The Theft, Recovery, and Legend of Joshua Bell’s Red Stradivarius Violin | Robb Report
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- Опубликовано: 1 ноя 2018
- Joshua Bell is one of the most famous living violinists and his violin-an extremely rare and valuable Stradivarius built in 1713-has one of the most amazing backstories of any musical instrument. From an infamous theft at Carnegie Hall to a deathbed confession 50 years later (and much more), this is the story of Joshua Bell's Red Violin.
READ MORE: bit.ly/Joshua-Bell-Stradivarius
Secret Histories of Rare Treasures spotlights the stories behind items that amaze historians, elude collectors, and intrigue audiences. Through original and never-before-seen footage, in-depth archival research, and expert interviews, Robb Report brings these awe-inspiring narratives to life. Developed in coordination with Robb Report’s editors and produced by the brand’s in-house custom-content and video agency Robb Report Studio, the editorial series explores the hidden lives of extremely rare and amazingly valuable items often found in the pages of Robb Report.
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Don't know what Joshua Bell is like in real life, but he seems very, very respectful, humble, and appreciative of his being a steward of this fine instrument. Kudos.
The red violin is one of my most dearest movies.... is amazing to hear you play
I never liked violin music that much but in the early 90s I went to a local church here in Oklahoma City and listened to...Joshua Bell. So, on a whim I got to listen to one of the best violinists in the world. I didn't know anything about him. BUT I fell in love with his music. When I eventually watched the Red Violin, well, It's one hell of a good movie. And the music is incredible. Thank you Mr. Bell for the gift.
Antonio Stradivari probably never thought that some of his original instruments would still be played 300 years later.
Actually, luthiers trained in the classical schools look for and prepare the woods they will use 30-50 years later in the making of their violins. They are also trained to create varnishes that will stand the test of time. Stradivarius was an exceptional luthier. He created his instruments to be continuously played for hundreds of year beyond his death.
Helluva Change I wonder what his reaction would be if he learned that about 1000 of his instruments were destroyed in world war 2
@@grenadier_boom9144 I think he would stand still and cry at the stupidity of mankind. Then resume work. These guys were diligent.
I think he would have killed someone
And stradivari was the man. a Stradivarius is a violin he made ;)
In the Sixties I attended a concert of a young Itzhak Perlman. I was young, not sure the exact year. It was Oklahoma City. After giving a phenomenal performance of one of the Paganini Concertos, Perlman was surrounded by a crowd getting him to sign programs. I was among them. Some tall man in gray clothing who appeared for everything like a maintenance man, picked up Perlman's violin case from down near his feet. Didn't seem like anything improper had just happened; just moving it out of the way because of the press of the crowd. I only learned weeks later Perlman's Guaneri had been stolen. By the time I read the article it had already been recovered, pawned for $15 down at a nearby pawn shop. Just thought you might enjoy hearing about that incident.
I'd love to pick up a Guaneri for $15..
15 dollars? Holy
I was their as well. Mid-‘80s I think.
@@swaviator You must be talking about Joshua Bell's bad experience. I'm talking about Perlman back in the Sixties. I can still remember my discomfort wearing my Sunday suit I was growing out of. Maybe there's some biographical that would tell us what year Itzhak Perlman played a Paganini Concerto in Oklahoma City. The way I found out about the theft and recovery was through the local Oklahoma City paper. I had no idea what I had witnessed. But I still have a vague picture of the "maintenance man" that moved the violin case with the Guaneri in it.
Bob Kemper how did you survive this long with using the wrong there
I bought a student violion 19 years ago...my late music teacher picked up it for me... the sound matured over the years...I bought four violins after that in the following years... German... European....still I love my first violin... Still play it every day.... With a few modifications... Violins can be brought to life...regardless of price or the country it came from...
I had the honor and pleasure of experiencing this beautiful instrument at first hand.
The Huberman Stradivarius was at that time the instrument that Norbert Brainin - the unforgettable genius of a first violinist of the legendary Amadeus Quartet - owned and played until his death in April 2005.
And it was an honor and my great pleasure to have played Mozart's flute quartets and one of Hayden's 'London Trios' in a number of concerts with Norbert Brainin playing that most wonderful instrument.
To this day I see the movement of the beautifully crafted Stradivarius violin scroll moving towards me, on Bainin's repeated upward bowings in the first movement of the C - Major Quartet.
A magnificent violin, a great musician and a unforgettable sound.
To tell you the truth, i never knew about norbert brainin except from seeing him play in quartet on youtubes, and i couldn't understand how he wasn't famous. As a violinist as well as a person
@@user-ri2oj6yz6c
I couldn't agree more! Performing with Norbert Brainin and also making music with him in rehearsals, unavoidably made you aware that you were witnessing one of the half-dozen greatest violinist of the century. Once when seated near the front of the audience during a performance of one of the Brahms sextets, I consciously concentrated entirely on just his playing and realised the full power of this man as a uniquely fascinating violinist.
When playing together with him, his bowing seemed in be almost disturbingly free of any of the restrictions of the actual limitations of a violin bow. Inspiring genius, totally devoted to devoted to the matter in hand - making music.
