That is true but I probably wouldn’t want this violin played so much as to wear it out even the slightest. A voice can last it’s lifetime (mostly) pretty well without become “worn” whereas this priceless violin should best be kept in its condition since it is after all the best kept Stradivari violin.
Scary Pumpkin yeah it should’ve been played but now that it’s much older and more valuable than ever, I would probably not have played regularly, rather more once every year or so maybe on its birthday or a special event
@@allons-y933 They don't preserve it because it is a decorative piece. It is a priceless piece of art like a da vinci painting though. It isnt like some potted plant to make the room feel fancy, It is the most well preserved Stradivarius violin n the world. The trees used to make these instruments are all gone, we dont know his method, and the creator has been dead for 200 years. There will never in the history of the universe be any more Stradivarius violins than there are now. If you want a violin to play, go spend a million dollars on another perfect instrument. This violin represents a whole legacy and beauty and if we are responsible hopefully a thousand years from now people can still appreciate it. To say this violin is just an instrument, or just a piece of wood, or just a decorative piece is an insult to the culture humans have created. On a certain level it has deep meaning and beauty. It is preserved for the people who care to see it that way. Most people can't pick out a stradivarius from sound alone anyway. It won't make some divine sound no one has ever heard. It's special for more reasons than that.
Actually, this is the one violin that Stradivari kept for himself as a beacon as his perfection. He never sold it or played it. I think he intended for this to be his masterpiece that violin makers would be able to use as an accurate reference of what a violin would look like straight out of his shop.
Saws 5 bows a night to shreds in a manic fit and wakes up naked in the alley covered in goat blood and ashes, then goes home to his family and doesn't speak a word about it.
Joe Shmoe Ikr when I bought my violin it had been sitting in a cupboard for 6 months and he sounded dead, he has only really started to get his voice back but now he is sounding beautiful and he is a treasure to play. These instruments must be dead, and it would have been lovely for them to play that violin for its 300th birthday
@@libby9599 That was my first reaction but they were probably concerned it might start a trend of it being played occasionally. If handling me would damage me, the best birthday present for me would be to not be handled more than ever! But I think its a myth violins lose their voice from sitting.
As a guy who makes electric guitars in his garage, Being able to see these absolute masterpieces of the art, and being able to understand 1/100000th the skill, patience and craftsmanship it would have taken to create one of these things, is a real gift. Thanks for sharing.
Could not agree more. I'm hesitant to say that I love your analogy because it's a depressing to consider caged animals and unplayed master violins, but it fits the situation quite well
Just play your own violin, not this priceless piece of history! While be I appreciate the metaphor, it's important we preserve it for future generations!
This video makes me wonder what Stradivari would think of his violins and guitars sitting unused in cases? Why doesn't the museum have some violinists play all of these instruments and record it for the world's culture?
I recently visited the museum for the first time and was excited to see the guitars and violins,upon entering the room i was astonished and in awe of the beauty and setting of the instruments on display.then in the quiet of the room i thought i could here crying,i followed the direction of the sad sound and arrived at the display case containing the messiah. This violin needs to be played, needs to be released and set free... ..
How sad that these instruments are sealed in glass cases and never played. They were not made as objects of art in themselves (even though they may be beautifully made) but were to produce music and sounds that would enthrall the listeners. They are rather like stuffed animals compared to living creatures.
I agree. I have a classical guitar made in 1980 Not anything old but still quality. Ive played it somewhat in the past few years. My son more than I. But when I brought it to the original build er or Luthier, He was a little disapointed that it did not have more wear on it. I wonder if Antonio Stadevarius would feel the same about his work.
I disagree. They are the last of their kind, when they are gone they are gone. They should not be used. Today me make new one which sound just a good or better but without the history.
We have around 450 Strads surviving and most are in circulation. Those can be heard but this one is uniquely preserved and it should be kept that way for us to understand what a Strad was like when it left the master’s bench. This is priceless for today’s violinmakers.
@@mikekinsella2822 the point is that it’s our only example of a pristine Stradivari instrument still preserved exactly as the master. Violin makers use it as a unique model for producing contemporary instruments. One year of playing will all but ruin this unique insight into the master’s methods. If you’ve ever seen an overplayed by 18th century instrument opened up in a violin workshop and realize they are held together by patchwork and glue, barely surviving, then you’d get this point more easily. This is the only surviving Strad in such an intact state and one year of playing it will ruin it. Kindly play something else.
Those are amazing instruments. Did you know that the world's oldest playable harpsichord is in a museum in South Dakota of all places? It was built before anyone from Europe had even met the people the Dakotas are named after. Funny where things end up.
Just like Frodo and his precious fucking ring. That bitch-face Hobbit wore that ring around his neck the whole journey when he could have slipped it on his finger to summon magical spells and shit. He probably could have flown or teleported straight to his destination instead of taking up multiple 3-hr movies trekking across mountaintops on his big-ass hairy feet. That's why his feet are so fucked up. Yeah Yeah so putting on the ring turns you evil or whatever, but YOLO right? That shit-for-brains Hobbit never used the precious ring to it's full potential, just like this beautiful Stradivarius.
OldManTony exactly! In montreal, museums and companies sometimes loan famous orchestras their best instruments because they have to be played, or else they will get dull. These instruments have to be played!
They have to be preserved. Once a while some stupid musician falls down the stage and lands on his strad or stolen in the locker room - yes, both happened. And when they are gone, they are gone for good.
A great tour and although I know nothing about violins we can all appreciate the skilled workmanship that went into making such beautiful instruments. A big thumbs up.
The violin is not played because the collection was given to the museum by WE Hill and Sons. One of the conditions of the gift was that this violin should not be played. It is the only Stradivari to retain almost all of it's varnish and gives us a pretty good idea of what a stradivari would have been like fresh from the shop. Funny thing is it is not perfect, there is a repair of a pitch pocket to the right (treble side) of the finger board. There is another instrument, "The Lady Blunt" that is a near twin. The Messiah serves as sort of a paragon or blue print for modern violin makers. There are about 600 Stradivari instruments that are being played by great players every day. The prices are astronomical now. "The Lady Blunt" sold for about $16,000,000.00 a few years ago.
Oh my Lord Sugar these are all so beautiful I just love guitars any string instruments I've been playing all my life so I can really relate U are fantastic see U again soon dear...
