A Biographical Dictionary of Fiddlers di A. Mason Clarke
Biographical Dictionary of Fiddlers. 293
turning towards refinement, and deserting strength for polish. His tone is pure and delicate, rather than remarkable for volume or richness, his taste was cultivated to the highest excess, and his execution was so finished, that it appeared to encroach, in a measure, upon the vigour of his performance. But he was very far from being deficient in the energy necessary to make a great player. The fact seems to be, that this quality, which for its inherent pre-eminence is most distinguishable in other violinists, was, in Spohr, cast into secondary importance, and rendered less discernible by the predominating influence of his superior refinement. His delicacy was so beautiful andso frequent an object of admiration that his force was lowered in the comparison. But, though it must be confessed that his bow arm had not the openness and command so peculiarly striking in Mori, yet he could sustain and protract his tones to an extraordinary duration. His method of taking staccato passages was excellent; but the saltations he frequently made in his passages of execution could not be said to accord with the general composedness of his manner. And as it is frequently the consequence of a too subtle habit of refining, to obliterate the stronger traces of sensibility, so his expression was more remarkable for polished elegance, than
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