The violinist performed Bach's Chaconne on the instrument during a recent trip to Italy
Visiting Giovanni Accornero at his home means playing at least
two dozen top-quality violins ranging from modern to antique,
discussing their qualities, comparing them with each other, and
just having a lot of fun trying out different instruments.
During my last visit, one of the violins Giovanni showed me was the
famous 'Salabue', 'Berta' Guadagnini, constructed in Turin in 1774.
I was immediately fascinated by how effortlessly and sensitively it
responded to my touch and the rich resonance, power and clarity of
the sound. It played beautifully as soon as I laid my hands on it
without needing time to warm up. The rich, dark brilliance of the
tone quality and the resistance that allows the player to dig in
and draw out the desired sound remind me of the violins of Guarneri
'del Gesù'.
Currently I play another fine Guadagnini, the 'Salabue',
'Castelbarco', constructed in Turin in 1776 and lent to me by the
Peter Eckes Kulturfonds. I find that although there are some common
basic characteristics, the two instruments are quite different from
each other. The 1776 Guadagnini has a very refined and silky tone
quality; the more I let it play naturally the more it responds and
sings. The tone quality of the 1774 Guadagnini is darker and has a
wilder beauty to it; it responds very well with more pressure and
intensity. I had the privilege to record the Bach Chaconne with it
and the sound was very well captured by the microphone. Even in the
dry-sounding studio situation, its rich resonance, warmth of the
tone, and easy response are not diminished. It is a truly unique
and outstanding instrument and one of the best violins I have ever
played.
Listen to Bin Huang performing Bach's Chaconne on the 'Salabue', 'Berta' Guadagnini below:
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