My First Experience of Great Violins

My first experience with fine violins was at the age of 14. Musician friends took me to a recital by Mischa Elman. This was a great musical event at that time(1946) he was the first international violinist to visit my town after World War II. At the end of the concert we went to speak with Elman, when several people asked to see and possibly hold his violin. He very kindly allowed some of us to draw the bow over the strings and play a few notes - it was enough to change my life forever. I think Elman was using the `Swan' Strad on that evening.

Since then I have spent an evening with David Oistrakh, who had with him his magnificent Strad. On another occasion I spent an afternoon with Wolfgang Schneiderhan who had two beautiful Strads with him that day.

During the last fifty years I have played on any number of instruments by the best makers and have never lost the excitement of the occasion. Many international violinists have visited my home bringing with them as many wonderful violins, Bergonzi, Petrus Guanerius (two in one day) Techler, Amati, Pedrazini, Testore, Gragnani, Grancino, Gagliano, Guadagnini, Silvestre and many more.

Each instrument is a new and exciting experience and with that instrument it is always the first time, even if I have played several examples of the same makers work. Of all the violins I have heard or played, I would choose the `Plowden' del Gesu (1735) used by Ruiggiero Ricci on the LP The "Glory of Cremona" (1964) In a BBC broadcast "Desert Island Discs" Ricci himself said that he preferred this instrument to the others he used on the LP recital. Of the violins I have played myself I would choose the Testore mentioned in the last paragraph

The earliest examples of naming violins on 78rpm record labels are on recordings by Jan Kubelik circa 1910 , these labels state that he is playing the Emperor Strad. A few years later a label on a Columbia recording of the violinist Leo Strockoff states that he is playing Sarasate's violin.

There will no doubt be others and it would be interesting to know if any readers of this article know of any other 78s where the violin being used is named.

Today there are several LPs and CDs available of whole collections played on famous violins. The first modern example that comes to mind is the "Glory of Cremona" recital on which Ruggerio Ricci plays fifteen famous violins. There is also a similar LP on Erato STU 71146 (Sep 1977) "Les Instruments Précieux du Musée du Conservatoire Vol 2" of Pierre Amoyal playing several well known violins. The violins listed on Amoyal's recording are Amati (1639), Strad `Provigny' (1716), Del Gesu (1742), Strad `Le Saraste' (1724), Strad modčle `Longuet' (1699) and Strad `Le Davidoff' (1708) Every now and then an LP or CD can be found where the violin being used is mentioned. I am sure for many of us this is an added pleasure.

So Jose Sanchez and I, will with your help, compile what we think is the first discography of recordings which specifically name the violin being used.

Please look through your collection for any mention of the violin used to make a recording, then e-mail the details, of course we will credit the item with your name. Or if you know of any documentation stating which violin was used for a particular recording e-mail this page with the information. At a later date we will publish a list of as much of this information as possible, then all those curious listeners can have the information they may have been looking for years. But please do not assume that because a certain violinist was using or owned a particular violin at the time the recording was made that he/she was in fact using that violin for the recording, that would then be speculation and not fact.

For your contribution please,

• Use the Discography Form

• Or mail it to
  • Cheniston K. Roland

  • Jose Sanchez-Penzo