Great piano story. I think most pianists who have played the "503" secretly believe that some kind of other-worldly "mojo" deposited on the keys from Horowitz will rub off on their fingers, and through spiritual osmosis, infuse them with his talent. But this belief is true for anyone who has touched an object that great or famous people have previously owned. I worked one afternoon with Horowitz' piano tuner Franz Mohr. Mohn was Steinway & Sons Chief Technician, and he was a fascinating character. He was working
on preparing a model "D" concert grand for an upcoming concert for the Oakland Symphony Orchestra. I was his "piano tester" and he was very respectful and appreciative of my time, which showed how diplomatic and sensitive he was with the great pianists he worked with. He could tune them as well as he tuned the pianos!
As he adjusted the action and tuned the piano, I wold play it and then he would ask for my reaction to his adjustments. It was a great experience and he shared many of his secrets and stories. He told me that with Horowitz, he accompanied him on every concert, and the 503 was in the large Steinway truck. However, hanging on the walls of the truck were a couple of extra complete, custom-made piano actions that Mohr had modified using all kinds of different parts.Mohr knew what Horowitz' specific concert repertoire was going to be and exactly what kind of action was needed for Horowitz to perform the works.
He also told me how he used to read the moods of Horowitz and Rubenstein and many others. With Horowitz, he often would hear him complain about the piano, in rehearsal, knowing fully-well that there was nothing wrong except Horowitz' mood or anxiety. So, Mohr would appear to be very concerned, and immediately bring out all kinds of tools, laying them on the bench so Horowitz could see them, then put on his working apron, and special glasses and appear to touch up some strings, slide the action and make adjustments and put it all back together very quickly. Horowitz would play it and tell him its better but still not quite right, so Mohr would again go through his little technician's show, and finally the Maestro would be satisfied. In reality, Mohr did nothing to the piano. He was only fine-tuning Horowitz' mood and settling him down.
Regarding the action on the model "D" for the most part they have an uneven action, which is true of most brands of concert grands. The strings are so long, and the soundboards are so large that in order for the mid-treble and bass strings to properly vibrate, they need heavier hammers, and the heavier the hammer, the heavier the action. It's just the nature of any concert grand. My favorite size piano for personal playing is more of a Chamber Music size....7 feet to 8 feet long. They have all the fullness and richness of a concert grand, but the actions are more fluid and uniform. Unfortunately, pianos of that size are not capable of projecting to the back of a large concert hall and still compete with a large symphony orchestra, hence we have the "concert grand" designed for large concerts in large halls with large orchestras.
Since Gould's piano was smaller, it makes sense it was easier to play. Also, Gould was a technical nut as well as a gifted genius and virtuoso, so he may have had some specialized technical work done on that piano. Once, when I was helping a friend find a medium size grand piano to buy, we shopped over 90 pianos until we finally found one that fit her budget and her taste. Most of the pianos we tried were in a medium price range, however I played one that was fairly cheap, made in China by Pearl River Piano, and it played as well and sounded as well as any Steinway or German-made piano.
I couldn't believe it. I discussed it with the store owner who was also a gifted technician. He admitted that he had worked on that piano for over a month to develop the action and the sound. It was fantastic ! But, he said in fact, it was a cheap piano, and within a short time it would loose its tune and the action would fall out of regulation. He used it to test his ability to make a "silk purse out of a sows ear" as the saying goes. It fully demonstrated to me that any piano, no matter how expensive or well built, needs good technical care, and in the hands of a great technician, almost any piano can sound and feel good.
I've played just about every brand of piano made, and some of the most expensive Steinways, Bosendorfers, Faziolis, Bechsteins, Grotrians, have sounded terrible and played like trucks, because they didn't have up-to-date good technical care. Brand and size are far less important than technical care and maintenance. Among the favorite pianos I've played and wished to own were the Bosendorfer Imperial Concert Grand, Bechstein 7 foot, Grotrian-Steinveg 7'6", many Steinway model "B" pianos. My favorite was a Steinway model "C" 7foot 8 inch grand, made in Hamburg Germany. I fell in love with that piano, and it is not imported into the U.S.A. but available in Europe, or in the U.S.A. as a used model. Most impressive was the giant Fazioli 308 ....the world's largest piano, well over 10 feet long. Giant sound. I played one on a fresh tuning, and I could actually play triads in the bass section and those chords sounded good. It was not better than any of the other brands, just different because of its huge size. It also has four pedals. The far left pedal is an additional softening pedal, I believe.
One thing I would like to mention about grand piano's sound......Since I also have developed recording techniques for capturing the accurate stereo sound that a grand piano produces, I will share with you my discovery. The raised lid of a grand piano, propped up with the longest prop stick, is not like the bell of a horn or a tuba. Horn bells project only single notes. The raised lid of a grand piano helps direct the sound out to the audience, but it does nothing to help the audience hear the full stereo range of the piano.
The audience DOES NOT hear the stereo sound of a piano. The audience hears only monaural sound, i.e. only one mixed sound, no stereo. The point at which that sound emanates from the piano is at 90 degrees to the row of the hammers, as the piano's right side faces the audience. The only person who hears the full stereo sound of the piano is the pianist. The pianist hears high notes through his/her right ear, middle notes through both ears, and low notes through his/her left ear. This is the true stereo sound of a piano, and the only person who hears this is the pianist, not the audience.
