Leopold Mozart’s Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule (1756), for example, provides an indication of the state of vibrato in string playing at the end of the baroque period. In it, he concedes that “there are performers who tremble consistently on each note as if they had the permanent fever”, condemning the practice, and suggesting instead that vibrato should be used only on sustained notes and at the ends of phrases when used as an ornament. This however, does not give anything more than an indication of Mozart's own personal taste, based on the fact that he was an educated late Rococo/Classical composer. Mozart acknowledges the difference between the heavy, ornamental vibrato that he finds objectionable, and a more continuous application of the technique less obtrusively for purposes of improving tone quality (in which case he does not refer to it as "vibrato" or "tremolo" at all; describing it as merely an aspect of correct fingering). In this respect he resembles his contemporary, Francesco Geminiani, who advocated using vibrato "as frequently as possible" on short notes for this purpose. Although there is no aural proof, as audio recordings were not around for more than 150 years, that string players in Europe did not use vibrato, its overuse was almost universally condemned by the leading musical authorities of the day.
leopold mozart’s versuch einer gründlichen violinschule (1756) for example provides an indication of the state of vibrato in string playing at the end of the baroque period in it he concedes that “there are performers who tremble consistently on each note as if they had the permanent fever” condemning the practice and suggesting instead that vibrato should be used only on sustained notes and at the ends of phrases when used as an ornament this however does not give anything more than an indication of mozart's own personal taste based on the fact that he was an educated late rococo/classical composer mozart acknowledges the difference between the heavy ornamental vibrato that he finds objectionable and a more continuous application of the technique less obtrusively for purposes of improving tone quality (in which case he does not refer to it as "vibrato" or "tremolo" at all; describing it as merely an aspect of correct fingering) in this respect he resembles his contemporary francesco geminiani who advocated using vibrato "as frequently as possible" on short notes for this purpose although there is no aural proof as audio recordings were not around for more than 150 years that string players in europe did not use vibrato its overuse was almost universally condemned by the leading musical authorities of the day