They can exceed prices of 18 million euros and are played by stars such as Anne-Sophie Mutter and David Garrett. But how do you even get hold of Stradivari and Guarneri violins?
Violins by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù are among the most expensive violins in the world
A radiant, otherworldly sound, unique and inimitable: the legendary Italian violin maker Antonio Stradivari knew in the 18th century that how to enchant the music world with violin tones. Whether the German star violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter or the Dutch “king of salon music”, André Rieu, the Stradivarius is your constant companion.
About 1000 violins are said to have been preserved by Antonio Stradivari. Anne-Sophie Mutter owns two of them, the “Emiliani” from 1703 and the “Lord Dunn-Raven” from 1710. The instruments usually bear the names of their previous owners or famous virtuosos who played them. They are priced between 3 and 16 million euros, the upper limit is open.
The Stradivarius is her constant companion: Anne-Sophie Mutter plays with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at the Rheingau Music Festival 2022
When André Rieu had financial concerns about the continued existence of his ” Johann Strauss Orchestra”, he considered selling his valuable Stradivarius in 2021. But it didn't get that far. On the holidays he lets the sound of his violin unfold its captivating effect again, for example in his program “Christmas with André”.
Guarneri del Gesù: the most expensive violins in the world
For a long time, the “Lady Blunt” Stradivarius was considered the most expensive traded violin in the world at over 15 million euros. After 2010, violins by Guiseppe Guarneri del Gesù were auctioned for more than 16 and 18 million euros. Far higher sums are now circulating, and the buyers often remain anonymous. Of the instruments made by the violin maker Giuseppe Guarneri, who lived from 1698 to 1744, there are only around 200 left worldwide, which drives up prices.
The German-American violinist Augustin Hadelich has been playing a Guarneri on loan since 2020. “I was fascinated by the sound of the violin and I knew straight away that I wanted to play it,” Hadelich told DW. “The sound is rounder and warmer. Especially on the low strings, the violin sounds wider, fuller and fuller, and not all violins have that.”
Expensive instruments on loan
Many Well-known virtuosos, but also talented newcomers, are given the opportunity to use valuable instruments through loans. The Russian cellist Anastasia Kobekina plays on a cello by Antonio Stradivari from 1698, on loan from a Swiss foundation.
Anastasia Kobekina belongs to the generation of newcomers
The young Spanish violinist María Dueñas, who signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon in 2022, is praised for her virtuoso playing and artistic maturity. This also drew potential lenders onto the scene. The Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben provided her with a Nicolò Gagliano violin. The 20-year-old also plays a Guarneri del Gesù from 1736, on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation, which belongs to the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and owns the largest Stradivarius collection.
His instruments are in demand worldwide: violin maker Antonio Stradivari (1648-1737)
How do you get a valuable instrument?
The 23-year-old British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason has been playing a cello by Matteo Goffriller from 1700 for over a year. The Venetian violin maker was famous for the outstanding quality of his cellos. Kanneh-Mason is fascinated by the round, full sound: “My whole playing has changed and has grown with this instrument,” he says in an interview with DW.
A star cellist and his millions instrument
His cello is on loan from a group of six sponsors. The violin expert Florian Leonhard arranged the deal. Leonard deals in the coveted instruments of past centuries. “It is well known that instruments are a good investment,” says Leonhard in a DW documentary. “The number of old instruments is finite and we have more and more interested parties all over the world.”
Stringed instruments as an investment
The well-known British violinist Daniel Hope doesn't necessarily need an intermediary. “One day I got a call out of the blue and a lady said she wanted to make an investment,” Hope tells DW. He should choose an instrument, the lady wanted to buy it as an investment, he should play it.
“It's hardly possible for artists to afford these instruments anymore because the price explosion is insane,” says Hope. He chose the “Ex-Lipiński” violin by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù from 1742, named after the 19th-century virtuoso Karol Lipiński.
Daniel Hope is also on the road with his Guarneri at Christmas and plays in his format “Christmas@home 2022” together with Sting
Play a Mozart violin once
Some instruments are so rare that you're happy if you're only allowed to play them once – even if it's not a Stradivarius or Guarneri violin. Violinist Renaud Capuçon usually plays a Guarneri del Gesù that was once owned by the famous violinist Isaac Stern. In 2021, at the 100th anniversary of the Würzburg Mozart Festival, he had the opportunity to play a violin that once belonged to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It comes from the workshop of Pietro Antonio Dalla Costa, built in 1764. The instrument is owned by the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation.
For Capuçon it was not only a great joy, but also a challenge: “The instruments were brought by the people from Salzburg and they kept them with them all the time,” Capuçon told DW after the concert. “If we wanted to rehearse, we had to ask. So I couldn't play the violin too much, but it was a wonderful experience, the instrument was very sonorous.”
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String instruments – even a Mozart violin – have to be played to get their sound. In the end, not only the violin maker or the previous owner determines the value, but also the well-known virtuosos who made the instrument sound over the centuries. “I try to appeal to people who are also thinking about the emotional part of the investment. It is absolutely necessary that young and aspiring future stars have the right tools,” says violin expert Florian Leonhard.
David Garrett is delighted with his new Guarneri del Gesù
The star violinist David Garrett, who works with crossover programs, was given such a chance reached an audience of millions. At the age of 13 he was loaned a real Stradivarius for several years. Most recently he played a Guarneri del Gesù, on loan from the Italian city of Cremona. The 42-year-old was so enthusiastic about the violin that in September 2022 he bought a Guarneri from 1736 in Paris for 3.5 million euros. “The bid was like winning the lottery for me,” Garrett told the press at the time. You can hear him with his new Guarneri on his “Iconic” tour in 2023.