in 1363 to the Habsburgs, and up until 1665 the province had its own regional dukes. In 1805, after its defeat by Napoleon, Austria had to cede the Tyrol to Bavaria. After the first World War, south Tyrol became a part of Italy The Tyrolian school, to which, according to Bletschacher, one should ascribe Vils, but not Flissen, is above all known the world over thanks to its most famous representative: Jacobus Stainer. He was born, at the latest, in 1617. His life and work are thoroughly covered in various trade publications. The world-wide influence of his work can, in its extensiveness, only be compared to that of Stradivarius. The sure proof of this is the fact that he is the most copied and forged of all the German master violin- makers. As we know from the Filssen code of craftsmanship, an apprenticeship lasted five years. Afterwards followed a period as a journeyman, usually on the road. With marriage and the ensuing establishment of a household came the appointment to master violin-maker. It is aot certain where Stainer served his apprenticeship. Could it not have beenin Fiissen, the city which lies geographically closer to Innsbruck than, for instance, Verona, the closest Italian city? The period during which Stainer would have served his apprenticeship, however, coincides with the period of turmoil and upheaval of the Thirty Years War, during which many people fled the Augsburg region. This may also be one reason why Stainer only stayed for a short period of time working in a workshop in Fiissen before fleeing southwards with the tide of refugees. One can only speculate where Stainer may have stayed during his journeyman years in Italy. The fact of the matter is, however, that he did master the Italian language. If you follow the old trade routes, you go from Innsbruck over the Brenner Pass to Verona, an Italian city where it has been proven that lute-makers from Fiissen had established themselves by 1650. The German master violin- makers who were contemporaneously active in Padua, the university city belonging to Venice, came from Lechgau. It seems more likely that Stainer worked in Venice, @ city where German master violin-makers had been active for more than two hundred years. He certainly visited Venice in 1646 and 1647, during the lifetime of Georg Seelos, who called himself Giorgio Sellas. Mattias Kaiser and Peter Raillich were also contemporaries. Stylistic features, together with the high quality of varnish and craftsmanship, often give rise to speculation as to whether Stainer may have worked in Cremona. There is,however, no documentary proof of this. While it is true that from 1643 on, workers of German origin were employed in the workshop of Nicolaus Amati, it seems nonetheless unlikely that Stainer may have worked there as early as 1630. At the most, he could have worked there for a short period during his journeyman years between 1636 and 1643. I prefer not to go into the sufficiently well known and published facts about his, in later years varied, but certainly not always happy life. Stainer would provide all by himself more than enough material for several lectures. He died in Absam towards the end of 1683. Contemporary master violin-makers from Stainer's geographical environment who gained importance in violin- making were, amongst many others, Marcellus Pichler, Mathias Alban, and the members of the Seelos family. Marcus Stainer, who died in Laufen, upper Bavaria, in 1693, is not related to the great Jacobus, according to the most recent research. In the southern Tyrol, which today is part of Italy, lies the formerly very important commercial town of Bozen (Bolzano), which, due primarily to its geographical location, was an important junction between north and south. The most famous violin-maker from this town was without doubt Mathias Alban (also called Albanus or Albani), who was born in Kaltern in 1634 and died in Bozen in 1712. In view10 of the incertitude of a number of dates and contradictory sources, Drescher comes to the conclusion that there was probably a second master of violin-making who had the same first name. To complicate matters even more, there is also evidence of a certain Johann Michael Alban, who was born in 1677, and who was followed by his son Joseph. The supposition, on the other hand, that members of the Schorn family worked in Alban's workshop, is in my opinion, quite possible. This family was active