Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers Discusses the Soul of Her 1741 ‘ex-Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri del Gesù

[Disir]

What do you know about its history?

It belonged to 19th-century Belgian violinist and composer Henri Vieuxtemps, who was so in love with the instrument, he wanted to be buried with it. There is a photo from his funeral in 1881, where the violin was carried behind his hearse and what looks like most of Belgium in attendance to honor him. The great Eugene Ysaÿe, who was also his student, carried the violin at his funeral. Ysaÿe coveted it and performed on it for a while but unfortunately wasn’t able to afford the violin.

It made its way to Ian Stoutzker of Britain, who preserved and took care of it for over 50 years. He was a close friend of Yehudi Menuhin, and loaned the violin to him for some concerts. Menuhin wrote him a letter saying that if he had to choose between rescuing the Vieuxtemps or his own violin (the 1714 “ex-Soil” Stradivari) from a fire, he would hands-down run after the Vieuxtemps.

If given the ability, what would your instrument say to you if the two of you sat down for tea?

Please pass something stronger my way . . . . Like a fine whiskey.
Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers Discusses the Soul of Her 1741 ‘ex-Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri del Gesù



The above is from 2013 when she got it.



And just because the above is her when she was 11.

 

[Damaged Eagle]

*****SMILE*****

 

[Sunni Man]

Most violins today are copies of either a Guarneri or a Stradivarius.

Personally. I prefer the Guarneri on both sound and looks. ...

 

[Pogo]

Most violins today are copies of either a Guarneri or a Stradivarius.

Personally. I prefer the Guarneri on both sound and looks. ...

Yeah mine's a Strad copy but it's only 92 years old. A tot.

 

[Disir]

Most violins today are copies of either a Guarneri or a Stradivarius.

Personally. I prefer the Guarneri on both sound and looks. ...

I like the Guarneri. That said, I am not good enough to recognize the difference unless I know in advance. Like, David Garrett prefers the Strad and that is usually what he plays. I don't play the violin so I can't learn that way. Is there anything that I could listen to that would help me differentiate between them?

 

[Disir]

Most violins today are copies of either a Guarneri or a Stradivarius.

Personally. I prefer the Guarneri on both sound and looks. ...

Yeah mine's a Strad copy but it's only 92 years old. A tot.

You play? Same question above goes to you.

 

[Sunni Man]

 

[Sunni Man]

You play? Same question above goes to you.

No, I don't play.

5 years ago I new nothing about violins. Yet today, I buy and sell them. Not new instruments, but older vintage violins. I especially like the turn of the last century American hand made instruments, primarily those made in the New England area, notably Boston, by first generation european immigrants.

I got started in the fascinating world of violins when my two granddaughters wanted to start playing violin. Being ignorant about violins, I started researching about them on the internet, watching Youtube videos, and pestering luthier's at the local violin shops with questions.

I then became knowledgable enough to hand pick my granddaughters violins and get them started. Now after years of playing and practicing in their school orchestra, coupled with private weekly lessons and violin summer camps, they have become quite the accomplished players. ....

 

[Disir]

You play? Same question above goes to you.

No, I don't play.

5 years ago I new nothing about violins. Yet today, I buy and sell them. Not new instruments, but older vintage violins. I especially like the turn of the last century American hand made instruments, primarily those made in the New England area, notably Boston, by first generation european immigrants.

I got started in the fascinating world of violins when my two granddaughters wanted to start playing violin. Being ignorant about violins, I started researching about them on the internet, watching Youtube videos, and pestering luthier's at the local violin shops with questions.

I then became knowledgable enough to hand pick my granddaughters violins and get them started. Now after years of playing and practicing in their school orchestra, coupled with private weekly lessons and violin summer camps, they have become quite the accomplished players. ....

That is so VERY cool!!!

 

[Sunni Man]

I am a mechanical engineer, so I find the construction and design of the violin fascinating. Using tone woods, like maple from the carpathian mountain forests for the back and sides, and fine grain spruce on the top, along with african ebony for the neck's fret board. These master luthier's from around four centuries ago, constructed violins that have been endlessly copied, but never surpassed in sound and performance. Violins represent the apex of western culture.

