at it commands at the present time.

The evolution of the violin is a matter which can be traced back to the
dark ages, but the fifteenth century may be considered as the period
when the art of making instruments of the viol class took root in Italy.
It cannot be said, however, that the violin, with the modelled back
which gives its distinctive tone, made its appearance until the middle
of the sixteenth century. In France, England, and Germany, there was
very little violin making until the beginning of the following century.
Andrea Amati was born in 1520, and he was the founder of the great
Cremona school of violin makers, of which Nicolo Amati, the grandson of
Andrea, was the most eminent. The art of violin making reached its
zenith in Italy at the time of Antonio Stradivari, who lived at Cremona.
He was born in 1644, and lived until 1737, continuing his labours almost
to the day of his death, for an instrument is in existence made by him
in the year in which he died. It is an interesting fact that the art of
violin making in Italy developed at the time when the painters of Italy
displayed their greatest genius, and when the fine arts were encouraged
by the most distinguished patronage.

As the art of violin making developed, so did that of violin playing,
but, whereas the former reached its climax with Stradivari, the latter
is still being developed, as new writers and players find new
difficulties and new effects. While there are many proofs that
orchestras existed, and that violins of all sizes were used in
ecclesiastical music, there is still some doubt as to who was the first
solo violinist of eminence. The earliest of whom we have any account
worthy of mention, was Baltazarini, a native of Piedmont, who went to
France in 1577 to superintend the music of Catharine de Medici. In 1581
he composed the music for the nuptials of the Duke de Joyeuse with Mlle.
de Vaudemont, sister of the queen, and this is said to have been the
origin of the heroic and historical ballet in France.

The progress of violin playing can also be judged somewhat by the
compositions written for the instrument. Of these the earliest known is
a "Romanesca per violone Solo e Basso se piaci," and some dances, by
Biagio Marini, published in 1620. This contains the "shake." Then there
is a "Toccata" for violin solo, by Paolo Quagliati, published in 1623,
and a collection of violin pieces by Carlo Farina, published in 1627 at
Dresden, in which the