The exhibit, which showcases 10 violins, tells the story of how early violin makers from the Italian city of Cremona handcrafted these extraordinary instruments. Included in the exhibit are five violins made from the 16th to the early 19th centuries and five modern instruments made by European and American masters.
As with other exhibits at the MIM, you’re given a headset that provides music and commentary. While walking through the gallery, you’ll learn about the forests where early violinmakers, including Andrea Amati, the founding father of the violin, Bartolomeo Giuseppe “del Gesù” Guarneri and Antonio Stradivari sourced the wood to shape their instruments. There’s also a fascinating video about the actual making of the violin and its adornments as well as a display of original tools and molds used by Stradivari in his workshop.
You’ll see the Carlo IX violin made by Amati, ca. 1566; the Artot-Alard violin made by Stradivari, ca. 1728; and the Prince Doria violin made by Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri “del Gesù,” ca. 1734, which is one of approximately 200 “del Gesù” violins still in existence.
I struck up a conversation with Gregg Alf, a violin-maker living in Venice, Italy, who owns the Prince Doria violin. As an 18-year-old violinist he moved from Los Angeles to Italy to learn the art of violinmaking at the International Violin Making School in Cremona. He’s been crafting violins since 1980 and counts many concert violinists among his clients. His violins have been played by members of orchestras worldwide, including musicians in The Phoenix Symphony.
Alf traveled to Arizona with the Prince Doria, which he has owned for 10 years. “I carried it in a strong case, but kept it with me everywhere. I didn’t leave it in the hotel, and when I went on the subway I carried it in my hand. Nobody knew I had an $8 million instrument,” he says.
The museum follows strict procedures for handling the instruments and “you respect the protocol of the museum,” he says. “But the day before, when they’re in the hands of musicians, they hold them and they play them. They’re working instruments.”
At the back of the exhibit hall, you’ll get a chance to watch videos of musicians playing the instruments. The rich tones of these remarkable handcrafted works of art will resonate with you long after you leave the museum.
If you go:
What: “Stradivarius: Origins and Legacy of the Greatest Violin Maker”
Where: Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix
When: through June 5
Cost: $10 for Stradivarius exhibit, $7 when purchased with general museum admission
Tickets: mim.org or 480-478-6000