in Millln and Salzburg, but an often cited sojourn in Innsbruck lacks definite proof. Andreas Ferdinand Mayr, who may be considered as being both a pupil of, and successor of Schorn, should be mentioned as an important master violin-maker in eighteenth century Salzburg.qi lakers of the Tyrol Absam Bozen Jacobus Stainer Mathias Alban (1617-1683) (1634-1712) alban family Salzburg Andreas Ferdinand Mayr (1700-1764) Marcellus Pichler (Hallein) Schorn family Innsbruck Georg Seelos II (1650-1724) (1786-1834)12 Hamburg, I would now, for chronological reasons, like to make a big geographical leap to Hamburg. In the second half of the sixteenth century, Hamburg became, together with Amsterdam, the most important commercial center in all of northern Europe. Joachim Tielke, who was born in eastern Prussia in 1641, came to Hamburg in 1666, twenty years before the siege by the Danes in 1686. He was active in the Hanseatic as an instrument-builder up to his death in 1719, It is uncertain where he learned his trade. ‘There are vague indications it may have been in northern Italy. Giinther Hellwig, in his book about this master violin-maker, describes four violins, all of which are stylistically very different. One can presume that Tielke had a number of employees. The above mentioned violins do not reach the high standard of the gambas or the lutes. In Berlin, there is proof of a certain Jakob Meinertzen, who worked in Tielke's style. About two years ago an Italian colleague of mine showed me a very interesting viola with an original label of this master violin-maker from 1698. Unfortunately, the scroll (or, at best, carved head) was missing; however, stylistic characteristics of the body did nevertheless corroborate written sources which suppose a connection between Tielke and Meinertzen.13 After this short intellectual excursion to northern Germany, let's return once again to the south. Among those places of importance that should be mentioned figure Augsburg, Dillingen, Graz, Linz, Mittenwald, Nirnberg, Regensburg, and Wirzburg.Makers of Bayern/Franken Auasburg Georg Aman (1671-1731) Stork family Dillingen Andreas Kempter (1701-1786) Nirnburg Leonhard Maussiel (1685- after 1760) Leopold Widhalm (1722?- 1776) Martin Leopold Widhalm (1747-1806) Regensburg/Stadtamhof Buchstetter family (18th. cent.) Veit Anton Widhalm Joseph Fischer (1746-1834) 4 rzbura Fischer family (18th. cent.) Vauchel family (19th. cent.) Mittenwald Bader family Hornsteiner family Jais family Karner family Kloz family Knilling family Neuner family Rieger family (and many more) Linz Meinradus Frank (1775- after 1832) Weigert (around 1700-1765)Saxony and Bohemia In this section, I would like to deal with what known as the “Bohemian-Saxon corner". I will come to the metropolis of Prague later on. We are all familiar with place names such as Eger, Schénbach, Graslitz, Adorf, Neukirchen ( later on Markneukirchen). They are usually synonymous with plainer instruments, and later on, more often with innumerable massed-produced instruments. It is, however, important to mention that the craft of instrument- making has a very long tradition in this region. As early as 1677, the violin-makers of Neukirchen near Adorf formed a guild, which was legally endorsed by Duke Moritz von Sachsen. The terms of admission to the guild prescribed both an apprenticeship and a period as journeyman. In Klingenthal the guild was formed in 1716. an interesting point is the rivalry that existed between Markneukirchen and Klingenthal despite their proximity. Even in earlier times, the instruments produced by these master violin-makers were mostly exported. This method of trade has survived over the centuries. Violin- makers, and to a lesser extent bow-makers, from this region have again and again emigrated to all corners of the earth, and have often become important names in our profession.16 Makers of the Bohemian/Saxon corner Markneukirchen/Klingenthal Graslitz Ficker Diener family Geipel (19th. cent.) Glass Schénbach/Eger Hoyer Klier Placht Sandner Hammig Schuster Heberiein Wilfer Hopt Knorr Meinel Meisel Niirnberger Pfretzschner Reichel Schénfelder Schuster Seidel Voigt17 ana In 1156, Vienna became the residence of the dukes of Austria. This privileged position, together with the flourishing trade on the Danube, led to its period of expansion, In 1365, the university was founded. The Turks first besieged Vienna in 1529. After