Alfred Stelzner

History

According to Willibald Leo Lütgendorff, Dr. Stelzner stated in de Wit's Zeitschr. für Instr.-Bau on October 1, 1895, "Auf die Gefahr hin, Anstoss zu erregen — behaupte ich, künftig noch für die erste Autorität auf dem Gebiete des Streichinstrumentenbaues gewürdigt zu werden, in wörtlichem Sinne als Urheber der endgültigen Form der Resonanzkörper der Streichinstrumente". Lütgendorff observed that among the more recent attempts to reform violin making, Stelzner's were the most interesting, as he achieved results that should not be underestimated. By Stelzner's system, 330 master instruments of all types had been built and sold, with his violins achieving a price of 300 to 500 Marks.

Craft

• Design Philosophy: Alfred Stelzner thoroughly studied the nature of the violin, aiming to increase the energy of the air molecules vibrating within the instrument's body.
• Outline and Arching: This goal led him to alter the outline of violins, basing the outlines and archings on the conic sections of the ellipse and parabola, and the surfaces created by rotating these curves around their axes.
• Violotta: Dr. Stelzner invented the Violotta, an arm violin with a body length of 42 cm, similar to a medium-sized viola, strung with four strings tuned in fifths, an octave lower than the violin, and notated in a new G-clef, the inverted violin clef.
• Violotta's Role: The Violotta was designed to fill a gap in the string quartet between the viola and cello, representing the tenor voice, a need felt by composers such as Händel, Gretry, and Spohr.
• Cellone: He also invented the Cellone, a knee violin only 2 cm longer in body than the violoncello, with four strings tuned in fifths, an octave lower than the Violotta, and thus two octaves lower than the violin, notated in the bass clef as the notes sound.
• Proposed String Family: According to Dr. Stelzner, the future string instrument family, besides the double bass, should consist of three G-violins (violin, Violotta, and Cellone), each differing by an octave in tuning, and the existing two C-violins (viola and violoncello) positioned between them.

Influence

• Academic Background: Alfred Stelzner's ability to formulate serious theories about violin making was supported by his thorough study of the violin's essence and his background in mathematics and physics from Heidelberg University.
• Artist Testimonials: Artists such as Ysaye, Wilhelmj, and Massenet provided glowing testimonials about Stelzner's instruments.
• Composers and Literature: A. E. Gerspacher wrote a string quartet for violin, viola, Violotta, and cello; Felix Draeseke composed a string quintet with Violotta; and Arnold Krug, Fd. Behm, and Otto Kaletzsch, among others, wrote string sextets featuring Violotta and Cellone.
• Orchestral Use: Max Schillings was the first to use the Violotta in an orchestra, specifically as a solo instrument in his opera Der Pfeifertag.

Legacy

• Operatic Integration: In two of Stelzner's own operatic works, Rübezahl (premiered at the Dresden Hoftheater in 1902) and the music drama Swatowit's Ende (premiered at the Hoftheater in Cassel in 1903), the Violotta and Cellone were consistently notated as "gleichberechtigt und gleichbepflichtet" (equally entitled and equally obligated) with the other string instruments and were successfully used in multiple settings.
• Future Evaluation: The definitive decision regarding the value of Stelzner's theory remains reserved for the future.

Further Information

• Working Locations: Alfred Stelzner worked in Wiesbaden and later died in Dresden, Germany.
• Instruments Produced: A total of 330 master instruments of all types were built according to his system.
• Violin Pricing: His violins achieved prices ranging from 300 to 500 Marks.
• Violotta Dimensions: The Violotta has a body length of 42 cm.
• Cellone Dimensions: The Cellone is barely noticeably larger than a violoncello, being only 2 cm longer in body.

Summary

Alfred STELZNER (circa. 1891-1906) was a German luthier and innovator who studied mathematics and physics at Heidelberg University before designing radical new forms of string instruments, including the Violotta and Cellone. He based his designs on elliptical forms and conic sections, aiming to enhance the resonance of the instruments. His instruments were constructed by Wiedemann in Wiesbaden, and 330 master instruments were built and sold, with his violins fetching 300 to 500 Marks. Notable artists like Ysaye and Wilhelmj provided testimonials, and composers such as Felix Draeseke wrote pieces for his unique instruments, which were also integrated into operas by Max Schillings and Stelzner himself.