The shape of the violin's body has been compared to that of a woman's figure, kinda freudian but somewhat true.

Your original question had to do with the difference between the Stradivarius and the Guarneri.

The Strad is a favorite of many professional soloists, described as somewhat feminine in tone, but loud and powerful, and can be a handful to tame by the inexperienced player.

While the Guarneri is viewed as more masculine, with a deeper mellower tone, and more adaptable to various kinds of music.

For this reason, among factory off the shelf violins offered to the general public at music stores. Guarneri style violins out sell Strad style violins about 20 to 1 ......

 

[Pogo]

Most violins today are copies of either a Guarneri or a Stradivarius.

Personally. I prefer the Guarneri on both sound and looks. ...

Yeah mine's a Strad copy but it's only 92 years old. A tot.

You play? Same question above goes to you.

I started to play, once.

Then I saw this girl play (when she was a 14 year old) ....

​

--- after that I hung it up on the wall.

 

[Disir]

I am a mechanical engineer, so I find the construction and design of the violin fascinating. Using tone woods, like maple from the carpathian mountain forests for the back and sides, and fine grain spruce on the top, along with african ebony for the neck's fret board. These master luthier's from around four centuries ago, constructed violins that have been endlessly copied, but never surpassed in sound and performance. Violins represent the apex of western culture.

The shape of the violin's body has been compared to that of a woman's figure, kinda freudian but somewhat true.

Your original question had to do with the difference between the Stradivarius and the Guarneri.

The Strad is a favorite of many professional soloists, described as somewhat feminine in tone, but loud and powerful, and can be a handful to tame by the inexperienced player.

While the Guarneri is viewed as more masculine, with a deeper mellower tone, and more adaptable to various kinds of music.

For this reason, among factory off the shelf violins offered to the general public at music stores. Guarneri style violins out sell Strad style violins about 20 to 1 ......

I just watched (Sunday morning) an informal study (?) with 7 violins. There were judges and an audience of people who liked violins. The violinist was behind a sheet and she played the same piece with each violin. The Guarneri came in first and the Strad came in second. I heard no difference at all. I thought I was doomed.

I watched a documentary where a copy was made of a Guarneri and the copy was said to be as good as the original. But, through out the documentary there were subtle differences in the violins from worm holes. There was information on the trees like how a number of winters impacted the wood. It would be impossible to duplicate all of that.

 

[Pogo]

I am a mechanical engineer, so I find the construction and design of the violin fascinating. Using tone woods, like maple from the carpathian mountain forests for the back and sides, and fine grain spruce on the top, along with african ebony for the neck's fret board. These master luthier's from around four centuries ago, constructed violins that have been endlessly copied, but never surpassed in sound and performance. Violins represent the apex of western culture.

The shape of the violin's body has been compared to that of a woman's figure, kinda freudian but somewhat true.

Your original question had to do with the difference between the Stradivarius and the Guarneri.

The Strad is a favorite of many professional soloists, described as somewhat feminine in tone, but loud and powerful, and can be a handful to tame by the inexperienced player.

While the Guarneri is viewed as more masculine, with a deeper mellower tone, and more adaptable to various kinds of music.

For this reason, among factory off the shelf violins offered to the general public at music stores. Guarneri style violins out sell Strad style violins about 20 to 1 ......

I just watched (Sunday morning) an informal study (?) with 7 violins. There were judges and an audience of people who liked violins. The violinist was behind a sheet and she played the same piece with each violin. The Guarneri came in first and the Strad came in second. I heard no difference at all. I thought I was doomed.

I watched a documentary where a copy was made of a Guarneri and the copy was said to be as good as the original. But, through out the documentary there were subtle differences in the violins from worm holes. There was information on the trees like how a number of winters impacted the wood. It would be impossible to duplicate all of that.

I've seen such comparisons on YouTube too but without a sparkingly efficient audio system, on both ends, those subtleties won't convey. You'd have to be there in person really.