the subsequent victories over this enemy, magnificent Baroque buildings were created. The Viennese classical period, the period between 1781 and 1827, when Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven were active in the city, established its world-wide significance in the development of music. Vienna's importance in the history of German violin- making can easily be explained by the dominating role it played in the cultural life of the region. Musical activities and interests were, in particular, cultivated in the imperial city. Important developments and changes in instrumental music took place in Vienna. Both native and foreign artists were highly regarded guests in the houses of the nobility. Liitgendorff mentions a violin made by a certain Hans Perr that was dated 1600 in Vienna. ‘The first violins of better quality probably did not find their way to Vienna until somewhat later on from the region dround Fiissen or from Vils. For instance, Antony Posch, who was born in 1677in Vils, was officially described as being the court lute- maker in Vienna in 1702, as successor to Matthias Fux. During the same period the first members of the Bartl family were active in Vienna. The patriarch of this dynasty, Christoph Bartl, is supposed to have been born in Vienna in 1691 or even earlier. During the eighteenth century, the following names dominated the scene: Sebastian Dallinger (1735-1809), who defiantly belongs to the old Viennese school, usually used a dark, brittle varnish. Prochart voices the suspicion that the golden-yellow varnish, which the more highly valued instruments by this master violin-maker have, is not, in fact, original. As far as the pattern is concerned, Dallinger was oriented towards Stainer. Instead of a scroll, he often used a carved pear-wood head. Johann Leidolff, born 1690, died 1758, is supposed to have had a large workshop, so works signed with his name are quite common. To the most important Viennese master violin-makers belong members of the Stadlmann family. Johann Joseph Stadlmann, son of Daniel Achatius Stadlmann, is one of the very best. In his earlier years, he made highly arched instruments, patterned on Stainer. Instruments from this period often remind one of the Florentine school, particularly since the golden-yellow varnish is of the highest quality, and is frequently equal to that of J.B. Gabrielli. His instruments became flatter after 1780,19 following a trend that was generally gaining acceptance at that time. One comes across instruments made by members of the Thir family quite frequently. Johann Georg Thir (1710-1779) can probably be considered to have been the best from his family. Although he used a pattern based on Stainer's, we can undoubtedly refer to a typical Thir pattern. apart from his younger brother Mathias Thir, Franz Geissenhof was his most important pupil. Franz Geissenhof probably learned his craft in Fiissen, where he was born in 1753. He came to Vienna as an assistant to Johann Georg Thir, and became his successor in 1781. Until well into the early seventeen nineties, he used a pattern based on that of his deceased master. Thereafter, one can speak of a transitional period. Finally he found a pattern strongly influenced by Stradivarius, whereby the edge work gets stronger by 1810. The work is always immaculate and shows signs of considerable experience. The work of the somewhat younger Johann Martin Stoss (born in 1778, also in Fiissen) is, together with Geissenhof's, today's most highly valued Viennese work. Stoss, who could have been active shortly after 1800 in Neulerchenfeld near Vienna, is not actually documented as having been active in Vienna until 1810, when he took over Sebastian Dallinger's commercial license. His instruments, especially those modeled on Stradivarius, are highly valued, as they always have been. Notably, his celli are of a very high standard.20 He was probably the first to employ the adjustable screw at the base of the neck. In addition to Vienna, this technique was also used in Pest ( Budapest ) by master violin-makers who came there from Vienna. Gabriel Lembick came to Vienna as a young man. He worked there in the beginning with Peter Teufelsdérfer. Starting roundabout 1840 he was independently active. His instruments were highly valued, particularly those made as copies after Guarneri and Stradivarius. Those instruments produced in his workshop after 1875 