- Title: RUSSIA: Japanese musician plays world's most expensive violin in Moscow
- Date: 1st November 2009
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (OCTOBER 24, 2009) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MAXIM VIKTOROV, OWNER OF VIOLIN, SAYING: "I was not bargaining about the price of this instrument. It was indeed a record price but I should say the prices for such instruments have always been growing and and this record will not stay forever. It will certainly be beaten but the actual value of the instru
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- Story Text: Japanese musician gives a remarkable performance in a Moscow concert hall playing a rare violin acquired for a record price by a Russian businessman.
Concert at the Grand Hall of Moscow state Conservatory are always special. But the concert on Tuesday (October 27) was even more special. A young Japanese musician, Kyoko Yonemoto, was playing the most expensive violin in the world, crafted in 1741 by the famous Giuseppe Guarneri, known as Guarneri del Gesu, the 18th-century master who raised the art of violin-making to its highest pitch. The concert was dedicated to the 227th birthday of the world's greatest violinist Niccolo Paganini.
The violin called "Ex-Vieuxtemps" was purchased and brought to Russia by lawyer and businessman Maxim Viktorov, in 2008. Viktorov acquired it by private sale through Sotheby's. Sotheby's have said it had been acquired for an undisclosed sum - well in excess of the existing world auction record for a violin or for any musical instrument.
"I was not bargaining about the price of this instrument. It was indeed a record price but I should say the prices for such instruments have always been growing and and this record will not stay forever. It will certainly be beaten but the actual value of the instruments made by Guarneri del Gesu remains the same. They are priceless especially the violins made during the last period of work of the great master, when he reached the pinnacle of perfection," said Maxim Viktorov.
The instrument used to belong to the Belgian violinist and composer of the 19th century, Henri Vieuxtemps. It was Vieuxtemps' very own concert instrument for some 15 years, has remained in a private family collection for over 100 years and has not been seen or played in public for more than 70 years.
For Viktorov each instrument crafted by Guarneri at the latest stage of his life seem to have a special significance.
"In each instrument he made he left a certain message. He had already went beyond self-perfection at that stage. The instruments he was creating had a certain message to pass to generations to come. There is a message in this particular instrument. When Leonardo was painting his pictures he was not paining them just to please but to convey a thought. When you listen to this violin you may try to imagine what Guarneri del Gesu wanted to say when he created this instrument in 1741. Henri Vieuxtemps called this instrument one of his most perfect creations," Viktorov said.
Maxim Viktorov has a world-class collection of violins at his home in Moscow and regularly lends them to performers. They include a Bergonzi made in Cremona in the 1720s that he bought at Sotheby's in 2005 for 1.05 million U.S. dollars.
"When I hold instrument like this in my hands," said Viktorov referring to his latest acquisition, "of course, I want to own it but not for the sake of being its proprietor but primarily because of the responsibility for saving these masterpieces for future generations."
Last year when he bought "Ex-Vieuxtemps" in London he said that his new acquisition would be played regularly in public. And he kept his word. Renowned Israeli performer Pinhas Zukerman played his Guarneri violin at a Moscow Conservatory Grand Hall in spring 2008.
This week on Viktorov's request the violin was played by a young Japanese musician Kyoko Yonemoto, the winner of the first prize at the Moscow Paganini International Competition in 2006.
"There are a lot of strong remarkable musicians in the world but Kyoko Yonemoto is an interesting phenomenon. She is an outstanding virtuoso, brilliant violinist. Her technique is perfect. At the same time she has Japanese character - persistent and strong. On top of that she represents the Russian school of violin playing," Viktorov said explaining his choice of the performer.
Kyoko Yonemoto was born in Tokyo in 1984. She graduated from the Toho Gakuen in Tokyo and performed with numerous orchestras and outstanding conductors. Since 2004 she studies with Boris Belkin, a famous Russian teacher, at the Conservatory in Maastricht.
She said Viktorov invited her to play his violin only three months ago. She added she was nervous she would not have enough time to learn the challenging repertoire but felt honoured to come and play the famous instrument.
"I will probably have only one such chance to play such a violin. So of course I'm very excited. But it is also a great responsibility to play this old instrument. To me it's like meeting some old gentleman who passes on history to me. He is teaching me and I have a lot to learn from him. To get to know him in one week is quite challenging. But at the same time it is very helpful from the point of view of understanding the sound. It's almost spiritual. It's a wonderful opportunity and I'm very glad," said Kyoko Yonemoto.
At the Grand Hall concert she played a piece by Niccolo Paganini and Henri Vieuxtemps' fourth concerto which he first performed playing the same violin.
Her performance was praised by the demanding Moscow audience.
"This girl is simply a virtuoso. Well done. I loved it," said Conservatory regular Klavdia.
"The violin is divine as well as the performer," added another member of the audience Elizaveta.
"It sounded like there was not one but three violins playing together. It was miraculous. I have never heard anything like it," said Anna.
Instruments by Guarneri (1698-1745) are even more revered by many players than those by the other great Cremonese maker, Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737).
Many of the greatest virtuosos since Paganini in the 19th century have preferred Del Gesu. The instruments are more expensive today partly because far fewer have survived, about 150, against about 600 crafted by Stradivari. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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