The audience only hears a mix of all these sounds, funneled into one point at the end of the treble hammers and projected to them by the raised lid. So, most of the sound recordings of piano music have been made inaccurately. Under the mistaken thought that the raised lid acts like the bell of a horn, microphones have been placed over the bass strings near the curved end of the piano, and another microphone near the hammers. This will not capture the accurate stereo sound of the piano.
Only microphones placed above the hammers on the left, middle and right sides of those hammers will truly capture the stereo sound. Also, with the microphones above the hammers, the mics will pick up the tiniest and most subtle nuances of the articulation of the hammers on the strings. None of this is heard by the audience, and it is not captured by recordings where the microphones are placed in the old traditional way.
The main reason why this phenomenon has not been discovered, is because 1. Visually, it appears that the sound comes from the middle of the piano with a raised lid, which is true but only monaural, not stereo. 2. Pianists are not recording engineers, and recording engineers have never asked pianists exactly what they hear when they play. 3. Engineers are not pianists, so they don't hear what the pianist hears, and consequently they do not place microphones in the correct places. Ideally, the piano should have a raised lid with the hinges at the curved part of the piano, and the pianist should have his/her back to the audience. This would look terrible, but it would provide the full stereo sound for the audience as well as the pianist.
If you want to hear the piano much better when you play, I suggest that once you have mastered a piece, or almost mastered it, you remove the music desk and set it aside, then lay the sheet music inside the piano over the tuning pins, not touching the strings. This way, you will be able to actually hear the articulation of the hammers when they hit the strings, and it really helps when playing soft passages, because you hear each nuanced sound. It brings you closer to your instrument, just as a violinist holds a violin close to his/her face, this brings you closer to the heart of the piano and it will give you more control.
I wish you luck and success in your musical endeavors, and hope you will always find joy in making music !!
Great story..
Only to correct one confusion
: Joshua Bell bought this violin in 2001 Just before 911 terror..
The movie "The Red Violin" is one of my all time favorites! I love that movie. I love the music in it. I love the soul of the piece.
I heard Joshua Bell play in Taiwan; and what was funny was; in the playbill; his violin had a whole page by itself.
@@user2144 You know the grammar nazism is real when you don't only get triggered by the grammar itself, but even the punctuation. And yes, I did notice his mistake immediately, but decided not to nitpick.
Joshua Bell is just passing. That violin is eternal. He is more like a steward--a means so the violin's voice is heard. But the true star in that concert WAS the violin.
@@user2144 Equally as funny is you (↑) who cannot use _proper_ arrows but instead use makeshift ones constructed, in this case, out of a hypen-minus character followed by a greater than sign.
@@zwz.zdenek Don't worry, the Typography Nazi above just got served by me - a Typography Secret Agent.
Justin Tizon, most certainly, however it is only a Master who can bring out every acoustic characteristic of a one of a kind instrument. If you listen to a piece played on two different instruments, they sound different. The acoustics of a Strad have aged for centuries!
the fortunate aspects to this: 1/ the thief was a violinist, knew how to care for a violin, and had a life wherein the violin was not at risk for damage from war, etc; 2/ the wax likely helped to preserve the original varnish and woods. many Strads and Guarneris have 'colourful' histories.
Inside job. It was a fiddle.
@@KB-uv7wj bahahah I'm dead 🤣
joshua bell was too polite to bring up this creepy salacious detail about the thief: he was in prison in connecticut for molesting a child when he was 64. that's when he admitted to his first daughter that the violin was special and it held a secret. the thief was a terrible person who nonetheless got to play the great 'gibson' strad (as it was called then) all his adult life.
Still a mangy man.
He didn’t took care of it , he ruined the instrument , all those years under shoe polish are not good for the varnish and wood . He was a horrible person and I hope he is in hell. You don’t steal an instrument like that , it’s sacrilegious.
Such a sweet, smooth, resonant sound. Beautiful. Out of all the Strads I've heard, this has to be my favorite.
Pst hey mister, wanna buy a Stadivarius?
How much?
$50.
What's the catch?
Honestly, no strings attached!
Worth
Holy shit I got played
StupidFace SAMME
Worth it, but fuck you
Then the thief was caught red-handed.
Pretty cool story. And I did very much enjoy "The Red Violin" movie.
I love the red violin! It's probably my favourite movie :)
I love the Romance from the Wieniawski D minor Violin Concerto! I love playing and performing this piece! It’s so lush and gorgeous and emotional! So beautiful Joshua!!! I’m so very glad that your sweet violin is indeed YOURS! ❤
Gotta love bell. Great guy, and a musical genius. So much emotion in it when he plays. Awesome.
No one speaks of the effect this had on Huberman, which must have been profound.
Very interesting history of such a rare and fantastic violin. It rightly belongs to Mr. Bell; the 2 will play beautiful music together!
The violin chooses the Wizard. Uh, I mean...
Lol good joke
No, it doesn't. Sometimes the best instrument gets lost or destroyed. Stop dramatize misfortune. Take care of your instrument.
