In 1997 a close friend who happened to be president of the Perak Arts
Society asked me to help be an usher to a classical concert featuring
violin prodigy Lee Huei Min, 14 and the world’s best chamber
orchestra, the Prague Chamber Orchestra.

Somehow or rather I ended up at the rehearsals and there was this one violin lying on a chair a mere few feet from me.

My friend whispered: that’s her violin, it costs a million dollars, I can’t remember whether it was in RM or US dollars.

Some people might be so used to seeing expensive violins that it’s like looking at mere ceramic tiles, but to me it was like witnessing an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

Apparently made by Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri (1698 – 1744), who has been called the greatest violinmaker of all time. Guarnieri violins are considered second in quality only to those of Stradivari and argued by some to be superior. Probably the greatest violin virtuoso who ever lived, Niccolò Paganini’s favorite instrument Il Cannone Guarnerius was a Guarneri del Gesù violin, made in 1743. Yehudi Menuhin, one of the 20th century’s greatest violin virtuosi owned a Guarnieri. Other 20th century “del Gesù” players include Isaac Stern.

Gulp…. lucky I did not accidentaly SIT on it.

The Sultan of Perak also attended the performance. And yes, of course
I DID try sit on the royal chair during the rehearsals, it’s not
everyday one gets a chance to do that.

During the performance, I can only say she’s Malmsteen on the violin!!

And until this day, I have never ever heard anybody make Negaraku
sound as good as the Prague Chamber Orchestra did that night. Those
sweet violin harmonies shall stay in my head forever.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Permalink | playing around, sabud |