A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Vuillaume
VUILLAUME, a family of French musical instrument makers, originally from Mirecourt. As far back as the first half of last century there was a Jean Vuillaume established in this small town among the Vosges mountains, but it is doubtful whether he was any relation of Claude Vuillaume, born 1771, died 1834, maker of cheap violins, and head of the family afterwards so well known. Claude had four sons, who all followed in the same line of business. The eldest,
Jean Baptiste, was born at Mirecourt, Oct. 7, 1798, and apprenticed to his father, but finding nothing further to learn in his native town, went to Paris in 1818. His first master was his fellow-townsman François Chanot, who with his guitar-shaped violin expected to revolutionise the art of violin-making. [Chanot, vol. i. p. 355a.] In this he was mistaken, but he was of great service to Vuillaume by leading him to more scientific methods of working than the old-fashioned rule of thumb. In 1821 he left Chanot for Lété, an organ-builder at Payonne. Lété was son-in-law to Pique, an excellent workman, who saw at once the value of the new partner, who for his part learnt much from Pique, and retained through life a grateful recollection of him, and of the experiments they made together. In 1825 Lété set up with Vuillaume at No. 30, Rue Croix des Petits Champs. Vuillaume's marriage in 1826 brought him into the society of several influential people, including, amongst others, Félix Savart, the professor of acoustics, intercourse with whom gave a fresh turn to his studies. Henceforth his chief aim was to discover the secret of the old Italian masters, and the cause of the superiority of their violins. Becoming his own master in 1827, he removed to 46,[1] Rue Croix des Petits Champs, where he lived till 1860, and turned out many instruments now of great value. The style of his workmanship was speedily recognised, and he gained silver medals at the Paris Exhibitions of 1827 and 1834, and gold medals at those of 1839 and 1844. He sent his 'Octobasse,' and his splendid imitations of old Italian instruments to the Paris Exhibition of 1849, but his name does not appear in the report of the jury. At the London Exhibition of 1851 he had a glass case containing two quartets of stringed instruments, and his perfected 'Octobasse,' for which he was awarded the Grand Council medal, a distinction acknowledged at home by the Legion of Honour. At Paris in 1855 he obtained the Médaille d'honneur, and since then has been considered entirely above competition. To reach this high position he spared neither pains nor expenditure, making long journeys after special qualities of wood, and going frequently to Italy, where he discovered documents relating to Stradivari hitherto unknown. In January, 1855, he spent 80,000 francs (£3,200) on the purchase of 250 instruments, collected by Tarisio, including the splendid Strad violin, called 'Le Messie,' because it was never allowed to be seen, though always talked about. Having made his fortune, Vuillaume might have retired to his fine house at Les Ternes, and his family, but work was to him a prime necessity, and the successes of his son-in-law, Delphin Alard, only stimulated him to further exertions. Several specimens of his inventions may be seen in the Museum of the Paris Conservatoire, one being a violin of a new and shortened form made for Jullien, a rebec of his own design, an alto, an octobasse, a bow with fixed head, others in hollow steel, etc., all showing considerable ingenuity and great manipulative skill. He was an ardent devotee of Antonio Stradivari, and virtually dictated Fétis's biography of him. For the last ten years of his life he occupied himself especially with studying effects of sonority, and means of acquiring perfection of tone. He invented a new mute, which he called the sourdine instantanée, and fancied he had discovered a way of making strings perfectly cylindrical, so that they were never out of tune. He died in his Paris house, No. 3, Rue Demours, Feb. 19,[2] 1875. He left nearly 3,000 instruments, a certain number of which he had made entirely with his own hands. His price was 300 francs (£12) for a violin, and 500 francs (£16) for a cello. Each is now worth double, but his instruments vary considerably and care is necessary in distinguishing between the different kinds. He was fond of trying different ways of drying wood, and imparting to it the qualities of age, experiments which often failed, and impaired the durability of his instruments. He cannot be said to have turned out nothing but chefs-d'œuvre, but nevertheless he stands with Lupot at the head of French musical instrument makers of the 19th century. The second son of his brother [App. p.813 "Father"], Claude Vuillaume,
Nicolas born 1800, died 1871, passed his life at Mirecourt, excepting the period between 1832 and 1842, when he was working with Jean Baptiste. He made cheap violins only, and took a bronze medal at the Paris Exhibition of 1855 for a pattern which he called the 'Stentor.' The next brother,
Nicolas François, born at Mirecourt May 13, 1812, apprenticed to his father, and afterwards a pupil of Jean Baptiste, settled at Brussels in 1828. The instruments he sent to the Exhibitions at Brussels in 1835 and 1841 received silver medals. Having been appointed maker to the Conservatoire, and become intimate with Fétis, he exhibited at London, Paris, and Dublin, and was awarded medals of the first class. Maintaining a constant intercourse with his brother, the writer met him frequently, and found him to have a special knowledge of the old Italian instruments, which he repaired with great skill. In 1873 he showed at the Vienna Exhibition a double quartet which gained a medal of the first class, a success rewarded by the King of the Belgians with the Order of Leopold. He died at Brussels of apoplexy Jan. 14, 1876. Another brother,
Claude François, born 1807, and also apprenticed to his father, took to organ-building, and ended a chequered existence as a maker of violin cases. His son,
Sebastian, born 1835, died 1875, a pupil of his uncle Jean Baptiste, turned out some good work, and took a bronze medal at Paris in 1867, and a silver one at the Havre Exhibition of 1868. He is however best known as a maker of bows.
Thus the family of Vuillaume is now extinct. Its principal member too died without having carried into effect his favourite project of founding with his brothers a museum at Mirecourt, wherein should be deposited the best types produced by all native artificers of this cradle of French musical instrument makers.[ G. C. ]