EVOLUTION OF THE VIOLIN.

New Zealand Herald, 29 June 1914, Page 5

EVOLUTION OF THE VIOLIN.

RESULT OF MANY INVENTIONS Ax interesting lecture was given b] Herr A. L. Kreutzer in the Choral Hall 01 Saturday night on " Tjio Violin: It: Origin and Perfection by the Italian Masters." The lecturo was given under tho auspices of tho Musicians' Institute. Professor W. E. Thomas presided over a good attondanco. Tho lecturer dealt in an interesting manner with the evolution of the violin. It was impossible, lie said, to say decisively where, wjion, or through whom, the instrument received tlie form or desigli Whi'dli it hnd detained' In a: practically unaltered state for at least 400 years. It rather appeared to bo the result of a collection of inventions made by ingenious men in different centuries From tho . monochord, invented in the third century, camo ffio first idea of a peg by which' to regulate the tension of a firing, while from the rebec, six centuries later,' came the first idea of a fingerboard, and also the foundation of the firtch" or Milling of tho first three strings of tho violin. From tli'o envth, an ancient Welsh instrument,'on trie the'first'idea of ribs to join the back' and front plates of musical instruments. Through' the ancient custom of holding bow instalments between tho knees enmo tho gradual inward curving of the ribs, and finally from the oarlv viols, which first appeared in the 15th century in France and Germany, camo tho crude outline of the violin, and one could distinctly tract) in them tho noble struggle towards the graceful curves of a perfect Stradivari us form. The speaker briefly sketchod tho careers of tho famous Italian makers of the violin, and in doing so gavo interesting accounts of violins that nad becomo famous in history.' During the evening string quartettes from Haydn, Mozart and Raff were rendered by Messrs. H. Hcmus (viola), C. Monro (violin), C. 13. Plummer (cello), and Herr Kreubser (violiu). A viola solo, Dan so Champetre" (Peinecke), was also contributed by Mr. Hemus. On the motion of Professor Thomas, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to tho lecturer and' tho performers for their efforts. Professor Thomas romarkod thai sufficient attention was not given to string quartette music nowadays, and therefore tho items contributed that evening had been particularly appreciated.