If there are no instruments preserved for future generations then no one will be able to hear them played in a couple of centuries.I've visited this instrument a couple of times to get ideas for my own making and it is very useful for people like me who make instruments to have access to master instruments. There must be hundreds of violin makers who have visited this instrument and make other violins that you can hear. It's not an animal and the glass is not a cage.
Hey SuGar thanks so much for putting this short video up. It is wonderful to be able to see these beautiful instruments in such detail. I will likely never be able to see them any other way. Love your work, keep it up.
kind of disgusting that these rich people just buy these violins and just put them in display cases. The fact that a Strad would go 8 decades without being played is just shameful.
I disagree...these cannot be replaced...each time they are played, they will deteriorate incrementally...over time they will not last...they are such works of art they must be preserved for future generations...imo...
Ken Varnold preserved for generations just not to play them art is wasted when its not being truely used u can never see the true art of these violins without hearing them
It was created, by Stradivari, as an instrument for making music. That is its purpose and his intent when he crafted it. Its artistry is, in the end, an aural one. Elman, Milstein, Huberman, Menuhin and a host of others would almost certainly agree. Yes, if played it will alter it it. But that's why we must place the emphasis on supporting luthiers: to both maintain these works as living singing instruments, as well as to foster new masters. A stringed instrument is not an eternal item. The craft of making it, the craft of performing on it, therein lies as close to the eternal as human kind can muster this side of the kingdom of heaven.
@@kenvarnold3659 thats not how violins work. There are other strads, just as old (some older) who are played regularly and do not "deteriorate". Strad violins were made with abnormally HARD wood, and any violinist who has one in their possession is going to care for it tremendously. So long as strings are loosened before storing it in the case, and its not left in the rain, they will last forever.
thanks Susan for this quite enjoyed the visit ,as i will never old England again i watch your tube vids and they are great .and yes i make guitars and made one violin for fun anyhow thanks again .
As a majority of comments here indicate- musical instruments are built, and by design- are provided by the builder in order to create music. I would love to see the museum release these on an annual basis into the hands of qualified, and respectful players, so the world can experience what the builder intended!
Violins are alive, anyone who plays will attest to that. While they are expressions of art and beautiful in their own right. Violins are not paintings, they are musical instruments with a voice, They need to be played to be fully appreciated.
Beautiful, gorgeous works of art and craftsmanship beyond my simple imaginings. It does make me sad to see them mute, cased in Perspex. It seems almost cruel to deny them their voices. Surely the greatest way to appreciate the true genius of craftsmen over 300 years ago is when that beauty is made a living thing at the hands of a talented musician. Still, objects of incomparable beauty.
Putting it in a glass case like that is a crime, like going to a zoo of taxidermy animals. They need somebody to play in an auditorium part of the museum regularly.
Hi Susan, I didn't know you are interested in violins and violinmaking! If you happen to come to Italy, please let me know, I' ll be more than glad to show you the 'Museo del Violino' in Cremona, not far away from home :) you will find there some of the most important violins by Amati, Strasivarious and many others, as well as the Sabionari guitar, one of the other few survived in the centuries. Great video, thanks for sharing!
While many, if not most, of these instruments are in museums and sadly go unplayed, many are in private and consortium hands and are played regularly by the finest performers the world over. Additionally, some museums and other institutions have groups of instruments that are regularly played by in-house groups, such are the quartet of instruments at the Smithsonian. Also, there is at least one Stradivari guitar that is was restored to playing condition and has its own TH-cam channel - see the channel Sabionari - to see and, more importantly, to hear this extraordinary instrument. The Stradivari magic was not reserved only for fiddles!
1:01 This Violin (which has actually been played during the 1930s) isn't in its original condition anymore. Jean baptiste vuillaume purchased it in 1858, & he put a beautifully carved Messiah Tailpiece on it, & carved pegs, & he also extended the neck.
I see those instruments and marvel and weep at the same time. To see such wondrous creations locked up in glass cells and not out in the world singing is heart-breaking. What would the Messiah sound like in the hands of Joshua Bell or Sarah Chang?
If it has been altered to the extent that it has, then it is no longer a ' pure' Strad', particularly as the tailpiece holds so much importance in the tone of the instrument. 🎸🎶🇬🇧❤️
That Flame Maple back is STUNNING. The most desirable electric guitar, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul, has the same Flame Maple figuring on the front. Absolutely gorgeous.
This makes be very sad. All of these instruments need to be in the hands of the virtuosos who can play them. Only then can the world enjoy their real beauty.
The first time I went to an air-show, I was appalled that a B-17 Flying Fortress flew in to attend. That belongs in a museum, under guard! After several low passes, it landed and became the centerpiece of the show. It was only after I had spoken with the crew that the light came on: Airplanes were meant to fly. Even a rare and venerable war-bird has to stretch it's wings or it is just a pile of parts. While it would be tragic for an old plane to crash, or a historically important instrument to be broken, neither can truly inspire us unless they take flight! Play them with the respect and dignity they deserve, but by all means, play them!
There are between 450 to 512 Stadivari violins in existence -the majority of which have been well played, and are still. The one featured here is the *only* Strad left in basically as-new condition --no wear to the wood or varnish. There's only one way to preserve that condition. I have no problem with this one being preserved.
@@henseleric Get a guy that knows how to play a strad and it would be amazing. Takes experience otherwise it'll scratch. They have personalities. There's a Ted talk by a guy that plays a 1714 Strad.
@@henseleric Discussion on what? Of course I read what you wrote. It's clear you appreciate strads and the Ted talk is from earlier this year. I thought if anyone would appreciate that Ted talk you would appreciate it. I didn't expect a reply or a thank you. It's youtube after all. I simply hoped you'd find it and appreciate it. th-cam.com/video/_jXbYnT2VxI/w-d-xo.html If not, that's fine too.
What a terrible comparison. A plane is much like a car in the sense that if not flown, the fuel lines, hydraulic lines, basically 65% of the airplane will wear extremely fast or just stop working. Hence why the FAA requires personal inspections on planes parked more then 3 months. This is a 300 year old dang near mint condition violin that cost upwards of 20 million dollars probably more.
Wow, I would love to see all those pieces in person. Look at it this way: like seeing an extremely beautiful woman...its ok to look... but don't touch! Drool is ok just don't get it on the glass... I understand how you feel about these instruments not being played ( I'm a musician myself ) but I am just glad they are preserved. Awesome!
