The Luthiers

.

There's a small workshop next to my barbers (Antonio Ferragamo) at Newport,

which always catches my eye when going to Tony's. It's in the little Blue Sails

Arcade, and the shop, Violins by the Sea, belongs to a renown contemporary

Australian violin maker Matthew Bolliger (see his website violinsbythesea.com.au).

I thought of doing this post when hearing about the Stradivarius violin that the

Australian Chamber Music Orchestra has been granted with (the first Stradivarius

in Australia). This is from their website (www.aco.com.au):

"The ACO Instrument Fund has acquired a rare and precious 1728/1729 Stradivarius violin, to be 

played by Satu Vänskä. 

The Stradivarius violin has been tested in major concerts halls across Australia in a wide variety of 

repertoires and styles, and has consistently displayed all the hallmarks of the great Stradivarius 

violins. It has powerful projection and evenness of tone throughout its full range, with equality 

across all four strings. It has a rich and well projected lower register on the G-string and a finely 

balanced middle register that soars to a sweet-toned, singing quality in the upper register which, 

in the right hands, intensifies to brilliance. 

Satu Vänskä says, “Its distinctive, brilliant beauty of sound carries in a concert hall through the 

ears, straight to the listener's heart. Part of the mystery and fascination of a fine Stradivarius is 

that it has a soul and a personality of its own. For the violinist, this means that the violin seems to 

play the player. I am extremely happy and thankful that this collaboration is working successfully 

in a way that is taking me further as a violinist and musician. This beautiful instrument has a very 

keen and admiring custodian. After endless, lifelong practice to master this difficult instrument, 

most of my generation of violinists simply can't afford to own one. That is why supporting the ACO 

Instrument Fund is of crucial importance to the development of the orchestra.”

Satu Vänskä appears as soloist in the Baroque Virtuosi tour in July, playing a work by Tartini, the 

first famous violinist to own a Stradivarius violin."

By the way, Satu is one of the two Finnish ACO members, the other one is cellist

Timo-Veikko Valve.

Matthew Bolliger. Photo: John Reekie.

Antonio Stradivari, a painting by Edgar Bundy.