The violin, viola, cello and double bass are among the most recognisable orchestral and solo instruments. But there is a particular set known as the "Golden Age" instruments which are arguably the celebrities or royal family equivalent in the musical world. Some have their own names, others have fascinating (and often dubious) histories, and they always carry the name of their makers (or to use the nerdy term, luthiers).
As a singer, I've always been fascinated by how coveted (and expensive) Golden Age instruments by makers like Stradivari and Guarneri are, so I sat down with my colleague, cellist and producer Jennifer (Jamie) Mills, to get a string player's perspective. Jamie dished the dirt on some secrets of what make the Golden Age instruments so fascinating, and the lineage of luthiers or instrument-makers which still continues today.
Ria: Hey Jamie, as someone who always has my instrument with me, I've always been intrigued by string players' obsession with Stradivarius instruments. Is there actually a difference between a student violin and a Stradivarius?
Jamie: That is a very big question. The answer is as long as a piece of string but ultimately it comes down to the quality of the wood and the craftsmanship, the sound you'd expect from the instrument and the cost. A student violin can cost between a couple of hundred dollars to a few thousands, but if you're looking at a Stradivarius or other golden age instruments, you're looking at a few millions.
Ria: These instruments are hundreds of years old. How do they pass from player to player?
Jamie: Most players don't actually own these instruments themselves. They're investment pieces picked up by banks or anonymous investors who donate them for the use of a particular player during their career. Once a player gets a really big name and builds contacts in the industry, they might get approached by someone who might offer them an instrument to play.
Ria: That sounds quite thrilling but also nerve-wracking. What about if the investors want to keep the instrument in their private collection?
Jamie: Well, these instruments don't do well locked up in the cupboard. They're not like wine which can be horded away and would actually improve in quality. They need to be played, they need the sound to be constantly drawn out.
Ria: That's fascinating. You can physically hear the difference between a violin fresh from the cupboard and a well-loved instrument?
Jamie: Yeah. An instrument which has been locked away has a closed up boxy kind of sound and it takes a lot of effort to coax out the beautiful tone. But an instrument which has been played well and regularly is very responsive, it has this beautiful colour to its sound, and it improves over its lifetime with playing.
Ria: OK my mind is officially blown. I'm really interested in the people who made these instruments in the first place. Stradivari was the most well-known, but are there others?
Jamie: Stradivari learnt his craft in the workshop of Nicolò Amati, who came from a well-known family of makers who have been going for a few generations, but once Stradivari had a big enough name of his own he left to start his own shop – but it was only around the corner, so there probably wasn't any bad blood there. Then there are also Guarneri and Guadagnini – it was very Italian-centric in the Golden Age.
Ria: What do you think makes those instruments so special?
Jamie: People are still doing studies into this, putting forward ideas and doing research to find the magic ingredient. They've looked at varnish, they've looked at wood types, they've looked at what happened to the wood during what's known as the Little Ice Age in the 1600s. Ultimately, though, they're just really well-crafted instruments and they've been played by some of the world's finest performers.
Ria: I notice that principal players in orchestras usually have instruments made by big-name luthiers. Is this an actual tradition and do the orchestras own the instruments?
Jamie: It is a tradition of sorts. In addition to individuals and companies with the means to purchase those instruments, a lot of ensembles will try do the same, or they'll benefit from donations in order to acquire these instruments. For example, The Australian String Quartet has a set of matched Guadagninis, and the Australian Chamber Orchestra has a growing Stradivarius collection as well as other Golden Age instruments. Most of the other big symphony orchestras have a bank of really fine instruments by many luthiers, and some of them are also hundreds of years old.
Ria: What about the other string players in the orchestra? Who makes their instruments?
Jamie: There are so many other makers internationally and locally. A.E Smith was a famous British-born Australian instrument-maker, then there's also John Johnson and iconic luthier Harry Vatiliotis who recently had been the subject of a documentary called The Last Violin. The documentary talks about Vatiliotis' instruments and the people who play them. I play a cello made by Rainer Beilharz, another Australian maker who is quite popular with Australian players, and whose brother Volker is also a luthier.
Ria: I know you're not a maker, but do you happen to know how people become luthiers?
Jamie: It's a small but generous field in Australia, and ideally you'd associate yourself with a fine maker, build up your skills and continue the lineage. But it takes more than the name to make a fine instrument. You've got to grow a relationship with the players and vice versa.
Ria: I was born with my instrument, but I've always been really curious about how string players choose the right instrument. How do you pick between all of the options available and find "the one?"
Jamie: Ultimately it's about trying to find the best match. Even famous players can refuse the loan or say no if the instrument doesn't suit. Because it's a real symbiotic relationship between players and instruments and you really need to click. If you don't have a chemistry, it's not going to work for the player. For some it's a partnership with a golden age instrument. For others, it's finding something that will be beneficial. I feel like my instrument teaches me how to play better.
Ria: It reminds me of Harry Potter. "The wand chooses the wizard".
Jamie: Yes. There's an extra magic that's more than wood and varnish and strings.