ArtsNational: The genius of Stradivari

‘The Genius of Stradivari’ is the topic of ArtsNational Narrabri’s upcoming arts talk to be held in Cinema 1, The Crossing Theatre on Monday, August 25.

A UK author, lecturer and board director of Faber & Faber Publishing, Toby Faber will be arriving in Narrabri to present the topic with illustrations illuminating the screen, accompanied by a citation of music or two.

Two hundred and fifty years after Antonio Stradivari’s death, his violins and cellos remain the world’s most highly prized instruments.

Loved by great musicians and capable of fetching fabulous sums when sold, their tone and beauty are legendary.

Every subsequent violinmaker has tried to match them, and not one has succeeded.

How can that be?

This talk explores that central mystery by following some of Stradivari’s instruments from his workshop to the present day.

It is a story that travels from the salons of Vienna to the concert halls of New York, from the breakthroughs of Beethoven’s last quartets to the first phonographic recordings.

A violin made by the Italian craftsman during his 18th century ‘Golden Period’ recently headed for auction In New York, in February 2025.

The violin, crafted in 1714, sold for US$11.25m.

The 311-year-old instrument, listed by Sotheby’s of Manhattan as ‘a masterpiece of sound’, once belonged to the celebrated 19th-century Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim, a close friend of the composer Johannes Brahms.

“Stradivari is like a household name for the violin … like the Picasso of the violin world,” Helena Newman, chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, told Reuters in London, where the violin went on public display in London prior to the auction.

However, this sale did not beat the record – a rare Stradivarius violin that once belonged to the granddaughter of English poet Lord Byron sold for a record US$15 million at a 2011 auction, in a charity sale for Japanese disaster relief, in response to the devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.

The 1721 violin was bought by an anonymous bidder for around four times the previous auction record for a Stradivari violin, according to Tarisio, the online auction house for fine instruments.

The instrument had been owned for 30 years by Lady Anne Blunt, Lord Byron’s granddaughter.

It is one of the finest examples of around 600 violins, violas and cellos by the famed Italian maker still in existence.

London-based Toby Faber began his career with Natural Sciences at Cambridge, followed by investment banking, management consulting and five years as managing director of the publishing company founded by his grandfather, Faber and Faber, where he remains on the board.

Toby Faber began his career with Natural Sciences at Cambridge, followed by investment banking, management consulting and five years as managing director of the publishing company founded by his grandfather, Faber and Faber, where he remains on the board.

He is also non-executive chairman of its sister company, Faber Music and a director of Liverpool University Press.

Toby has written a novel, Close to the Edge, and three works of narrative history, Stradivari’s Genius, Fabergé’s Eggs and Faber & Faber: The Untold Story.

Of these, only the obvious one was published by Faber & Faber.

ArtsNational Narrabri is part of a volunteer-led organisation offering a wide spectrum of arts-related topics to 36 societies across Australia.

The talks last for approximately one hour, followed by complimentary drinks and canapés with an opportunity to chat with our guest speaker.