By the way, my violin was made in 1930, now the year being 2020. That’s amazing as you said one of the times of it being played recently was 1930. I still think that’s too long ago for it to have been played. Antonio’s work needs much more appreciation, I think. But well done to Antonio! He has really made some master pieces!
Thanks for showing and bringing up the point about playing the instrument. I believe Stradivarius would be angry to discover his creations imprisoned as “safe queens.” 😢
@@randombritishperson9077 Actually some lutheir who bought this Violin (Jean Baptieste) named it that way when he put in a new Tailpiece, & new Pegs, & also extened the Length of the neck.
There are plenty that are being played in concerts and on you tube videos. It's nice to be able see some examples that haven't been bought as investments and secreted away in bank vaults.
Some people who bought or heritage one of the originals lend them to famous violinists for special classic music concerts . These violins can’t be playing frequently only for few hours where the temperature can damage the wood.
They sound beautiful, as look beautiful and have amazing history behind the instruments. Stradivarius violas sound absolutely amazing (I suppose I am a bit biased considering that I am a viola player)
Blind tests have shown that in terms of sound, Strads aren't actually any better than modern violins, and in some cases, modern violins sound better than Strads, so the "superior sound" claim that a lot of people use is most likely just bias. That said, their historical value is priceless. Also, I suppose there's a lot of bragging rights that come with playing or owning a Strad, since they're so rare.
There are over 600 other strads bing played upon. It is definitely worth sacrificing a few exeptionly well preserved examples for future study and appreciation. In 400 years all of the strads that we enjoy hearing today will be in pieces, only those few that are preserved will be able to be seen,and studied for future makers
It is wonderful that people can get close to these instruments and see them. But part of me is sad that they are not in the hands of wonderful musicians to be played. Then we could HEAR them.
the beauty of this instruments come from their sound, so it is sad that it is not played. These objects must be used. It is not a picture or a sculpture just to look at it.
It is an amazing collection of string instruments, which have gone silent. Their value is now only as pieces of art, not as their intended creation. Thankfully other instruments with the sound and workmanship, equal and perhaps surpassing their caged ancestors, exist and are being played today.
Interesting to me that the neck was lengthened and it still maintained it's value. And we who are alive would have NO way of knowing if the replaced, carved tailpiece affected the sound positively or negatively. I don't imagine that the pegs would affect the sound more than minusculely.
As a violin maker, I'm glad that the Messiah has been not been played on. Almost all of the stradivari violins that we still have today are considerably worn down or warped to the point that trying to make replicas of these violins is often quite difficult or impossible as we will never know they truly looked like new. The Messiah in it's condition provides us with the closest example of what stradivaris violins looked like straight out of the shop and I hope it stays unplayed for many centuries to come.
Actually it's not 100% certain that this violin was made by Stradivari. Vuillaume was a master at copying Strads as were many other talented makers. He had the Messiah on display in his workshop and would never let anyone touch it or study it. He made several copies of this particular instrument ( 3~ I believe) I had the pleasure of meeting with the late ( wonderful) Herbert Goodkind in 1981 in his home in Larchmont NY. He was a wealth of knowledge . He was generous with his time, a humble and kind man and I will never forget his generosity. The famous painting of Stradivari that he had visioned and comissioned was hanging over his sofa ( a painting you see often when the subject of Stradivarius comes up), and a gorgeous 1890's Steinway in close proximity. He gave me a tour ( and I only went there to buy his Iconography which was impossible to find). We talked a lot about this violin and when he mentioned the "doubt" I did say, wouldn't they be able to tell by the sound? He said NO, because the violin had not be played enough. So basically, there is no way to say with absolute certainty that it was not an extremely well done copy by another maker. Many measurements have been made by famous houses, some say it is and some say it isn't. They have to do more ample testing but the museum will not allow it's main attraction to be touched no less found to NOT be made by the great Stradivarius! Wonderful vid!! Thanks so much for posting this. My next trip will be to the Ashmolean!!
Nah. There's plenty of Stradivari instruments out there being played by the very best. We common folk NEVER get to see them up close and personal. There's an aesthetic and historic appeal to these instruments that can be appreciated by a museum "audience." The painting metaphor doesn't really work, either. That Renoir was meant to be hanging in the dining room of some lucky patron, not on a museum wall next to paintings by other artists. I am an amateur violinst with a genuine appreciation for well made, important instruments. I would LOVE to see a Strad up close and personal. That would be very special. Also, what about luthiers given an opportunity they would never otherwise have, to study and examine an actual Strad or Guarneri?
There is no shortage of fine instruments for people to play, both old and modern. It’s a good thing that a few ancient instruments are being preserved in museums rather than being used up. The Messiah may not sound that good anyway, as is often the case when old instruments show minimal playing wear. Stradivari certainly didn’t hit a home run every time. No violin maker does.
It's an interesting theory being proposed here that a violin needs to be played once in a while to keep its "voice" from dying. I play acoustic guitar, an instrument very similar to a violin, and have never come across such an issue. My late father's very expensive handmade guitar stood for decades in our attic without being played and after tuning sounded as beautiful as on the day it had been bought in the shop. I doubt a violin would have been any different.
It's bittersweet looking at these caged violins.. Imprisoned and through no fault of their own. Hopefully one day they will be saved and allowed to spread their wings once again. I'm welling up here 😩
Thank you for showing them it has been many many years since I was there I think it was 1976 when I went there on a school trip 😹 it is the one thing I have missed the most since my parent brought me to Australia and that's the rich history of just not the museums but also the buildings them selves. History in Australia is only a few hundred years old a blink of an eye compared to the history in the U.K. 🙀😹 it's times like this I miss being there...
I wonder how it compares in value to Paganini's Cannon, which is referred to as priceless. At least that one (a 1743 Guanarius del Gesu, from Cremona) is at least pulled out of its display and played annually at some international violin competition for the winner that year to give a special concert with it. It's known as Il Cannone for it's dynamic range, capable of a booming sound that can richly fill a large music hall. It is an Italian national treasure, and is also played on very rare occasions for special concerts. Niccolo Paganini had such outrageous technique and virtuosity that he was considered to have made a deal with the devil. He was wiry looking and his bent back and movement while playing dazzlingly fast or a Beethoven concerto on 1 string, for examples, amazed but provoked people to think he was the devil himself. When he died cemeteries refused to bury him on consecrated ground, until he was finally accepted in Parma, Italy. His 24 caprices and etudes (studies) are still considered some of the most challenging written music to play. His reputation as a miser of money (which helped market his devil reputation) was betrayed after his death, where his personal financial accounts showed he had donated generously to the poor and other struggling musicians for years.
