The Legend Of Violin ‘Hellier’ LS3/5a Sampler

The Legend Of Violin ‘Hellier’ LS3/5a Sampler – ‘HELLIER’ Antonio Stradivari 1679 The ‘Hellier’is one of only ten inlaid and decorated instruments made by the master and perhaps the most celebrated of all his pre-1700 instruments. Designs and stencils for the decorations can be seen today in the Museo Stradivariano in Cremona showing Stradivari’s exceptional skill as a draftsman. The conception and execution of the Hellier is a tour-de-force of the maker’s work. The violin’s namesake, Sir Samuel Hellier, originally pur-chased the instrument from Stradivari, and it remained in his family until well into the 19th century. The Hellier then passed through the hands of various collectors, include-ing Oscar Bondy, George Crompton, Charles Oldham and a later member of the Hellier family. More recently, the violi-n was in the Hottinger Collection, landing at Rembert Wur-litzer, Inc. in 1965. The violin was retained by the Wurlitzer firm until its closing in 1974 when it was acquired by Willi-am Moennig and Son of Philadelphia. Since that time, the violin has gone into private ownership.

The Hellier has been on display at the following exhibiti-ons:

The South Kensington Loan Exhibition, London, 1872 and 1885;

The music Loan Exhibition at Fishmonger Hall, London, 1909;

L’sposizione di Liuteria Antica a Cremona nel 1937;

Rembert Wurlizer Loan Exhibition of Stringed Instruments and Bows, New York, 1966;

Capolavori di Antonio Stradivari, Cremona, 1987.

Nikolaj Znaider

Celebrated as one of the foremost violinists of today, Nikolaj Znaider is regularly invited to work with the world’s leading orchestras including, Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Symphony, and enjoys artistic collaborations with acclaimed conductors including Barenboim, Dudamel, Sir Colin Davis, von Dohnanyi, Dutoit, Gergiev, Jansons, Jurowski, Maazel, Masur, Mehta, Rostropovich, Temirkanov and Thielemann.

Born in Denmark to Polish-Israeli parents, Znaider studied with the eminent Russian pedagogue Boris Kushnir and drawing on this eclectic background his playing has been heralded in the Strad Magazine as “extraordinarily intelligent, soulful and impassioned, yet without a hint of indulgence” and the Chicago Tribune said

“Perhaps not since the young Gidon Kremer burst upon the violin world in 1970 has a violinist caused quite the stir of Nikolaj Znaider”.

A keen recitalist and chamber musician, Znaider has shared the stage with the foremost artists of today such as Daniel Barenboim, Leif Ove Andsnes, Yuri Bashmet, Yefim Bronfman, Lynn Harrell, Lang Lang and Pinchas Zukerman. In January 2008, he made his recital debut at the Vienna Musikverein to much critical acclaim – Die Presse wrote “for many, the 32 year old is already today the best violinist of the world”.

Znaider is passionate about the education of musical talent and is Founder and Artistic Director of the Nordic Music Academy, an annual summer school whose vision it is to create conscious and focused musical development based on quality and commitment. Nikolaj Znaider plays the “Kreisler” Guarnerius “del Gesu” 1741 on extended loan to him by The Royal Danish Theater through the generosity of the VELUX FOUNDATIONS and the Knud Hagaard Foundation.

Hellier – The Legend Of Violin

01. Jealousy (3:26)
02. Romanza Andaluza.Op.22 No.1 (4:40)
03. Consolation (3:26)
04. Scherzo-Tarantelle.Op.16 (4:36)
05. Meditation From “This” (4:26)
06. It Ain’t Necessarily So (2:41)
07. Estrellita (3:21)
08. Polonaise De Concert In D Mjaor.Op4 (5:09)
09. Zigeunerweizen.Op.20 (7:46)
10. El Choclo (5:06)
11. Vocalise.Op.34.No.14 (5:28)
12. Enrico Toselli.Serenata (3:45)
13. Hungarian Dances No.2 (2:29)