@@dasteufelhund lol.. are you okay??
dasteufelhund, I happen to agree with the guy that asked if you are ok? Well, ... are you? The guy was making a joke, for Pete’s sake, ... and yes, I do believe that certain items do choose their prodigy/player/worker, & that it is then, that the instrument of choice is brought to a genius level, ... it is said that a good pool shooter can use a a mop/broom stick to play the game, but in the hands of a master, a simple looking paintbrush can be used to create a masterpiece such as a Mona Lisa, ... but was it the craftsmanship of the person painting, or was it the brush he/she painted it with? The right texture, color, & tint of the way the light is reflected of the selected paint, must most certainly come into play as well, ... No? It must all come together as a one time thing, the time, material, texture, quality, colors, tints, & hues of how one brings a picture to life, is certainly demonstrated by the object in which one who wields the selected brush or applicator, is the main theme, ... as the operator of said brush demonstrates how it selected him/her to wield it for their use, ... where someone else may not achieve the same outcome, has yet to be scientifically proven, ... lmbo, I’m just pulling your chain, ... but Hey! Have a good day, ... & thanks for taking the time to read my inspiration of a whim, ...
Love Joshua Bell ♥️ his playing goes straight into my soul 🕊 Thank you so very much for sharing this beautiful video and the History of Joshua violin 🎻 and his beautiful playing. He’s so sweet and humble ♥️🎻♥️
Great story and very educational. The story
of Stradivarius' violins remains fascinating and surrounded by mystery.
I am a fan for many years. Great story. thank you
we're pretty lucky to have instruments like this sampled so we all have access to them. Pretty amazing indeed
Once an instrument reaches its 300th year, the stories it will have are inevitable. Once the electric guitars of the last fifty or so years approach 300 I cannot imagine the stories they will have in tow. I own a 35 year old Gibson that I bought new and I was not famous. I played with some and opened for some famous bands. It's been played by quite a few famous players and my instrument already has amazing stories. Being owned by a famous owner only increases the story count. And the quality of the stories.
His red is one of the reasons I love his playing so much. It has an exquisite tonality. You get lost in the violins voice.
Played by you, a world class musician😊
I'm new to classical music. When I trialled Primephonic, Joshua's music was captivating. This video tells a wonderful journey and its an honour to experience joshua connecting with those who appreciate him. 👍
I too am new to classical music, and have an appreciation for the great beauty of it. Classical guitar and violin music are my favorites.
I am most happy to have an exact copy of this violin. Absolutely beautiful
Who made the copy?
Thank you! Enjoyed this very much indeed.
Great story. Thanks for posting
A fantastic artist, a fantastic Instrument playing great music that I have heard many times.. This is truly the pinnacle of human achievement.
I'd be upset, to say the least, if any of my guitars were stolen. Bronislaw Huberman probably never recovered and to die without ever seeing it again would be nothing short of heartbreaking
The guy had two, why would he needs two violin? that's just greedy
that was a very enjoyable & entertaining video - thank you.
Beautiful sound...…...
Joshua you are not only a brilliant musician you also an astute fantastic business entrepreneur and excellent ability in investment! Congratulations on your violin aquisition!
Wendy Louise
As a pianist, I can fully relate to a musician spending his or her entire life finding the "ideal instrument", the way most people search for an ideal mate. In the 1980's movie "The Competition" (piano competition) Amy Irving and Richard Dreyfuss are piano competitors, but they fall in love. Amy's piano coach, played by the late Lee Remick, scolds Amy for being "unfaithful" to her primary husband...the piano. "It is your first and only husband.....you marry it the way a nun marries Jesus...you cleave to it"..... More realistically, once musicians finds "their ideal
instrument" they have to love it, nurture it, protect it and care for it as a good parent cares for a child. A genius child who brings love, joy and money to itself and its parent.
For pianists, it is not so easy to find the "ideal instrument", since pianos are large, heavy bulky very expensive things which are not easily transported. As a pianist, one has to go to where the instrument is parked, in order to play it. You can't simply pick it up, put it in its case and take it home or travel with it. This is why, for the top pianists, a choice of pianos is provided before a performance, and the one which resonates best with the player is the one chosen for the performance. Only legendary pianists like Rubenstein or Horowitz can afford to travel with their own personal piano, its keyboard actions, spare parts, the truck and crew of technicians who transport and tune it.
I had the the privilege and opportunity of playing on and recording on Vladimir Horowitz' personal piano, the instrument he kept in his New York home which he also traveled with. Unlike the violinists, who are thrilled to play a famous Stradivarius, playing the Horowitz model "D" artist & concert grand Steinway & Sons CD #314503 known as "The 503", piano was not very thrilling. It was a decent piano, but I couldn't include it within the top ten pianos I've played in my lifetime, mainly because it is fairly old, it has been traveling all over the world, and has been taken down and set up thousands of times. Its playability is more a testament to its great construction than it is to any association with Horowitz. However, I'm sure that Horowitz had Steinway's chief technician Franz Mohr keep it in perfect tune and excellent shape when he was traveling with it to concerts around the globe.
I have also had the privilege of playing Horowitz' 503 piano. It was on tour alongside a piano that had once been played by Glen Gould and a modern jazz piano. Once of the concerts took place at the conservatory, where I was taking lessons at the time. After the performance the students were invited to line up and try out the different pianos.
I was about 13 at the time and I recall finding 503 piano exactly like the other Steinway concert grands I had to perform on, big sound, great sustain, and frustratingly heavy keyboard action.