There's no way of knowing for sure, since none of these instruments will be sold in a public auction any time soon, but I expect many great violins, owned by the great composers and players, would sell for far more that The Messiah. I think the list would include: Paganini's favorite Guarneri violin, that he called Il Cannone, "The Cannon" ; The Guarneri, owned by “Ole Bull" : Heifetz's Guarneri, " The David" ; and Mozart's violin and viola.
Yes, all these instruments must be played several times a year by top musicians in concerts, this should be the rule so that their voices are kept. An instrument is nothing without its voice.
I don’t doubt modern violins are made to a higher standard and the difference in sound may be imperceptible even to experts. But the fascination to me is that in 300 years nobody has really managed to create something better. It’s the same argument my dad believes with guitars. The best fenders and les Paul’s have barely changed since the 1950s, and I think in a world of built in obsolescence and continual technological advancement this is a wonderful thing and they deserve to be celebrated.
The secret is to keep playing good music on a violin for 300 years. All violins get better and better with age. The modern violins will sound quite something 100 years from now.
@@iplayeddsharpminor The woods get drier and season out more as the varnish dries up. And maybe all those vibrations of music being played slowly cause the wood to age in a way that makes it more responsive to those frequencies. While a bad or an average violin can only improve so much, and nothing can truly fix a violin made wrong from the start, all violins improve. Even my student violin sounds way better after 20 years of playing (and even some neglect and battering followed by many repairs and upgrades) than what it should given its price range. All violins get better, but over decades. The old Strads and Guarneris were built with very thick plates originally which meant their sound would have opened up more and more over long periods of time. Many of them have since then been thinned down to improve their response, but doing a modern violin with very thin plates is bad in the long run. This is also why those old violins survived so long. Perhaps it's also a good idea to play a violin in the frequency ranges where it is found lacking and see if it opens up in those places too. Although no scientific study has been done for such a long period, all violinists I know say their instruments get better with time and proper maintenance. One violinist had an exact copy of Heifetz's Guarneri made new and said it opens up and develops new overtones and sound colours every day. I played on my own teachers 150 year old violin and it was magnificent. It felt like the violin played itself responding to my thoughts while my student violin made me work for that kind of play. I upgraded my setup and over the years found my own violin much easier to play. It no longer changes tone like the weather.
@@srinitaaigaura thank you for taking time out of your day to educate a person who can’t really play anything but has a deep appreciation for excellence. Wish TH-cam comments were always this wholesome!
I saw in a video that a very expensive violin was loaned to twoset and although they didn't break it the did banged it and were clowning around alot. These violins have historic values worth more than any player playing it and putting them in danger of being irreversibly damaged. Just saying
Thank you for showing the Strad. Was hoping to find out more about the instrument explaining how Stradivari instrument sounds compare to other makers. Maybe something about the building techniques or materials used. Certainly expected an audio clip of a Strad compared to an "ordinary" instrument. Just not enough information to be satisfying.
The violin from the first violin maker, Andrea Amati in the 1500s, should be the most valuable. It should definitely be worth more than this one made in 1716, regardless of condition..
Cory Phillips Not really, it doesn’t sound as good as the Strads or deGesu’s. He invented today’s modern form, but it was Stradivari and delGesu who perfected it. That’s why their instruments are worth more. There instruments are still played today, his not really.
Having the most beautiful voice in the world is meaningless if you never sing.
Strongly disagree
That is true but I probably wouldn’t want this violin played so much as to wear it out even the slightest. A voice can last it’s lifetime (mostly) pretty well without become “worn” whereas this priceless violin should best be kept in its condition since it is after all the best kept Stradivari violin.
Scary Pumpkin yeah I guess there are both good reasonings on both sides of the argument which both make sense 🤷♂️
Scary Pumpkin yeah it should’ve been played but now that it’s much older and more valuable than ever, I would probably not have played regularly, rather more once every year or so maybe on its birthday or a special event
@@allons-y933 They don't preserve it because it is a decorative piece. It is a priceless piece of art like a da vinci painting though. It isnt like some potted plant to make the room feel fancy, It is the most well preserved Stradivarius violin n the world. The trees used to make these instruments are all gone, we dont know his method, and the creator has been dead for 200 years. There will never in the history of the universe be any more Stradivarius violins than there are now. If you want a violin to play, go spend a million dollars on another perfect instrument. This violin represents a whole legacy and beauty and if we are responsible hopefully a thousand years from now people can still appreciate it. To say this violin is just an instrument, or just a piece of wood, or just a decorative piece is an insult to the culture humans have created. On a certain level it has deep meaning and beauty. It is preserved for the people who care to see it that way. Most people can't pick out a stradivarius from sound alone anyway. It won't make some divine sound no one has ever heard. It's special for more reasons than that.
i think master antonio would weep seeing his works locked behind glass, dead and voiceless.
Actually, this is the one violin that Stradivari kept for himself as a beacon as his perfection. He never sold it or played it. I think he intended for this to be his masterpiece that violin makers would be able to use as an accurate reference of what a violin would look like straight out of his shop.
They are saved, conserved and resting in retirement!
He'd weep all the way to the bank, to cash a 20 million euro check or two, for his work.
Every night unbeknownst to anyone, the janitor that cleans the museum hammers a tune on the Strad.
I've heard that. I believe he plays "The Devil Went Down to Georgia."
😂
Probably Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher”.... somehow
I'm positive they don't pay him enough to not play it.
Saws 5 bows a night to shreds in a manic fit and wakes up naked in the alley covered in goat blood and ashes, then goes home to his family and doesn't speak a word about it.
A violin really should be played once in a while to maintain it's voice
Joe Shmoe Ikr when I bought my violin it had been sitting in a cupboard for 6 months and he sounded dead, he has only really started to get his voice back but now he is sounding beautiful and he is a treasure to play. These instruments must be dead, and it would have been lovely for them to play that violin for its 300th birthday
@@libby9599 That was my first reaction but they were probably concerned it might start a trend of it being played occasionally. If handling me would damage me, the best birthday present for me would be to not be handled more than ever! But I think its a myth violins lose their voice from sitting.
Violins do lose their voice if not played, unfortunately there were only around 1100 strads made, and at least one must be preserved
Agreed!
