RARE STRADIVARI VIOLIN PLAYED FOR TRAVEL WRITERS
The name of Antonio Stradivari is certainly famous and his expertise in producing rare violins in the world are renowned but just where was that?
The name certainly gives a clue the country, however in which city, town or village did the great name ply his trade?
To home in a little more, it is the area of northern Italy known as Lombardy and to the town of Cremona! Where even today there are 157… yes that is correct! 157 violinmakers that are still producing those curvaceous musical instruments all by hand.
Therefore it will come as no surprise that the town boasts an extensive museum dedicated to the violin and of course Antonio Stradivari that was opened just two years ago. Some of the rarest violins are on display along with instruments that show how the violin came to fruition in the first place.
Not only does it show how they are and were made but how they spread around the world and it even houses items belonging to the great man too.
Plus it has the most sensuous of auditoriums. Which if you are very lucky then you will get to hear a genuine Stradivari violin being played. I was privileged to experience just that when I visited with a party of fellow travel journalists from the British Guild of Travel Writers recently.
They and myself were there finding out what this area of Italy has to offer tourists who decide to visit the next world EXPO which is to be held in nearby Milan and is called EXPO2015 and opens on May1st.
Japanese violinist Lena Yokoyama enthralled the party of writers as a Stradivari violin nearly 350 years old was played to the appreciative if somewhat small audience as the auditorium can hold 475 people.
You can see and hear more of her work at: http://www.triokanon.it/
