Obscure violin question

Deane,

A press review on his agents website quotes him as playing a Strad in 1989 - I haven't been able to find any earlier reference.

Kevin

But as you know, this is not a genuine Stradivarius any more. It was once, but it has been rebuilt to be able produce a louder sound, and at the same time its delicate silvery sound has disappeared.
I am sure, that Stradivarius would have been unable to recognize it.

Venlig hilsen

pe-zulu

I sympathise with you. But a Strad would need to be strung with gut strings to produce the sound that Antonio Stradivarius was familiar with. Not many musicians are up for the challenge of gut strings.

I do think it is tragic how Stradivari violins have been chopped and changed through the centuries. Some have even had their necks totally replaced.

IIRC Anne Sophie Mutter is going for the authentic sound nowadays. She tunes A 430 i think. These lower tunings may also be what Antonio Stradivarius was more familiar with.

More and more Strads/Guarneri are finding their home in museums, and I can't say I'm too bothered by their never being touched by luthiers again.

Deane

Reminds me my trip to Cremona (home town of all the most famous violin builders), this summer, where 7 of the Stradivari, Guarneri and Amati master pieces are exposed in a very impressing surrounding. These instruments are in their original form, and played regularly either in concerts which they are borrowed for or for recordings. I own one CD recorded by Accardo who plays all of them. Beautiful !

Best regards, freundliche Grüße

Stefan

IIRC the violins in the Cremona museum have a fellow who comes in and plays them every day so that they don't lose their tone.

Deane