Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1731, the 'Paganini, Mendelssohn'
Viola: 40049
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Notes:
In 1833 Paganini's appreciation of the viola was the cause of his asking Berlioz to compose a solo for it, "Les Derniers Instants de Marie Stuart" being selected as a fitting theme (!) for the display of the virtuoso's extraordinary powers. Berlioz, happily, was soon afterwards inspired with a worthier subject-the symphony "Harold in Italy," which contains a fine solo part for the viola. Paganini, however, as was anticipated by Berlioz, neither approved of the part, nor would he play it; consequently, at the first performance of the symphony in Paris in 1834, it was played by C. Urhan, and by Henry Hill (uncle of the writers) on the corresponding occasion in London in 1848.Antonio Stradivarius: His Life & Work, W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), London
Provenance
| John Betts | |
| E. Stephenson | |
| 1831-1832 | George Corsby |
| 1832-1840 | Nicolò Paganini |
| 1840-1853 | Baron Achille Paganini |
| 1853-1884 | Otto van Booth |
| from 1884 | W. E. Hill & Sons |
| until 1892 | Baron Johann Knoop |
| in 1892 | Sold by W. E. Hill & Sons |
| from 1892 | Robert von Mendelssohn |
| 1935-1946 | Emil Herrmann, New York |
| 1946-1964 | Anna E. Clark |
| 1964-1994 | Corcoran Gallery of Arts |
| from 1994 | Nippon Music Foundation |
Known players
Emmanuel Wirth, James Dunham, Kazuhide Isomura, Nicolò Paganini, Sidney Brecher
References
- Antonio Stradivari: His Life & Work (1644-1737), W. Henry, Arthur F. & Alfred E. Hill, William E. Hill & Sons, London, 1902
How Many Strads? (1999 edition), Doring, Bein & Fushi, Bein & Fushi, Chicago, 1999 (illustrated)- L'Esposizione di Liuteria Antica a Cremona nel 1937, Comitato Stradivariano, Cremona (illustrated)
- Le Quatuor Stradivarius "Nicolò Paganini", Claude Lebet, Les Amis de la Musique, Spa (illustrated)
Nippon Music Foundation Instruments: Paganini Quartet- The 'Secrets' of Stradivari, Simone Fernando Sacconi, Eric Blot Edizioni, Cremona (illustrated)
- The Jacques Français Rare Violins, Inc. Photographic Archive and Business Records, 1844-1998, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, Box 43 (illustrated)
- The Stradivari Memorial (1977), William Dana Orcutt, Da Capo Press, New York (illustrated)
- The Stringed Instrument Collection in the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Shinichi Yokoyama, Gakken
- Violin Iconography of Antonio Stradivari 1644-1737, Herbert K. Goodkind, Larchmont, NY (illustrated)
- We Love Stradivari, NHK (illustrated)