Libby And honestly why not sell the recording of it / them being played, It would sell like hot cakes, I’d buy them 😃🔥❤️
As a guy who makes electric guitars in his garage,
Being able to see these absolute masterpieces of the art,
and being able to understand 1/100000th the skill, patience and craftsmanship it would have taken to create one of these things, is a real gift.
Thanks for sharing.
Actually, it is being played: currently playing a 100 year-long rest note.
underrated comment xD
Lol
It's funny, but also really sad to be honest,
Like viewing caged animals, instruments are meant to be heard!
Could not agree more. I'm hesitant to say that I love your analogy because it's a depressing to consider caged animals and unplayed master violins, but it fits the situation quite well
Just play your own violin, not this priceless piece of history! While be I appreciate the metaphor, it's important we preserve it for future generations!
@@bert7109 So future generations should only look but not play these peices of work that were meant to be played?
Just like the chicken cup used by emperor of China that costed more than this. Why not drink tea with it?
@@Kanewdle It wouldn't sound any better than what you make today
For those of us living an ocean away, thank you for the tour.
This video makes me wonder what Stradivari would think of his violins and guitars sitting unused in cases? Why doesn't the museum have some violinists play all of these instruments and record it for the world's culture?
I recently visited the museum for the first time and was excited to see the guitars and violins,upon entering the room i was astonished and in awe of the beauty and setting of the instruments on display.then in the quiet of the room i thought i could here crying,i followed the direction of the sad sound and arrived at the display case containing the messiah. This violin needs to be played, needs to be released and set free... ..
How sad that these instruments are sealed in glass cases and never played. They were not made as objects of art in themselves (even though they may be beautifully made) but were to produce music and sounds that would enthrall the listeners. They are rather like stuffed animals compared to living creatures.
I agree. I have a classical guitar made in 1980 Not anything old but still quality. Ive played it somewhat in the past few years. My son more than I. But when I brought it to the original build er or Luthier, He was a little disapointed that it did not have more wear on it. I wonder if Antonio Stadevarius would feel the same about his work.
many are often brought out for playings, its just done in an extremely controlled environment.
I disagree. They are the last of their kind, when they are gone they are gone. They should not be used. Today me make new one which sound just a good or better but without the history.
Thanks
Our family has an guitar from 1850's and we play it. It costs too much but it's better than putting it in to glass.
Need to play those beautiful instruments
We have around 450 Strads surviving and most are in circulation. Those can be heard but this one is uniquely preserved and it should be kept that way for us to understand what a Strad was like when it left the master’s bench. This is priceless for today’s violinmakers.
if its never played then what is the point of excisting?
@@mikekinsella2822 the point is that it’s our only example of a pristine Stradivari instrument still preserved exactly as the master. Violin makers use it as a unique model for producing contemporary instruments. One year of playing will all but ruin this unique insight into the master’s methods. If you’ve ever seen an overplayed by 18th century instrument opened up in a violin workshop and realize they are held together by patchwork and glue, barely surviving, then you’d get this point more easily. This is the only surviving Strad in such an intact state and one year of playing it will ruin it. Kindly play something else.
Those are amazing instruments. Did you know that the world's oldest playable harpsichord is in a museum in South Dakota of all places? It was built before anyone from Europe had even met the people the Dakotas are named after. Funny where things end up.
Got that right 😊
This is a perfect example of something being too precious.
To the point where it's main purpose is gone and won't be recovere.
Just like Frodo and his precious fucking ring. That bitch-face Hobbit wore that ring around his neck the whole journey when he could have slipped it on his finger to summon magical spells and shit. He probably could have flown or teleported straight to his destination instead of taking up multiple 3-hr movies trekking across mountaintops on his big-ass hairy feet. That's why his feet are so fucked up. Yeah Yeah so putting on the ring turns you evil or whatever, but YOLO right? That shit-for-brains Hobbit never used the precious ring to it's full potential, just like this beautiful Stradivarius.
Not precious at all if you can't feel it. Voiceless.
If I had this violin, I'd play it, every day!
I bet you would, then it would soon be worth nothing and there would be no example in the world of a Strad as he made them.
Thanks for sharing, however I can't help thinking like some of the others, it's a shame these beautiful instruments are not being played.
OldManTony exactly! In montreal, museums and companies sometimes loan famous orchestras their best instruments because they have to be played, or else they will get dull. These instruments have to be played!
They have to be preserved. Once a while some stupid musician falls down the stage and lands on his strad or stolen in the locker room - yes, both happened. And when they are gone, they are gone for good.
That happened to DAVID GARRETT when he accidentally slipped. He landed on his $1.2million strad!
A great tour and although I know nothing about violins we can all appreciate the skilled workmanship that went into making such beautiful instruments. A big thumbs up.
The violin is not played because the collection was given to the museum by WE Hill and Sons. One of the conditions of the gift was that this violin should not be played. It is the only Stradivari to retain almost all of it's varnish and gives us a pretty good idea of what a stradivari would have been like fresh from the shop. Funny thing is it is not perfect, there is a repair of a pitch pocket to the right (treble side) of the finger board. There is another instrument, "The Lady Blunt" that is a near twin. The Messiah serves as sort of a paragon or blue print for modern violin makers. There are about 600 Stradivari instruments that are being played by great players every day. The prices are astronomical now. "The Lady Blunt" sold for about $16,000,000.00 a few years ago.
Thanks for all this info Dwight! Wow...I've learned something new today :-)
Oh my Lord Sugar these are all so beautiful I just love guitars any string instruments I've been playing all my life so I can really relate U are fantastic see U again soon dear...
Lovely instruments, and a great background track. Thanks for posting.
What a wonderful collection of beautiful instruments! Thanks for posting.
A Cheap Violin played and loved with full of bright memories of friends & family is much more precious than this one.
Wonderful to see those instruments! Thanks for sharing them.
If there are no instruments preserved for future generations then no one will be able to hear them played in a couple of centuries.I've visited this instrument a couple of times to get ideas for my own making and it is very useful for people like me who make instruments to have access to master instruments. There must be hundreds of violin makers who have visited this instrument and make other violins that you can hear. It's not an animal and the glass is not a cage.
Hey SuGar thanks so much for putting this short video up. It is wonderful to be able to see these beautiful instruments in such detail. I will likely never be able to see them any other way. Love your work, keep it up.
kind of disgusting that these rich people just buy these violins and just put them in display cases. The fact that a Strad would go 8 decades without being played is just shameful.