were mostly made by his employees.21 Makers of Vienna Bart] family Matthias Ignaz Brandstatter (ca. 1791-1851 Enzensperger family Franz Geissenhof (1754-1821) Leeb family Leidolff family Gabriel Lembéck (1814-1892) Antony Posch (1677-1742) Nicklaus Savicki (1792-1850) Stadlmann family Martin Stoss (1778-1838) Thir family Zach family22 Prague The German part of the old city of Prague grew up between the castles built on top of the Hradschin and the Vyshehrad. Emperor Karl the fourth founded the new city around the university, the oldest one in the old German empire, in 1348. The second Defenestration of Prague in 1618 sparked off the Thirty Years War. Like Vienna, the Bohemian metropolis of Prague held an important place in musical life. As was the case in Vienna, many master violin-makers sen, moved to such as Kogl and Ott, both originally from Fi Prague during the early seventeenth century and made substantial contributions to the violin-making there. Amongst those who were active during the eighteenth century, it was mostly members of the Eberle and Hellmer families, and later on the Homolkas, Vavra, Dvorak, Kaspar Strnad, Johannes Kulik, and Johann Michael Willer who were predominant. Johannes Udalricus Eberle, born in 1699 in Vils, became a citizen of Prague in 1726. When he first arrived there, he worked for Edlinger, whom, however, he soon surpassed. His work was modeled on Stainer's, his varnish usually a beautiful dark red of greasy consistency. In addition to the violins, celli and violas, we also know some viola d’ amore and quintons, more often than not with carved heads.23 Another master violin-maker who emanated from the Edlinger workshop was Johann Georg Hellmer, the most important member of the Hellmer family, It may be assumed that he also originally came from Fiissen, where he was born in 1687. He died in Prague in 1770. His work is similar to that of his contemporary Johannes Udalricus Bberle. According to Liitgendorff, Ludwig van Beethoven was supposed Eberle in 1737. to have owned a violin made by J. Caspar Strnad, born in 1752 in Prague, purportedly introduced the Stradivarius pattern to his paternal city. Later on, his pupil and assistant Ferdinand August Homolka also produced instruments of a very high standard, as did Joh. Bpt. Dvorak.24 Makers of Prague Dvorak family Johannes Udalricus Eberle (1699-1768 Hellmer family Homolka family Johann Kulik (1800-1872) Caspar Strnad (1752-1823) Willer (father and son)25 Pest (Budapest The relationship between Vienna and Budapest was always, as far as violin-making is concerned, very intense. Nevertheless, it is not until 1800 that Liitgendorff documents the first master violin-maker in Budapest, Johannes Nagy. It is, however, mostly the activity during the nineteenth century that is worthy of mention. For instance, there was Johann Baptist Schweitzer, who came from Vienna, and whose violins, modeled on Stradivarius, were much in demand. His successor was Thomas Zach. One name that appears more frequently than authentic examples of his work is that of Samuel Nemessanyi (1837- 1881). He was a pupil of both Schweitzer and Zach. His work is very good and is also usually based on Stradivarius or Guarnerius. In many written sources he is reputed to have been a great expert at imitating the old Italian originals. His copies were supposedly so dangerous that they were even traded as genuine. This does not, however, c cide with my experience. Firstly, Nemessanyi actually made fewer instruments than are generally attributed to him. Erdellyi, in his book on Hungarian violin-making, which was published in 1982, only lists between 50 or 60 violins, 3 or 4 violas, and 6 or 7 celli. Nemessanyi kept a very detailed record of his26 works, and gave each one a name, usually the name of its first owner. Secondly, the instruments with which I myself am acquainted, while being of a very high technical standard, also show stylistic characteristics typical of this east European school, and therefore cannot, in my opinion, be considered to be dangerous copies. At this stage I should perhaps mention a few other place-names and cities. Bratislava (in German, Pressburg), Breslau (in Polish, Krakow), Leipzig, Mainz, Passau, and so on, are all places where violin-makers of greater or lesser importance were active during different periods. However, to go into them would be to go well beyond the scope of this lecture.27 