On the other hand, Glen Gould's piano was something quite special. It was a fairly small grand and it didn't have the same volume as the 503 but it had the most delicate keyboard action of any piano I've played. Most pianos have a subtle resistance in the key just before the hammer strikes the strings and it becomes much more pronounced in larger grands. However this keyboard had a perfectly even action through the entire key stroke. I played one of Chopin's preludes and I was amazed by how much control I had over the voicing and expression. I actually went around to the back of the line after I finished the piece, so I could play the piano again.
That’s an amazing story,, I wonder how it feels to always search for the for the most perfect and pure thing in life and then Obtain it.. only a hand full of people in the word can have that satisfaction... cheers 2 you my brother.. god bless
I had never heard of the movie, "The Red Violin", until I watched this video. I just watched the movie. It was wonderful.
I find Joshua Bell to be a very amiable, humble person, despite his considerable talent and status. This was a very informative and interesting video and what a story!!!! With strange parallels to Joshua's own 'red' violin. 🎼🎵🎶🎻😎
Awesome story 👍
Very nice and interesting story about his violín, which makes it sing with an INCREDIBLE! voice
BRAVO !
Lovely tone beautiful !
Thank you Joshua.
Everyone: listens to the man talk
Me: *listens to the background music*
In the 70s my Grandfather gave me his violin that he had since before 1917. I put it up as a treasured memento from him. Then one day I was looking inside with a flashlight and saw the name Nicolo Amati and almost fainted. Was this really an Amati? I took it to get an appraisal which turned out to be a "Copy" of an Amati - gave me both a lot of relief and disappointment at the same time. One day I'd like to discover the origin of the instrument and where it came from.
Depending on when the fateful day was, you could have looked up the proper label design online. Violin copies usually didn't even come close to the original label design.
Plot twist. They made an exact replica of the violin and convinced you it was a copy... and kept the original
Yeah. Check out some labels online because there's always the chance, however remote, that the dealer had falsely and intentionally stated that it was a copy in the hopes - however remote - that you were interested in selling it to him.
@@travis5125 Thanks, but no he showed me where it said "copy" by shining a light inside. He was the appraiser and he made no offer to buy or showed any interest in buying it. So I think he was legit. My Grandfather died about 40 years ago, so we know nothing of the instrument's origin, if he bought it new or it could have been 100 years old when my Grandfather got it. I have a photo that was taken in September 1907 with my Grandfather at 19 years of age, holding it. He was gathered with the rest of his family in front of the grave-site of his grandfather and grandmother. I'm always amazed looking at that picture and what it represents to our family.
James Harris the big copy industry was mostly a thing of the second half of the 19th century to the First World War. He might have bought it new, but it could as easily have been 40 years old when he got it.
Amazing sound
Amazing story
I am glad that the violin found one of the greatest players.
That's quite a story!
I always liked the movie The Red Violin. Never knew there was actually a real one.
@Any One so there really is a red violin? And the varnish really has blood in it?
@Any One yea it's a great movie my grandfather told me about the red violin growing up and it facilitated me he also told me about Oak Island treasure and other great stories
@Any One I use the cochineal dye for the red in my violin varnish. I know it's been used for centuries so that could be the source. It all depends on the amount used, how red the end result looks.
@@samsonkirkpatrick6996 If you used blood in varnish it would most likely just turn brown. Blood doesn't stay red once it is dry. It's more likely they use things such as cochineal or dragon's blood.
What a great violin 🎻
It almost irritates me how collectors of nice things never use them & in my opinion, don't 'deserve' to own them.
This man, Joshua Bell, me thinks, is the MOST worthy Stratavarius owner!
Cool story Joshua Bell is today's greatest violinist in the classical world of music but too put it bluntly this guy totally kicks ass playing bluegrass love you fiddle playing. Thanks
Just don't leave it laying around again.
Economy was different back then. Poor violinists couldn't afford a safe with guards to just stand there during every performance. String bands used to be mainstream, not a thing of the rich like they are today.
Wrong! thou shall not steal.
I worked every night. Without food and coffee only, selling your concert seats. At The Renee' and Henry Segarstrom Concert hall. I learned of, all of this, while working at The Pacific Symphony Orchestra Office Symphony Orchestra Office. A few co worker's told me to watch the Red Violin. I loved it so very much ♡ I'm in beautiful Park City and Deer Valley, Utah now. I miss The Pacific Symphony Orchestra, so very much. But, unfortunately I'm working up here now and I don't have access to a Private Jet anymore. Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year *
My great grandfather had a violin passed down to him by his grandfather.
He was (supposedly) a brilliant violinist.
After he lost his arm in WW1 he came back home, cried because he would never play again, and then broke the instrument in anger.
That instrument was around 110 years old at that time (1918)
I’m the first one to pick up a violin in my family since then, and when I heard that story in was bummed as fuck.....
...upon which, someone (should've) taken a hammer and hopelessly mangled his other arm.
What a wild story...
*grandfather on death bed* “my violin....it’s a strad.....I stole it when I was a young man and I’m filled with regr....” *dies*
“What did he tell you? What were his last words??”
“Huh? Oh nothing...he wants me to have his violin...that was it...weird huh....”