I disagree...these cannot be replaced...each time they are played, they will deteriorate incrementally...over time they will not last...they are such works of art they must be preserved for future generations...imo...
Ken Varnold preserved for generations just not to play them art is wasted when its not being truely used u can never see the true art of these violins without hearing them
It was created, by Stradivari, as an instrument for making music. That is its purpose and his intent when he crafted it. Its artistry is, in the end, an aural one. Elman, Milstein, Huberman, Menuhin and a host of others would almost certainly agree. Yes, if played it will alter it it. But that's why we must place the emphasis on supporting luthiers: to both maintain these works as living singing instruments, as well as to foster new masters. A stringed instrument is not an eternal item. The craft of making it, the craft of performing on it, therein lies as close to the eternal as human kind can muster this side of the kingdom of heaven.
I agree. It should be played, as the value is in the SOUND not in the object.
@@kenvarnold3659 thats not how violins work. There are other strads, just as old (some older) who are played regularly and do not "deteriorate".
Strad violins were made with abnormally HARD wood, and any violinist who has one in their possession is going to care for it tremendously. So long as strings are loosened before storing it in the case, and its not left in the rain, they will last forever.
thanks Susan for this quite enjoyed the visit ,as i will never old England again i watch your tube vids and they are great .and yes i make guitars and made one violin for fun anyhow thanks again .
Susan thank you so much for that vid - just wonderful to see all those fabulous instruments. I've got to make a visit soon. thanks again.
those violins and guitars were gorgeous. thank you very much Susan for sharing.
The most valuable violin is the one you hold in your arms.
As a majority of comments here indicate- musical instruments are built, and by design- are provided by the builder in order to create music. I would love to see the museum release these on an annual basis into the hands of qualified, and respectful players, so the world can experience what the builder intended!
Lovely. I was really enjoying the music then saw who the composer/performer is. Had to go for a second listen. Beautiful!
Violins are alive, anyone who plays will attest to that. While they are expressions of art and beautiful in their own right. Violins are not paintings, they are musical instruments with a voice, They need to be played to be fully appreciated.
Beautiful instruments. What a shame they can't be heard.
Beautiful, gorgeous works of art and craftsmanship beyond my simple imaginings. It does make me sad to see them mute, cased in Perspex. It seems almost cruel to deny them their voices. Surely the greatest way to appreciate the true genius of craftsmen over 300 years ago is when that beauty is made a living thing at the hands of a talented musician. Still, objects of incomparable beauty.
Putting it in a glass case like that is a crime, like going to a zoo of taxidermy animals. They need somebody to play in an auditorium part of the museum regularly.
Hi Susan, I didn't know you are interested in violins and violinmaking! If you happen to come to Italy, please let me know, I' ll be more than glad to show you the 'Museo del Violino' in Cremona, not far away from home :) you will find there some of the most important violins by Amati, Strasivarious and many others, as well as the Sabionari guitar, one of the other few survived in the centuries. Great video, thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for introducing me to this museum.
Absolutely awesome! My favourite instrument will always be a violin!
While many, if not most, of these instruments are in museums and sadly go unplayed, many are in private and consortium hands and are played regularly by the finest performers the world over. Additionally, some museums and other institutions have groups of instruments that are regularly played by in-house groups, such are the quartet of instruments at the Smithsonian. Also, there is at least one Stradivari guitar that is was restored to playing condition and has its own TH-cam channel - see the channel Sabionari - to see and, more importantly, to hear this extraordinary instrument. The Stradivari magic was not reserved only for fiddles!
1:01 This Violin (which has actually been played during the 1930s) isn't in its original condition anymore. Jean baptiste vuillaume purchased it in 1858, & he put a beautifully carved Messiah Tailpiece on it, & carved pegs, & he also extended the neck.
I see those instruments and marvel and weep at the same time. To see such wondrous creations locked up in glass cells and not out in the world singing is heart-breaking. What would the Messiah sound like in the hands of Joshua Bell or Sarah Chang?
If it has been altered to the extent that it has, then it is no longer a ' pure' Strad', particularly as the tailpiece holds so much importance in the tone of the instrument. 🎸🎶🇬🇧❤️
Certainly the master luthier who carved the pegs and the tailpiece copied the original
And to think it is considered the most valuable estimated at $15,000,000
That Flame Maple back is STUNNING. The most desirable electric guitar, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul, has the same Flame Maple figuring on the front. Absolutely gorgeous.
Bravo Susan. Loved the tour as well as the music.
This makes be very sad. All of these instruments need to be in the hands of the virtuosos who can play them. Only then can the world enjoy their real beauty.
The first time I went to an air-show, I was appalled that a B-17 Flying Fortress flew in to attend. That belongs in a museum, under guard!
After several low passes, it landed and became the centerpiece of the show.
It was only after I had spoken with the crew that the light came on: Airplanes were meant to fly. Even a rare and venerable war-bird has to stretch it's wings or it is just a pile of parts.
While it would be tragic for an old plane to crash, or a historically important instrument to be broken, neither can truly inspire us unless they take flight!
Play them with the respect and dignity they deserve, but by all means, play them!
There are between 450 to 512 Stadivari violins in existence -the majority of which have been well played, and are still. The one featured here is the *only* Strad left in basically as-new condition --no wear to the wood or varnish. There's only one way to preserve that condition. I have no problem with this one being preserved.
@@henseleric Get a guy that knows how to play a strad and it would be amazing. Takes experience otherwise it'll scratch. They have personalities. There's a Ted talk by a guy that plays a 1714 Strad.
@@robertthomas5906 Did you even read what I wrote? I'm not looking for a discussion.
@@henseleric Discussion on what? Of course I read what you wrote. It's clear you appreciate strads and the Ted talk is from earlier this year. I thought if anyone would appreciate that Ted talk you would appreciate it. I didn't expect a reply or a thank you. It's youtube after all. I simply hoped you'd find it and appreciate it. th-cam.com/video/_jXbYnT2VxI/w-d-xo.html If not, that's fine too.
What a terrible comparison. A plane is much like a car in the sense that if not flown, the fuel lines, hydraulic lines, basically 65% of the airplane will wear extremely fast or just stop working. Hence why the FAA requires personal inspections on planes parked more then 3 months. This is a 300 year old dang near mint condition violin that cost upwards of 20 million dollars probably more.
I've been there. I have held and played these invaluable treasures. Nothing like the experience.
