The name Stradivari has always been synonymous with maximum perfection in the field of musical instruments. Of all the instruments he produced, violas are by far the rarest and most valuable, with only 10 remaining, compared to 600 violins and 50 cellos produced over his long career. The viola'macdonald' of 1719 is one of the only two examples of this kind produced during Stradivari's "Golden Period" (1700-1720), during which the master produced his finest instruments. In terms of state of preservation, beauty and sound quality, the 'Macdonald'' viola is unmatched. The viola will be sold in sealed envelopes, with bids exceeding USD 45 million*
David Redden, Vice President of Sotheby's, comments: “In every sector there are exceptional masterpieces, which exert their influence far beyond the confines of their sphere. Stradivari's instruments belong to a class of artisan masterpieces of which the 'Macdonald' viola represents the undisputed pinnacle.”
Tim Ingles, Director of Ingles & Hayday, explains: “The 1719 'Macdonald' viola is universally recognized as the most important of the violas produced by Stradivari. It is perfectly preserved. No Stradivari viola has appeared on the market in the last fifty years, and this sale therefore represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all collectors.”
David Aaron Carpenter, the violin virtuoso who will play the instrument at Sotheby's in New York, comments: “This viola represents the absolute pinnacle of human wisdom in the creation of musical instruments, and is excellently preserved. It is as if a viola commissioned directly from Stradivari was delivered to you 300 years later.”
Below, the video of David Aaron Carpenter playing the 'Macdonald' viola:
http://www.sothebys.com/content/sothebys/en/news-video/videos/2014/03/the-macdonald-viola-by-stradivari.html
The music being played by David Aaron Carpenter in the video is Asturias by Isaac Albéniz trans. Michael P. Fernandez; JS Bach - Suite No. 3 Prelude; and Niccolo Paganini Carnival of Venice arr. Carpenter.
The video footage is available, should any part of it be of interest. No credits are required for the video.
The 'Macdonald' viola was purchased for Peter Schidlof of the Amadeus Quartet in 1964 and comes from the musician's family, who died in 1987. The 'Macdonald' viola boasts a long and prestigious history of collector passages, and was purchased by Godfrey Bosville, third Baron of Macdonald - from whom the viola takes its name - in the XNUMXs. Only two violas produced by Stradivari, including the Viola 'Macdonald', are today in private collections**.
The craftsmanship in the production of the 'Macdonald' viola is of incomparable quality. The front is made of spruce, while the back is totally made of maple, and is covered almost entirely by Stradivari's characteristic orange-brown varnish, perfectly preserved. The characteristic flame of the maple wood descends from left to right, creating a magnificent iridescent texture that can be glimpsed under the varnish.
Beginning in the late 1782th century, as Stradivari's fame began to grow, collectors began to seek out string quartets produced by Stradivari (two violins, one viola and one cello). Today, it is practically impossible to assemble a similar quartet due to the extreme rarity of Stradivari's violas. For this reason, the appearance of the Viola 'Macdonald' on the market represents a historic event. Stradivari's reputation was further strengthened during the 1840th century thanks to the work of legendary virtuosos, such as the violinist Niccolò Paganini (XNUMX – XNUMX).
*US$45 million is a world record for a musical instrument. The current auction record for a musical instrument belongs to violin 'Lady Blunt' of Stradivarius from 1721, which was sold by the Nippon Music Foundation in June 2011 in an auction for USD 15.9 million, with the amount going to support the Nippon Foundation's Northeastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.
**The other Stradivarius viola is held at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, the 'Tuscan' alto viola of 1690 (not to be confused with the tenor viola of the same name)