Playedit like he stole it.
Or better yet...”I left it in the...uuugghhhh (dies)”
@@krogdog
“Noooooooooooo.....”
Joshua Bell is known for playing classical music but he is also one heck of a bluegrass violinist. Good story about strad also.
Amazing that the stolen Violin was never identified whilst being played professionally in public for almost 50 years by the thief.
A friend of mine who had been a close friend of Robert Koff asked him to play on her very cheap Violin which when she played sounded let us say 'less than ideal'.
She said that in his hands it sounded marvelous.
I watched a programme in which Strads were compared with the best modern violins. At some point a Strad was compared with a modern violin and experts were asked to pick which was which. They got it wrong and I got it right but, for me, there was very little difference in the sound quality. However I was only hearing the sound from the television speakers! There was a slight difference though, for me the sound from the Strad was a little fuller, richer perhaps
@@franciscof9364 Hi Francisco, thank you for your very interesting reply. The link didn't work from my phone but I did a Google search "Science Daily violin" which brought up a string of fascinating results. I've so far read three including the one about the wood subjected to decay by a special fungus. It's really good of the professor to do this research which hopefully will put superb violins within the reach of talented young musicians. I don't play, just listen, but can't help feeling sorry for someone who is good but feels they can never have a top quality instrument to play. The result about the double blind tests was very interesting too. I wonder whether we will get to the point where a superb instrument can be made by CNC controlled machines? For the sake of luthiers I hope not though I suppose it would bring quality violins within the reach of more people. However somehow I feel the love and care that goes into the making of something makes a difference
As a musician myself, I can say that sometimes when in the right hands, a lesser instrument can be made to sound excellent. Sometimes it's as much about the player as it is the instrument.
That's not to say anything against having a wonderful instrument like a Stradivarius. You're a very fortunate individual if you are able to afford one.
It's absolutely amazing to me, I mean seriously insane for me to see how a simple thing like putting a camera on a tripod could be, but instead, the sheer amount of camera movement and shake in such a simple video is mind-boggling. Why the heck is there so much freakin' camera movement for? Look at 7:41
Yeah, I find this filming technique also very annoying! I often look away and just listen
That was pretty damn good!
The beautiful sounds those little wooden boxes are capable of making in the right hands (like Bell's) is remarkable.
About 25 wooden parts. Simple. you could make one in your garage....
@@jfan4reva And it would sound just like a Strad!
I play on a $5000au approx. violin and I'd be intimidated to play on a Stradivarius or a Guarneri Del Gesu say. I'm happy with what I've got and it plays pretty well for me. I can make her sing on a good day. I also play classical guitar and have a 1971 Jose Ramirez (same luthier who made Segovia's guitar in 1968). We might not be Segovia or Joshua Bell but music still rings down under. Having said all that, Joshua Bell is a fantastic player. I'd like to be half as good.
Bell is a master!
Rachmaninoff's vocalise, i think its one of the best songs he composed.
Belíssimo
A lot of the things about a Strad is in the mind. And the glue.
7:42 oh that is a heavenly sound , unlike most of Stradivarius's i heard
It's a rather mellow Strad, a quality more associated with Del Gesu violins.
@@AlexEwan1 Mellow in the sense of "dark"-sounding? It seems to have a smooth tone, on the bassy side.
@@Olegstuff21986 Yes, dark sounding which is my preference in a violin. I agree it does have a smooth tone and I really like it.
@@AlexEwan1 You know, I don't actually play violin but there's a similar debate in the classical guitar world. There are the classic "dark" sounding guitars with a cedar top and rosewood back and sides, and there's the "sharper" sounding guitars with a spruce top and, in many cases, mahogany back and sides. It's really interesting to see how woods affect the sound of an instrument. I wonder what it is that makes this Strad have that kind of "dark" tone.
@@Olegstuff21986 I'm the wrong person to be asking, I am just an amateur violinist. In fact many luthiers, people who make and restore stringed instruments, don't know the secret as to how Strads sound as good as they do. North America is considered to be where the modern day 'golden age' of violin making is in the same way Cremona was where the best violins were made back in the late 17th and 1st half of the 18th century. Maybe in 300+ years time these instruments will be comparable to a Strad or Guarneri in both quality of sound and value. Sadly neither of us will live long enough to find out!
There is nothing more exhilarating than listening to a $10 Mill instrument on my cheap laptop speakers. It really does the instrument justice.
can someone please tell me the name of the piece played at the end of the video ??? please please please
The second movement of Wieniawski violin concerto no. 2
I thought Guarneri del Gesu violins were also as iconic as the Strads? Rachel Barton Pine and Sarah Chang both play on Guarneris.
So does Jennifer Pike, the best violinist I have ever heard
So is Amati, but they don't come close to the notoriety of Stradivari.
.......I wonder about thattree trunk from which Stradivari cut his slabs for sixty years. Certainly another violin maker would have acquired that trunk. But in Cremona the luthers would trade and evaluate their slab cuts among each other anyway during their lives .
man when he started playing at 1:02 it sent a shiver down my spine. Few experiences in my life match hearing a strad.
whats the last song playing in the backround before he plays?
If you're speaking a last moment where he talks, it's Rachmaninoff "Vocalize"
So what strings does he put on it?
