Not all violins are created equal. And the Australian Chamber Orchestra has the privilege of playing on an exquisite collection of 'Golden Age' instruments, which are those made in a certain period of time – generally considered to be in and around the 17th and 18th Centuries – and primarily in Cremona, Italy.
These include violins made by the Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati and other similar families of instrument makers.
“These instruments are very, very special things, not just for us but in the world where a lot of things are so easily disappearing,” ACO Principal Violin Satu Vänskä says. “In this world of fast fashion this is perhaps the antidote to all these things.”
These violins have often travelled many miles – and many centuries – from their makers to produce the sounds we hear from them today.
“It’s something that has been not just a beautiful object but also a tool that has been working as a tool for a couple of hundred years,” Satu reflects. “In fact, for 300 years, if you take this violin. When you think about how many situations in the world have happened in the life of this violin, it puts a lot of things in perspective.”
What is a Stradivarius violin?
A Stradivarius is a violin crafted by Antonio Stradivari (1644 - 1737), and other members of the Stradivari family, who were based in Cremona in Italy during the 17th and 18th centuries.
Widely acknowledged as the greatest violin maker of all time, Stradivari made instruments that are famous for their incredible sound and beautiful design, and so have been prized, preserved and passed down over the years.
Most of the world’s great soloists have played Stradivarius violins, including Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, Anne-Sophie Mutter and Itzhak Perlman.
The 1728/29 Stradivarius Satu plays here is a special instrument known as a ‘composite’ Stradivarius, which means it has a top from one violin, and a back from another instrument originally. This is common practice in the restoration of violins from the 'Golden Age'.
What does a Stradivarius violin sound like?
“It’s got a nice strong E string that is very warm, like many Strads do,” Satu says. “And a sort of ‘nutty’ character to the A, D and G strings.”
She describes it as a “concentrated” sound, and demonstrates a powerful passage from Ravel Tzigane on the instrument (watch above).
“I am very happy that I have this violin in my life, as my friend, as my partner, as my trusted one,” Satu says. “Thanks to the ACO Instrument Fund and thanks to all the people who have donated to the ACO Instrument Fund.”