Wow, I would love to see all those pieces in person. Look at it this way: like seeing an extremely beautiful woman...its ok to look... but don't touch! Drool is ok just don't get it on the glass...
I understand how you feel about these instruments not being played ( I'm a musician myself ) but I am just glad they are preserved. Awesome!
i would love to hear it be played!
there're 100s being played around the world now.... why not just give this one a break?
By the way, my violin was made in 1930, now the year being 2020. That’s amazing as you said one of the times of it being played recently was 1930. I still think that’s too long ago for it to have been played.
Antonio’s work needs much more appreciation, I think.
But well done to Antonio! He has really made some master pieces!
I would love to hear it being played maybe at a special one night concert at the museum.
Thanks for showing and bringing up the point about playing the instrument. I believe Stradivarius would be angry to discover his creations imprisoned as “safe queens.” 😢
Stradivari was a sort of angel
He was an angel to produce such fine instruments.
I've wanted to play Messiah by G.F. Handel on this instrument cause it's named after a Piece of Music Handel wrote.
It’s not named after handel’s music.
@@randombritishperson9077 Actually some lutheir who bought this Violin (Jean Baptieste) named it that way when he put in a new Tailpiece, & new Pegs, & also extened the Length of the neck.
I feel like I would weep with joy if I ever went to this museum.
There are plenty that are being played in concerts and on you tube videos. It's nice to be able see some examples that haven't been bought as investments and secreted away in bank vaults.
Those violins look gorgeous!
Some people who bought or heritage one of the originals lend them to famous violinists for special classic music concerts . These violins can’t be playing frequently only for few hours where the temperature can damage the wood.
Voices silenced, deaf to the world, longing to be heard. Forever awaiting the freedom to sing again.......
I always wonder with stuff like this whether they actually sound good or are just valuable for the sake of being valuable.
They sound beautiful, as look beautiful and have amazing history behind the instruments. Stradivarius violas sound absolutely amazing (I suppose I am a bit biased considering that I am a viola player)
JDODify I can't speak for guitars but the Stradivarius Violin sounds like angels
Have you folks actually played any to pass an opinion. I'd like to know.
@@AlexRiversMusic, I totally agree. The Stradivarius violins do sound like angels singing.
Blind tests have shown that in terms of sound, Strads aren't actually any better than modern violins, and in some cases, modern violins sound better than Strads, so the "superior sound" claim that a lot of people use is most likely just bias.
That said, their historical value is priceless. Also, I suppose there's a lot of bragging rights that come with playing or owning a Strad, since they're so rare.
A really lovely video for anyone who didn't get to visit the exhibition. Thank you! :)
There are over 600 other strads bing played upon. It is definitely worth sacrificing a few exeptionly well preserved examples for future study and appreciation. In 400 years all of the strads that we enjoy hearing today will be in pieces, only those few that are preserved will be able to be seen,and studied for future makers
It is wonderful that people can get close to these instruments and see them. But part of me is sad that they are not in the hands of wonderful musicians to be played. Then we could HEAR them.
the beauty of this instruments come from their sound, so it is sad that it is not played. These objects must be used. It is not a picture or a sculpture just to look at it.
It is an amazing collection of string instruments, which have gone silent. Their value is now only as pieces of art, not as their intended creation. Thankfully other instruments with the sound and workmanship, equal and perhaps surpassing their caged ancestors, exist and are being played today.
Finally some wisdom
Interesting to me that the neck was lengthened and it still maintained it's value. And we who are alive would have NO way of knowing if the replaced, carved tailpiece affected the sound positively or negatively. I don't imagine that the pegs would affect the sound more than minusculely.
As a violin maker, I'm glad that the Messiah has been not been played on. Almost all of the stradivari violins that we still have today are considerably worn down or warped to the point that trying to make replicas of these violins is often quite difficult or impossible as we will never know they truly looked like new. The Messiah in it's condition provides us with the closest example of what stradivaris violins looked like straight out of the shop and I hope it stays unplayed for many centuries to come.
I'd like to hear "The Devil Came Down to Georgia" played on it.
Actually it's not 100% certain that this violin was made by Stradivari. Vuillaume was a master at copying Strads as were many other talented makers. He had the Messiah on display in his workshop and would never let anyone touch it or study it. He made several copies of this particular instrument ( 3~ I believe)
I had the pleasure of meeting with the late ( wonderful) Herbert Goodkind in 1981 in his home in Larchmont NY. He was a wealth of knowledge . He was generous with his time, a humble and kind man and I will never forget his generosity. The famous painting of Stradivari that he had visioned and comissioned was hanging over his sofa ( a painting you see often when the subject of Stradivarius comes up), and a gorgeous 1890's Steinway in close proximity. He gave me a tour ( and I only went there to buy his Iconography which was impossible to find). We talked a lot about this violin and when he mentioned the "doubt" I did say, wouldn't they be able to tell by the sound? He said NO, because the violin had not be played enough. So basically, there is no way to say with absolute certainty that it was not an extremely well done copy by another maker. Many measurements have been made by famous houses, some say it is and some say it isn't. They have to do more ample testing but the museum will not allow it's main attraction to be touched no less found to NOT be made by the great Stradivarius!
Wonderful vid!! Thanks so much for posting this. My next trip will be to the Ashmolean!!
carm4765 k
It must be play by the worlds greatest violinist, in order the worlds every generation will hear the bitter sweetness of the sound of such instrument.
Nah. There's plenty of Stradivari instruments out there being played by the very best. We common folk NEVER get to see them up close and personal. There's an aesthetic and historic appeal to these instruments that can be appreciated by a museum "audience." The painting metaphor doesn't really work, either. That Renoir was meant to be hanging in the dining room of some lucky patron, not on a museum wall next to paintings by other artists. I am an amateur violinst with a genuine appreciation for well made, important instruments. I would LOVE to see a Strad up close and personal. That would be very special. Also, what about luthiers given an opportunity they would never otherwise have, to study and examine an actual Strad or Guarneri?
It'd be nice to have some kind of an audio hook-up to hear the instruments being played. Like one recording of the sounds of each instrument.
In some museums in Italy, master violinists come regularly to play the violins to keep them sounding at their best.
That violin should be in the hands of a great violinist so it can be enjoyed and not just looked at.
There is no shortage of fine instruments for people to play, both old and modern. It’s a good thing that a few ancient instruments are being preserved in museums rather than being used up. The Messiah may not sound that good anyway, as is often the case when old instruments show minimal playing wear. Stradivari certainly didn’t hit a home run every time. No violin maker does.