Beautiful sound. You need a set of good headphones.
I immensely enjoyed hearing Joshua Bell on the radio for many years.
No idea of what he looked like.
I was taken aback to see that he looks like a baseball player; maybe third base. No insult intended.
A thoroughly enjoyable post by Robb Report. Great story and very well told by Maestro Bell !
You don't get to pick a face. Real life isn't Skyrim.
I like how he says "probably not a great violinist". I'm sure when Altman held it he also said "this is my violin" and "I feel incredibly lucky to work with it everyday". If Altman had a career playing then I'm sure he was no slouch, especially with the opportunity to play with a Strad. Even though he was a thief, Bell should be thanking Altman for taking care of it the way he did. The shoe polish probably helped to preserve it over that whole time. Good on Altman to let them know in the end what it was so it had the chance to end up in the right hands.
If you pause on the newspaper article at 5:07 , it says that Altman confessed to his wife while in prison for sexually assaulting a child
Seems like he stole innocence as well as violins
Oh shit, guess that would tarnish the story a bit
The story of the theft was on Mysteries at the Museum. It never did explain however that he was playing a different violin which would have been helpful. I recall last year The Red Violin being on TV and I was quite excited as I'd recalled loving it before. I'd not know then that all the violin was Bell and only when I was looking up the movie to remember when it came out that I learned that. I was trying to explain that to someone and when trying to explain how good Joshua Bell was, all I could think was to say, if God needed a third chair behind Heifetz and Pearlman, it would be he.
.....did Heifetz drink ? His performances seem to have good days and some bad days. But perlhman is good consistently . I think Heifetz and Jack Benny were good mates and they could almost be related cos of resemblance . That movie " They Shall Have Music " is good publicity for Heifetz and so he received top notch professional recording session. A contemporary of Heifetz I think was slightly better and he was the brother of my own teacher .
These Beautiful instruments so sought after, so coveted usually live far more exciting and adventures lives than most of their custodians will ever do so, being as long lived as they are. I use the word custodian deliberately as even when you own it, you take care of it and cherish it till you pass it on to the next person, so the violin continues to live long after you have run your bow across the strings for the last time. My only wish is that these instruments could tell their tales and life stories and adventures.
Of course. The older you get, the more humble you should get about the prospect of ownership. That goes for everything, even your flesh.
This is the violin played in the famous 2007 Subway Concert. Mr. Bell played a concert anonymously in the L’Enfant Plaza Metro stop in Washington, DC as a busker (in a baseball cap) during rush hour. He opened the violin case that normally holds the Red Stradivarius, threw a few bucks in and played for 45 minutes, starting with the Bach Chaconne.
He made $32 and change
Aside from a 20 thrown in by a woman who recognized him and couldn’t believe her luck
There is video available
I heard that story...he played the same piece the next night somewhere for $200 a ticket
Raymond Blacklock “expectations” - a lot of our reaction / response to something is bound up in our “expectations” - you don’t expect to hear one of the best performers in the world in the subway on your way to work - so you don’t hear it - you just hear a fiddler playing something - however if you’ve payed hundreds of dollars for a ticket to a concert featuring a world class musician - you go expecting to a hear sublime performance - I studied and love art history - however I no longer wish to go to any of the world’s finest museums - am afraid that the circuslike selfy taking crowds in them would take away from any enjoyment / appreciation I might have of seeing any of the great pieces of art - however - I cherish the unexpected moments with some masterful pieces that I have had - like the woman who left $20.00 knowing it was Joshua Bell - was lucky enough in high school to go to NYC to go to galleries and experience live theatre - remember even all these years later walking up a sweeping curving staircase had to stop part way - looked up and saw Picasso’s Guernica - sigh - so glad our teachers and museum guide didn’t tell us what we’d see at the top of the staircase - discovering it for ourselves was much more impactful - music is much the same too 😃😉 hope any of this makes sense - it does to me 😉😃 have crummy arthritis in my hands - sorry for this presentation - keep well - enjoy music wherever you can find it in these troubled times
@@ej3016 you absolutely make sense here. I read in a book this idea called "setting the stage". Indeed there's a difference between playing in a stage or in a metro. And some things thrive in surprise, others build themselves in our imagination before booming in direct presence with them. The thing is to be able to appreciate the first kind the preparation goes inside: the woman knew Joshua Bell, and loved his work. That's the preparation that sets you to appreciate the surprises in life. In the second kind the ticket, the stage, the dimmed lights, help you make the preparations. That artifice and ritual is the preparation.
@@adriandreamwalker1027 thanks for commenting all these mths later - your remarks reminded me of the first time I went to hear Handel’s Messiah - a university chum invited me to go with her to Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto - was in my early 20’s and new to live classical performances - WAS SO EXCITED - it was to be a treat at the end of our Christmas exams - longggg before computers or internet (1984 or 85) so left everything with Miss Yuri Kim to arrange (spoiler alert with her name 😃😉) made it thru exams and even had something clean and nice to wear - as we got off TTC and walked towards concert hall - it quickly dawned on me that I was pretty much the only caucasian in the crowd - looked at my mischievous dorm mate and saw that “gotcha” look in her eyes - she pointed at the posters in the lobby as she dealt with our tickets 🤣😂 TORONTO KOREAN CHOIR presents Handel’s Messiah 🤣😂 what I expected was in no way what I experienced - but almost 40 yrs later - just thinking of this evening brings me so much joy - and let’s not forget it introduced me to some of mankind’s most incredible music - never learned Korean and have lost touch with that imp Yuri (hope she has grandchildren 😆) but I discovered Handel in a way which very few folks do and am still a fan - though preferably in English 🤣😂 stay safe keep well 🎼🎻🎼
Wow
If anyone is interested in reading about afterlife work of Stradivari and Guarneri check out Deena Zalkind Spear's Ears of the Angels, a Hey House Publication. 2002.