Makers of Budapest Alois Engleder (ca. 1812-1882) Samuel Nemessanyi (1837-1881) J.B. Schweitzer (ca. 1790-1865) Janos Spiegel (1876-1956) Peter Teufelsdérfer (1784-1845)28 Berlin In 1991 Berlin was proclaimed capital of Germany for the second time since 1871. The function in which Berlin served as cultural center, even in earlier times, is well known. In 1685, the elector summoned many of the Huguenots o Berlin, where they gave significant impulse to the musical life. There were, in eighteenth century Berlin, in addition to Jakob Meinertzen, who I mentioned earlier, and of whose work Liitgendorff lists two examples dated 1693 and 1710, various instrument makers active who originally came from Siebenbiirgen. However, it was in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that the most interesting instruments were made. Names such as Grimm, Hammig, Kessler, Lowenthal, Neuner, Wolff, Détsch, Méckel, Strobl, and many others gained world-wide recognition as violin-makers, repairers and dealers. Karl Grimm (1794-1855) made first-class instruments, usually as copies of the old Cremonese masters. August Riechers came to Berlin from Hanover during the second half of the nineteenth century. It was at the instigation of the great violinist Joseph Joachim that this talented master violin-maker moved his sphere of activity to the capital. Riechers was trained mostly in Markneukirchen. He employed many talented violin-makers, both as makers of new29 instruments and as repairers, in his workshop, which gained considerable significance. Undoubtedly the most important of these were Oswald Méckel and Ernst Kessler. Méckel, for his part, had two sons, Otto and Max. Otto in particular distinguished himself as a violin-maker. He devoted a lot of time and effort not just to the practical side of violin- making and repairing, but also to the theoretical side and the study of old masters. He was at first active in Dresden, but returned to Berlin on the death of his father in 1912. Two publications by him are of considerable importance: the periodical ‘Die Geige,' which appeared between 1925 and 1928, and then the standard work ‘Die Kunst des Geigenbaus’ (The Art of Violin-Making), which appeared in 1930. His new instruments met with great success. One of the best copiers in the Berlin school was Michael Détsch (1874-1940). Détsch, who originally came from Bohemia, completed his apprenticeship in Schénbach. In Berlin he initially worked for the Lachmann firm. His Stradivarius copies are very accomplished, his copies of Guadagnini and Gagliano can sometimes be very dangerous. Ludwig Neuner was a very interesting master violin- maker. Born in 1840 in Mittenwald, he was active in Munich, Berlin, and Paris, where he worked for Jean Baptiste Vuillaume. After is return to Mittenwald, he became joint owner of the firm Neuner and Hornsteiner, a trading company where many contemporary violin-makers were employed, who produced instruments of all grades of quality. In 1867 he30 opened an important store in Berlin. The instruments which were made by him or in his workshops are, in part, of varying quality. The best ones are outstanding, and constitute an interesting synthesis of the German and French schools. Makers of Ber). carl L. Bachmann (1748-1809) Michael Détsch (1874-1940) Grimm (father and son) Hammig family Kessler (father and son) Meinertzen (?) Ludwig Neuner (1840-1897) August Riechers (1836-1893) Michael Strobl (1867-1957) Georg Ullman (1879-1946) Méckel family31 Aachen The town of Aachen, formerly a Roman spa called Aquae Grani, was until 1531 the town where all the German kings were crowned. During a short period, between 1795 and 1815, it belonged to France. To this day, the French still call it Aix la Chapelle. In 1815, it fell to the Prussians To conclude, I have chosen this town on the fringe of Germany to draw your attention to one of the few examples, not of a violin-maker from a German school going out into the wide world, but of a master violin-maker of the French school who was active in Germany. I am referring to Nicholas Darche, born roundabout 1815 in Mirecourt. Having completed his training in his native town, he then worked for Nicholas Francois Vuillaume in Brussels before settling in Aachen in 1840. His work was, even in the creative period in Germany, strongly influenced by the French school, and was of a very high standard. He died in Aachen in 1873