It's an interesting theory being proposed here that a violin needs to be played once in a while to keep its "voice" from dying. I play acoustic guitar, an instrument very similar to a violin, and have never come across such an issue. My late father's very expensive handmade guitar stood for decades in our attic without being played and after tuning sounded as beautiful as on the day it had been bought in the shop. I doubt a violin would have been any different.
I've visited the University of Oxford twice. The first time was in 2000, and again in 2004.
I wonder what Antonio would think of todays instruments thank you for the presentation and your music.
It's bittersweet looking at these caged violins.. Imprisoned and through no fault of their own. Hopefully one day they will be saved and allowed to spread their wings once again.
I'm welling up here 😩
These treasures must be played on a regular basis so at least they can be heard instead of being just looked at 😢😢.
Thank you for showing them it has been many many years since I was there I think it was 1976 when I went there on a school trip 😹 it is the one thing I have missed the most since my parent brought me to Australia and that's the rich history of just not the museums but also the buildings them selves. History in Australia is only a few hundred years old a blink of an eye compared to the history in the U.K. 🙀😹 it's times like this I miss being there...
Beautiful instruments.
Violins don't belong in a museum! They aren't Renoirs! They need to be in the hands of the world's best violinists and played!
I wonder how it compares in value to Paganini's Cannon, which is referred to as priceless. At least that one (a 1743 Guanarius del Gesu, from Cremona) is at least pulled out of its display and played annually at some international violin competition for the winner that year to give a special concert with it. It's known as Il Cannone for it's dynamic range, capable of a booming sound that can richly fill a large music hall. It is an Italian national treasure, and is also played on very rare occasions for special concerts.
Niccolo Paganini had such outrageous technique and virtuosity that he was considered to have made a deal with the devil. He was wiry looking and his bent back and movement while playing dazzlingly fast or a Beethoven concerto on 1 string, for examples, amazed but provoked people to think he was the devil himself. When he died cemeteries refused to bury him on consecrated ground, until he was finally accepted in Parma, Italy. His 24 caprices and etudes (studies) are still considered some of the most challenging written music to play. His reputation as a miser of money (which helped market his devil reputation) was betrayed after his death, where his personal financial accounts showed he had donated generously to the poor and other struggling musicians for years.
What's the point of SEEING a musical instrument but never HEARING it?
There's no way of knowing for sure, since none of these instruments will be sold in a public auction any time soon, but I expect many great violins, owned by the great composers and players, would sell for far more that The Messiah. I think the list would include: Paganini's favorite Guarneri violin, that he called Il Cannone, "The Cannon" ; The Guarneri, owned by “Ole Bull" : Heifetz's Guarneri, " The David" ; and Mozart's violin and viola.
Yes, all these instruments must be played several times a year by top musicians in concerts, this should be the rule so that their voices are kept. An instrument is nothing without its voice.
I don’t doubt modern violins are made to a higher standard and the difference in sound may be imperceptible even to experts. But the fascination to me is that in 300 years nobody has really managed to create something better. It’s the same argument my dad believes with guitars. The best fenders and les Paul’s have barely changed since the 1950s, and I think in a world of built in obsolescence and continual technological advancement this is a wonderful thing and they deserve to be celebrated.
The secret is to keep playing good music on a violin for 300 years. All violins get better and better with age. The modern violins will sound quite something 100 years from now.
@@srinitaaigaura I am intrigued as to what the reason for this is. Just maturing of the woods?
@@iplayeddsharpminor The woods get drier and season out more as the varnish dries up. And maybe all those vibrations of music being played slowly cause the wood to age in a way that makes it more responsive to those frequencies. While a bad or an average violin can only improve so much, and nothing can truly fix a violin made wrong from the start, all violins improve. Even my student violin sounds way better after 20 years of playing (and even some neglect and battering followed by many repairs and upgrades) than what it should given its price range.
All violins get better, but over decades. The old Strads and Guarneris were built with very thick plates originally which meant their sound would have opened up more and more over long periods of time. Many of them have since then been thinned down to improve their response, but doing a modern violin with very thin plates is bad in the long run. This is also why those old violins survived so long.
Perhaps it's also a good idea to play a violin in the frequency ranges where it is found lacking and see if it opens up in those places too. Although no scientific study has been done for such a long period, all violinists I know say their instruments get better with time and proper maintenance. One violinist had an exact copy of Heifetz's Guarneri made new and said it opens up and develops new overtones and sound colours every day.
I played on my own teachers 150 year old violin and it was magnificent. It felt like the violin played itself responding to my thoughts while my student violin made me work for that kind of play. I upgraded my setup and over the years found my own violin much easier to play. It no longer changes tone like the weather.
@@srinitaaigaura thank you for taking time out of your day to educate a person who can’t really play anything but has a deep appreciation for excellence. Wish TH-cam comments were always this wholesome!
I saw in a video that a very expensive violin was loaned to twoset and although they didn't break it the did banged it and were clowning around alot. These violins have historic values worth more than any player playing it and putting them in danger of being irreversibly damaged. Just saying
These violins are inspected and maintained regularly, and played. Then put back to the case.
Susan Gardener porque não trenta fazer um violino . Era uma ideia gira .saudações de Portugal
Thank you for showing the Strad. Was hoping to find out more about the instrument explaining how Stradivari instrument sounds compare to other makers. Maybe something about the building techniques or materials used. Certainly expected an audio clip of a Strad compared to an "ordinary" instrument. Just not enough information to be satisfying.
Beautiful historical instruments
It's criminal that these instruments are locked up in glass display cases.
These instruments were meant to be played. Such a shame.
It is sad to see them locked up but maybe some need to be preserved for the coming generations to enjoy....
Well done. Good information density.
The violin from the first violin maker, Andrea Amati in the 1500s, should be the most valuable. It should definitely be worth more than this one made in 1716, regardless of condition..
Cory Phillips Not really, it doesn’t sound as good as the Strads or deGesu’s. He invented today’s modern form, but it was Stradivari and delGesu who perfected it. That’s why their instruments are worth more. There instruments are still played today, his not really.
Wasn't the Ebony fingerboards a later edition on all of those? I thought all of those early violins originally had a maple fingerboards.
These instruments were built to be played. Not put on display. Let some great deserving players give life to these musical gems.
Thank you for sharing.