 

[Sunni Man]

I watched a documentary where a copy was made of a Guarneri and the copy was said to be as good as the original. But, through out the documentary there were subtle differences in the violins from worm holes. There was information on the trees like how a number of winters impacted the wood. It would be impossible to duplicate all of that.

Top notch luthiers are well versed in the field of dendrology, specifically the study of tree rings.

For instance, spruce is the wood of choice for the top of the violin. You want wood that has a very tight grain pattern. The very best is from european spruce trees that grow on the north side of mountains at high altitudes. Because the growing season is short, making the wood very dense.and very strong. .....

 

[Disir]

I watched a documentary where a copy was made of a Guarneri and the copy was said to be as good as the original. But, through out the documentary there were subtle differences in the violins from worm holes. There was information on the trees like how a number of winters impacted the wood. It would be impossible to duplicate all of that.

Top notch luthiers are well versed in the field of dendrology, specifically the study of tree rings.

For instance, spruce is the wood of choice for the top of the violin. You want wood that has a very tight grain pattern. The very best is from european spruce trees that grow on the north side of mountains at high altitudes. Because the growing season is short, making the wood very dense.and very strong. .....

That's it!

Ok. That's what I saw and a specific area but I don't remember which one or where precisely.

 

[Disir]

I am a mechanical engineer, so I find the construction and design of the violin fascinating. Using tone woods, like maple from the carpathian mountain forests for the back and sides, and fine grain spruce on the top, along with african ebony for the neck's fret board. These master luthier's from around four centuries ago, constructed violins that have been endlessly copied, but never surpassed in sound and performance. Violins represent the apex of western culture.

The shape of the violin's body has been compared to that of a woman's figure, kinda freudian but somewhat true.

Your original question had to do with the difference between the Stradivarius and the Guarneri.

The Strad is a favorite of many professional soloists, described as somewhat feminine in tone, but loud and powerful, and can be a handful to tame by the inexperienced player.

While the Guarneri is viewed as more masculine, with a deeper mellower tone, and more adaptable to various kinds of music.

For this reason, among factory off the shelf violins offered to the general public at music stores. Guarneri style violins out sell Strad style violins about 20 to 1 ......

I just watched (Sunday morning) an informal study (?) with 7 violins. There were judges and an audience of people who liked violins. The violinist was behind a sheet and she played the same piece with each violin. The Guarneri came in first and the Strad came in second. I heard no difference at all. I thought I was doomed.

I watched a documentary where a copy was made of a Guarneri and the copy was said to be as good as the original. But, through out the documentary there were subtle differences in the violins from worm holes. There was information on the trees like how a number of winters impacted the wood. It would be impossible to duplicate all of that.

I've seen such comparisons on YouTube too but without a sparkingly efficient audio system, on both ends, those subtleties won't convey. You'd have to be there in person really.

At least there is hope.

 

[Reasonable]

What do you know about its history?

It belonged to 19th-century Belgian violinist and composer Henri Vieuxtemps, who was so in love with the instrument, he wanted to be buried with it. There is a photo from his funeral in 1881, where the violin was carried behind his hearse and what looks like most of Belgium in attendance to honor him. The great Eugene Ysaÿe, who was also his student, carried the violin at his funeral. Ysaÿe coveted it and performed on it for a while but unfortunately wasn’t able to afford the violin.

It made its way to Ian Stoutzker of Britain, who preserved and took care of it for over 50 years. He was a close friend of Yehudi Menuhin, and loaned the violin to him for some concerts. Menuhin wrote him a letter saying that if he had to choose between rescuing the Vieuxtemps or his own violin (the 1714 “ex-Soil” Stradivari) from a fire, he would hands-down run after the Vieuxtemps.

If given the ability, what would your instrument say to you if the two of you sat down for tea?

Please pass something stronger my way . . . . Like a fine whiskey.
Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers Discusses the Soul of Her 1741 ‘ex-Vieuxtemps’ Guarneri del Gesù



The above is from 2013 when she got it.



And just because the above is her when she was 11.

I have a few of Meyers' recordings. Mighty fine talent. Her technique is amazing !