Playing a piece of history

When Johan Dalene takes the long flight from Europe to Australia you can be sure his violin will travel next to him. The ‘Duke of Cambridge’, which is on loan to Dalene from the Anders Sveaas’ Charitable Foundation, was made in Cremona in 1725 in the workshop of the legendary Antoni Stradivari. In the 300 years since it was made, the violin has been in the hands of illustrious violinists such as Louis Spohr and Camilla Wicks. Director of Concerts and Communities, Katherine Kemp, talked to Harriet Cunningham about the Strad factor.

There is something very magical about a Strad, with all its history, thinking about the hands it’s been through, the musicians it’s played for, and the composers. Not everyone has heard of Louis Spohr. But can you imagine who else was in the drawing room when that violin got played? It’s so lovely to think about this piece of living history.  

The first time I really got it was hearing Kolja Blacher [who plays on a 1730 “Triton” Stradivarius.] Obviously, Kolja is a magnificent player. But for me the way he played that violin hit the brain the way the human voice hits the brain.

We’ll all be moved by many fine instruments, but there was something just so special about that sound. It can make you feel differently.  

Some people would say yes. In some international competitions there’s a bit of snobbery about that, which is terrible for Aussies because our ability to access those instruments is limited: most of those instruments are in North America, Europe and Japan. 

We must also acknowledge that there are beautiful contemporary instruments. They can command very high prices here and in Europe and North America. Then you have the beauty and joy of having someone tweak an instrument to the way you play.