What’s it like playing a Stradivari violin? Violinist Daniel Kurganov was lucky enough to find out on 7 June 2022, shortly before the 1714 ‘da Vinci, ex-Seidel’ sold for $15.34 million on 9 June by Tarisio - the second-highest price paid for a Stradivari violin after the sale of the ‘Lady Blunt’ Stradivari violin in 2011.

In this video, Kurganov takes the Strad for a test drive, along with violin maker Andrew Ryan. Kurganov plays excerpts of violin repertoire, while Ryan offers acoustical and structural analysis on the instrument. Jason Price from Tarisio also shares the history of the violin.

Take a close-up look of the 1714 ’da Vinci, ex-Seidel’ Stradivari violin here in our photo gallery.

Read: 1714 ‘da Vinci, ex-Seidel’ Stradivari violin sells for $15.34m

Read: Daniel Kurganov: on starting the violin at age 16

Topics