Piece at 6:10 please. It’s so beautiful I keep replaying that little segment 😭
Rachmaninov. "Vocalise"
WOW is The Robb Report still around? Is it still based in Acton Massachusetts? Is it still owned by the Barisano (sorry if I spelled the name wrong). family? Interesting. They used to drive around in a Jensen Interceptor and the son had an Iroc Z back in the 80's when I lived there..
these instruments have been repaired so extensively that antonio stradivari wouldnt even recognize them.
What a story of hope and dreams; - the stuff music is made of. I myself have a few nice instruments, (nothing near this calibre)) and I know that I don't actually 'own' them, rather I am their custodian for the time I am alive. It's a wonderful and at the same time sad feeling to know that something that you love so much will have a life of its own long beyond your years, will thrill other hands, eyes, ears and souls; you will be forgotten and the instrument will live on. It's a complicated thing. I have no family and sometimes I reflect on who I might bequeath them to. To make matters more complex, I have several other instruments that I myself made. I kept the best 3 out of approximately 75 flutes that I built over the years. Who will even know the first thing of the story of those flutes when I'm gone? (Which is likely to be soon.) Many questions, few answers... I think it's best not to dwell too long on these things. They just make you 'crazy and old before your time', to quote the beautiful song...
Perhaps you should bequeath them to a musician friend with the instruments written story for them to treasure and in time pass on?
3:30 4 fine tuners
I wonder what the maintenance; ie cleaning and polishing regime would be for it
Yes a light sanding with steel wool to remove debris and perspiration from practice routine is a little known luthier secret
i cannot imagine how beautiful the sound would've been when it was first made in 1713.
That's awesome that the dude stole it and kept it his whole life. Great story.
Awesome? Julian Altman was a creep, a liar and a thief.
@@ruthc8407 I mean that instead of selling it he just kept it and played it. Its kind of cool
Yea I guess he did appreciate it and see it’s value. Like some concert hall Robin Hood.
@@MrZachgonz Exactly. He was just happy playing this awesome, timeless violin and knowing his secret. That's pretty cool.
You should be playing a Guarneri 😊
Man, imagine being 20 years old and just being like “lol I kinda wanna play a strad” and just going to Carnegie hall and grabbing it and keeping it for life. Damn. That must be THE life to live.
Inside job. It was a fiddle.
Fantastic. It's like a fairytale almost.
If I had a Strat. I would never take my eyes off of it!
As if spoken to Joshua Bell:
I have no doubt that violin "chose you". I am not a very good violinist at all, but I recently got a "good" violin (Polish made, D. Legierski Guarneri model) and it has utterly seduced me, I am bewitched by it. When ever I need to put it down (becuase I've already gone through everything I know a few times and my hands are worn out), I almost immediately want to pick iy up again.
I know I that am about 10 million levels beneath you, but for me it is a profound connection that this instrument has established with me, so I can only imagine your relationship with the Huberman Stradivarius!
Darn neat fiddle
Apropos of nothing particular: I had 8 years of classical violin, and much orchestral experience. After college, when I discovered I could play old-time and bluegrass music, one of the trios I played in included Sam Zygmuntovich playing bass (we were in Philadelphia, 1970s. Imagine my surprise to find there is a book about his violin making, and even more, a RUclips video about him. He attended the Salt Lake City School of Violin Making. I had traded and bought a wonderful bow from Peter Prieter there. After seeing the video of Sam (he was making a reproduction of a violin, and had made 2 copies of (not sure about this) Menuhin's violins. Obviously they don't sound the same--but I noticed that Prieter kept his fine violins in a large vault--like an old bank vault. Just my anecdote. I've tried to connect with Sam, so if you see him in Brooklyn, say "hello" from Victor. They say here violins have a life of their own and make it into the hands of the right players. For Candy Wang, I would say, you have to have some respect for the people who have played on a fine instrument. I pestered Adolph Primavera in his 19th St shop in Philadelphia often, looking for the right instrument to play classical and Bluegrass on. Rumor always was bout the the great Kenny Baker was playing a Guarneri. From his recordings, I'd believe it. I ended up with a Claude Pirot violin
with $600 made from busquing on the streets of Philadelphia, and my high school violin (which I discovered was a 7/8--nobody noticed. 42 years later, it is still my favorite instruments, and I worked hard to get it.
One of Sam's violins brought $120,000 at auction, which at the tme was the highest price paid for a violin made by an American luthier.
I can't imagine anyone else would be craving for that kind of instrument more than me, or can bring out some of its expression like me. But i do not have any stealers gene in me! Indeed, i can't fathom how someone would!