Will The Real Stradivarius Please Play An A?
At first glance, this may look like a Photoshopped shot with the same violin flipped but it really isn't. One of them is the real 1728 Stradivarius while the other is an exact replica (Called a Bench Copy) in which every mark, scratch, the grain of the wood, varnishing, etc. is reproduced almost perfectly. It was made in 1996 by two partners in violin making - Gregg Alf and Joseph Curtin based in Ann Arbor, Michigan and was the last of such violins they ever made as a team. Their Bench Copy of another Strad (not as well done a this one, I might add) holds the world record for the highest price paid for a modern violin at auction. It is an amazing example of artistry and craftsmanship and is also a wonderful performance-quality instrument. Every violin maker who has ever seen it gapes in wonder. I perform on them interchangeably. Can you tell which is which?
Uploaded on March 20, 2006