1715-1720 - Academy of Cremonese Painters

Copy, taken from the exemplary of a Roman ecclesiastic and transcribed after the loss of the original in the fire at the house of Francesco Arisi, brother of Desiderio, who owned it.

Academy

 of

Cremonese Painters

with some

Sculptors and Architects

also Cremonese

of

Don Desiderio Arisi

Cremonese Monk of the Congregation

of Saint Jerome of Lombardy

Nota Bene

There are among these Manuscripts

Two other Volumes by the same Arisi One entitled

Accademia and Galleria in Foglio

The other entitled Galleria in 4° grande

and both are covered like the present

Volume

p. 36r

[Sinibaldo Biondo] … was found dead at anadvanced age in the Year of the Plague of 1630 in Cremona in the passageway near the door of his house in the Piazza of S. Domenico

p. 36v                                                               Antonio Stradivari

Where tbere now lives Antonio Stradivari; my oear Frietus and most excellent Maestro in every sori of Instrument of Musick of which there does not rest one unspoken

p. 37r

of which there does not rest one unspoken of, and much more for tbat to tbe preciousness aru) fineness of his instruments he joins nobility and allure by adorning them witb good designs of divers figures, flowers, fruits, arabesques and graceful interlacing not only of a black bue, but he impresses them furtber with ebony and daintily wrought ivory, and bordered with wbimsicalit,, all things worthy of tbe great Persons he presents them to. 1 have thought well to register here some few of the manufactures of this great Master that make witness to his great esteem and universal credit. In the Year 1682 tbe 8 September was ordered from him by Michele Monsi Banchiere in Venezia the entire Concerto of violin», and violoncello tbat he sent as a gift to King James of England and in the year 1685 on 12 March from Cardinal Orsini archbishop of Benevento a violoncello, and two violin», that he sent as gifts to tbe Duke of Natalona in Spain, besides tbe payment for his pleasure in the workmanship he sent him a patent of his family. In 1685. 12. September Bartolomeo Grandi called il Fassina first violin at the Court of H.R.H of Savoy, now King of Sardinia, ordered from him all the concerto for tbe servicc of this King, and in 1685. 5. April by order of H.R.H Sovereign of Modena a violoncello, who wished Antonio to carry it to him in person to know him by sight, for which besides the payment he gave him 30 Doppie. In 1686. 22. August from tbe Marquis Michele Rodeschini was ordered from him a violoncello for the Court of Spain and in 1687. 7. August D. Agostino Da ... a General of the Cavalry of the State of Milan while he was lodging in Cremona wished him to make a Violoncello for him, in 1690 19. September Antonio received the following letter from the Marquis Bartolomeo Ariberti.

Not many days ago 1 made the present of the two violins, and the violoncello, to His Highness tbe Prince of Tuscany, and assure your worthy self that he was so pleased by this gesture, that 1 sould not have for my satisfaction have wished more greaty. All his virtuosi. of those who are gathered in his court are of the same sentiment to approve them as perfect, but above all eue pronouncing of the violoncello they confess frankly to have never heard a more pleasing, and more sonorous together. Of the satisfaction 1 have received from this Royal person 1 know not how to tell sufficiently 1 bave has so mucb, and the chief obligation

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towards the attention of your worthy self wbo have so laboured in this Manufacture so that 1 also know to have gained thereby some degree of merit having usefully carried the notice of your Mastery to a House where there may be to hope for continual commands. In earnest of which 1 muet beg you to commence at once with two violas, that is to say the tenor and contralto which are Lacking, to make complete tbe entire concerto.

In 1701. 12 May Letter from Madrid from Antonio Cavezudo +

10 November the Marquis Toralba, the Governor in Cremona for the King Louis of France, ordered from bun a violoncello and two violins, which b« sent as a gift to the Duke of Alba. In 1707 the Marquis Desiderio Cleri wrote to him to make 6 violins, two violas aru) a violoncello by order of King Charles III, when be was in Barcellona, and in 1714 on 17 July he received the following letter from Venice sent by Lorenzo Zuetiqnan of Campiel dei Squellini, a Venetian aristocrat, that it is known that in this day there is in the world no more renowned and expert Artificer of Instruments than Stradivari of Cremona. Wherefore I, Lorenzo Zustignan am desirous of continuing 

p. 38v 

eternal memory of such an illustrious man, from a Maker so renowned I come to incommode you with this my plea that know whether I may be consoled by you with a violin, having all tbe qualities perfect, that may be inagined, that is beautiful and good.

In 1715. L0 June arrived in Cremona Gian Battista Voleme (?) from Dresden Maestro of the concerts of music of the King of Poland sent by this same on purpose, and stayed there three months whilst he finished 12 violins. Antonio another time made an entire concerto to present as a gift to Philip V when. he was in Cremona and to this effect be made the Memorial, but bc was advised against this, and keeps them still to himself: From which I believe it is sufficiently reasoned about Antonio to argue what excellence his Mastery has achieved.

+ wherein he declares that he has never received better instruments than those of Antonio, although he has had them from many quarters, and for these instruments he has received commando for the service of all the Court, and from many Dukedoms and Princes and Grandees in Spain.

This Subject is the Maestro of Capella of the King Carlo IL and of tbe Duke of Anjou.