Fiddle Swapping

I’m sitting at my desk with my daughter watching videos of her earlier days. Pretty cute.

Got a note from a new member of the Violin Mastery clan asking about my violins. Funny thing is, I was going to write about the acquisition of my first ‘concert’ instrument today anyway.

For the first two years of my ‘concert’ career I was very fortunate to have the use of some wonderful violins. The first was a ‘golden period’ Strad belonging to the great American patron of the arts, Richard Colburn.

This was a short loan, specifically to solo with Neville Marriner and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Afterwards I was given the use of a beautiful Carlo Bergonzi. I played it for 2 years, during the time the Los Angeles Piano Quartet came into being.

After that period of time, however, the foundation through which Colburn lent out fine instruments to young players asked for the instrument back. Once your career was launched, or you were out of school for a year or so, the instrument had to be returned.

So the hunt for a violin and financing began.

After a search for several months, the violin I set my sights on was a Josef Guarnerius ‘filius Andre’ – he was the uncle and teacher of ‘Del Gesu,’ the greatest of the Guarneri family.

The violin, and this is in 1982, was priced at $90,000. Fortunately I had the full support of my parents in this, and between them, an aunt, and her little investment group, financing was arranged.

This violin was smooth as silk and even as could be from top to bottom. And it projected very well, even over a full orchestra, due to the remarkable richness of
its overtones.

Yet, just over a year later, I fell in love with another violin – a Carlo Tononi from 1736. It had a wonderful richness to its G string, something lacking in the Guarneri.

And so the buying and selling began. Until I came upon my present beaut, made by Lorenzo Storioni in 1782. This violin, though not quite a ‘golden period’ Strad, is about as close as you can get to one, without spending 3 plus million dollars.

I’ve played on it for 12 years, and I’d say we’ve come to be pretty good friends. One excellent way to enjoy its delicious tone is by investing in the DVD we’ve made available of my most recent recital.

All the best,
Clayton Haslop

P.S. I also play this instrument in my performances of all 42 Kreutzer Etudes.