Jacques Sainpre (Saint-Pre)
A 17th-century maker from Berlin, Germany, Jacques Sainpre (Saint-Pre) is primarily known for a Baryton Viol (Viola di Bordone) that was exhibited in the South Kensington Museum in 1872. This instrument is notable for its sympathetic metal strings and is said to have belonged to the famous flautist Johann Quantz.
Maker Overview
Life
Jacques SAINPRE (SAINT-PRE) (17th century) was a maker active in Berlin, Germany.'s The Violin, a Baryton Viol made by Sainpre is housed among the musical instruments at the Kensington Museum. This instrument is said to have belonged to Johann Quantz, the renowned flute player, and the Baryton was a favored instrument of Haydn, who composed several pieces for it and enjoyed playing it. Cecie Stainer's A Dictionary of Violin Makers also notes that a viola di bordone, or baryton was exhibited in the South Kensington Museum in 1872. Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, in Die Geigen- und Lautenmacher vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart, states that nothing could be ascertained about him in Berlin, and his name became known solely due to this Viola di Bordone, which was exhibited in 1872 and believed to have belonged to Quantz. Lütgendorff suggests the correct spelling of the name might have been Saintpré or Saint-Preux. John Dilworth's The Brompton's Book of Violin & Bow Makers confirms Sainpre (Saint-Pre) as a 17th-century maker in Berlin, Germany, and mentions the Baryton exhibited in South Kensington in 1872, bearing the label: "Jacques Sainpre A. Berlin [Vannes]."
Characteristics
- Instrument Type
- Jacques Sainpre is known for making a Baryton Viol, also referred to as a Viola di Bordone.
- Characteristics
- This instrument is characterized by being strung with sympathetic metal strings, similar to the Viole d'Amour, but is described as a larger and more complicated instrument.
Biographies
The overview above is drawn from the following published accounts. Read them in the original:
John Dilworth+
SAINPRE (SAINT-PRE), Jacques 17th century Berlin Germany. Baryton exhibited in South Kensington 1872, labelled: Jacques Sainpre A. Berlin [Vannes]
Cecie Stainer+
A maker in Berlin in the 17th century. A viola di bordone, or baryton, was exhibited in the South Kensington Museum, 1872.
George Hart+
A Baryton Viol of this maker is among the musical instruments at the Kensington Museum. It is said to have belonged to Johann Quantz, the famous fluteplayer.* The Baryton was a favourite instrument with Haydn. He composed several pieces for the instrument, and was fond of playing it. The Baryton, or Viola di Bordone, is of the character of the Viole d’Amour, being strung with sympathetic metal strings. It is, however, a larger and more complicated instrument. [* The flute-playing of Johann Joachim Quantz in 1728 gave so much pleasure to the Crown Prince of Prussia, afterwards Frederick the Great, that he decided to take lessons from Quantz, who was then in the service of Augustus, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Quantz was stationed alternately in Dresden and Warsaw. He became a member of the orchestra of Augustus in 1718, when Jean Baptiste Volumierwas its director, of whom mention has been made (page 196) relative to his having been sent to Cremona in 1715 to await the completion of twelve Violins ordered of Stradivari.]
Willibald Leo Lütgendorff+
In Berlin war nichts über ihn zu ermitteln; sein Name wurde nur dadurch bekannt, dass eine Viola di Bordone von ihm, die aus dem Besitze von Quantz stammen soll, im South Kens. Mus. 1872 ausgestellt war. (Richtig geschrieben dürfte der Name Saintpré oder Saint-Preux gelautet haben.)
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