There are not that many published stories about the origins and mystery of old violins: Albert Berr's _Geigengeschichten_ is one of them. Prof. Otterstedt at the Musikinstrumentmuseum put me onto it. It's the kind of book that makes me wish my German was better. It is full of storieslike the time Carl Flesch's Strad was stolen, or about the powers of a Tarantelgeiger who could cure spider bites by playing. The paucity of violin literature is not an accurate reflection of the degree of fascination that the topic holds. It is one aspect of classical music culture that regularly makes it into the headlines (Strads left in cabs or train stations) and was even turned into a film ("The Red Violin"). My current research topic being the "aura" of Cremonese instruments, I have been especially interested to follow the case of the fraudulent Geigenbauer Dietmar Machold. The "Madoff of the violin" has made a career swindling banks (and people) of millions of euros under the pretence of dealing in genuine Strads. He used his knowledge and skill to buy a castle and a yellow sports car. I, on the other hand, just write articles about Strads.
The Machold case gives me pause for thought. Here's a guy who took advantage of rarified knowledge -- few people in the world have the expertise to authenticate Stradivaris -- and he would have gotten away with it were it not for honest members of that small circle coming forward. Cheating the banks is one thing but he cheated countless musicians out of their life savings as well.
I'm gonna stick to writing the articles. And playing the Strads too, of course!
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