Richard Tognetti and the 'Carrodus'. Photo: Paul Henderson Kelly.

$10 Million Dollar Windfall for ACO

30 January 2007

An anonymous Australian private benefactor has acquired one of the world's rarest violins, valued at AUD$10,000,000, for the use of the Australian Chamber Orchestra's Artistic Director and Lead Violin, Richard Tognetti.

The violin, created by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù in 1743 and known as the 'Carrodus', is one of the very finest in existence. The best violins in the world were made in the 18th century in Northern Italy and Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù were the undisputed kings of this golden epoch of violin making. There are 600 Stradivari violins but only 100 del Gesù violins in the world today. Guarneri del Gesù has been the maker of choice for the greatest violinists of the 19th and 20th centuries - Paganini, Wieniawski, Ernst, Heifetz, Menuhin, Stern and Kreisler.

Richard Tognetti said: "I am overwhelmed by the generosity and the vision of the owners of this extraordinary instrument. This is believed to be the first time an instrument of such quality will be owned in Australia. It is a supreme honour to have the custodianship of this instrument. A violin is to a violinist as a voicebox is to a singer. This is the ultimate voicebox and it will enable the ACO to reveal new dimensions in music, only attainable with an instrument of this calibre."

Since 1996, Tognetti has performed on a 1759 J.B. Guadagnini violin, generously lent to him by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Richard Tognetti said: "Since the voice of the Guadagnini became an integral part of the ACO, it has been evident that the Orchestra's enhanced reputation has been inextricably connected to the Commonwealth Bank's enlightened acquisition."

The Commonwealth Bank will allow the Guadagnini violin to remain with the ACO, to be played by Helena Rathbone, the Orchestra's renowned Principal 2nd Violin.

Audiences around Australia will have the opportunity to hear both the del Gesù and the Guadagnini as the ACO embarks on its first national concert tour of 2007 which features Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major Op 61 and Beethoven's Symphony No 3 in E-flat major, Eroica.