Liuteria Italiana(Eric Blot) 4, page122-151<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\ud83d\udcf7Liuteria Italiana Moderna<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Great Italian Violinmaking(Artemio Versari) Pag.34<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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PRESSENDA, GIOVANNI FRANCESCO<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Born at Lequio Berria (Piedmont), 1777. Learned to play the violin from his father, Raffaello (a fiddler who travelled through the villages around Turin, also repaired fiddles). Found his way to Cremona and passed into the workshop of Lorenzo Storioni. Studied very assiduously, gained the necessary experience but seemingly not keen to copy that maker\u2019s style. Resided at Alba, 1814, where he combined cabinet making and jeweller\u2019s work with his violin construction and repairing. Lived in somewhat insignificant circumstances at Carmagnola, 1816. Worked for a year or so at Marseilles. Settled at Turin, 1820. Died there, 1854. A profound worker, a man of vast compass of thought relating to his art, thoroughly imbued with the artistry of the Cremona and French schools, and able to master, to mould, to impregnate the diversified characteristics into his violins. He had that universality which marks the highest order, eschewed mere pedantry, and felt too well the pride of creation to restrict himself entirely to the rules of any one predecessor. His undeniably fine productions, however, received scanty appreciation until Polledro (principal soloist at the Turin and other Courts, Opera Houses and concerts) took a fancy to them and caused Pressenda\u2019s name to be more recognised throughout Northern Italy. Discovery of the true value of Pressenda violins lies at the foot of Wilhelmj, who (in 1895) circulated unrestricted praises upon their merits (he had then purchased 80 instruments), inflated the prices and his pupils and adherents soon became owners. Polledro had not the same opportunity nor so good a reason financially, inasmuch that the instruments could only be regarded as new ones in his day, consequently not making the same appeal as they did 70 years later. We hope we shall not be charged with exaggerated bombast when asserting that the Pressendas will be the violins of Italy in generations to come. We rejoice that the dust, accumulated whilst hanging on the walls of fiddle dealers\u2019 shops, was wiped off under the patronage of Wilhelmj, and that soloists and good amateur players have now learned what the initiated had long known in relation to the tonal properties being hardly inferior to any, and marked throughout with all the essentialities of fine concert violins. It was perhaps as well that Pressenda, in his day, did not enjoy great popularity, for one bad consequence of attracting the multitude is that men of genius are sometimes too anxious to cater for the various tastes and instant demand sort of thing, preferring a present shout of popularity and its consequent increase of the exchequer to that less tumultuous but deeper and more thrilling note of fame which resounds and grows clearer and lounder through the future ages. Early specimens (up to year 1831) relatively scarce and show distinctive traits differentiating from the later ones. Outline much influenced by the Amati, sound-holes rather graceful and nicely reclining towards the centre of body, scroll also slightly different from the later types. Varnish not always absolutely satisfactory. Found his ideal in 1831, and seldom deviated from it afterwards. Truly an impressive model. Stradivarian outline with a shade more scooping towards the edges, adding a peculiar significance easily discernible, and giving a healthy and vigorous appearance, a sort of Stradivarian-Guarnerian blend, massive, but never heavy looking. We see none of the exaggeration which makes so many of the semi-modern Italian instruments effeminate. Body length seldom exceeds 14 inches. Broad arching, long and flat, sometimes almost not an arch. Some specimens of the late period have an abrupt but slight rise quite near the purfling, consequently impairing freedom of tone. Ribs seem a shade narrow, corners artistic. Acme of art characterises the sound-holes, somewhat reminiscent of the Guarnerian but never of Gothic severity. Bold scrolls with a certain originality and incisively cut, but sometimes rather carelessly finished. It is said that he invariably left the gauge marks more or less distinctly visible in the centre of the \u201cshell\u201d (i.e. the back of the scroll). Possibly Pressenda was desirous of avoiding an appearance of newness, but no matter what were his reasons the scrolls are so very good that it is almost exasperating to think he might have given us better ones. Belly wood generally of strong fibre but some specimens have very tender material which frequently renders them sensitive to atmospheric conditions of a concert room which when very warm has the detrimental \u201ctightening\u201d of tone. Also had a decided preference for one-piece backs of unusually fine flame, cut on the quarter, but it is erroneous to aver (as some have done) that he never used divided backs. Several examples known with particularly handsome two-piece backs usually of a closely knit flame. Made fairly extensive experiments in varnish, varies somewhat in shade and looks much softer in texture on some instruments than on others, the difference in appearance being generally attributable to the figure and density of the wood underneath, most frequently of a peculiarly rich red, and the backs having this unique shade create thoughts of the lovely old Honduras mahogany. Others of a deeper red, also a light amber brown, occasionally looks chippy. Tonal quality of penetrative strength, not robustly powerful under the ear but infinitely finer in silvery clarity and sonorous smoothness. Specimen dated 1830: body length, 13.15\/16 inches; upper bouts, 6.9\/16; middle, 4-1\/2; lower, 8.3\/16; ribs 1-1\/4. Labels usually small in size and print, early dated smaller than the later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Joannes Franciscus Pressenda q. Raphael<\/p>\n\n\n\n
fecit Taurini anno Domini 1828<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Bust, sculptured by Reduzzi, erected at Turin, 1912. \uffe1800, 1960.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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