Augustin Hadelich Demonstrates the c. 1744 'Leduc, Szeryng' del Gesù, Now on Loan to Him
Violinist Augustin Hadelich is now playing the Guarneri del Gesù that was once played by the great Polish violinist Henryk Szeryng -- a violin that had not been heard in public since 1988, the year of Szeryng's death. Below is a new video of Hadelich playing the violin (snippets of Paganini's Concerto No. 1) and also talking about the fine qualities of this instrument:
The del Gesù, made c. 1744 in Cremona, has loaned exclusively to Hadelich for an extended period through the Tarisio Trust, the patronage arm of the fine instrument dealer and auctioneer, Tarisio. It was one of the last violins to be made by Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri ‘del Gesu’ (1698-1744), a contemporary of the great Antonio Stradivari.
"The sound of this violin has a richness and complexity that I have rarely heard in any instrument," Hadelich said. "For the past nine years, I was fortunate to perform on a beautiful 1723 Stradivari violin (‘Ex-Kiesewetter’). "
Violinist Augustin Hadelich with the "Leduc, Szeryng" del Gesù,. Photo © Suxiao Young.
"I find that Stradivari and del Gesù had very different aesthetics, with Stradivari aiming for a refined, brighter sound, and del Gesù favoring a darker, passionate sound color," Hadelich said. "Although I have often been more partial to the sound of Stradivari in the past, the moment I played the 'Leduc' del Gesù, something in the sound drew me to the violin and I did not want to stop playing. I love the vocal, human quality of the sound of this violin. In my first performances with the ‘Leduc’, its sound filled the largest halls effortlessly, and every piece I play right now feels like a new and wonderful discovery.”
If you want to hear the violin live, well go see Hadelich perform! Here is his upcoming concert schedule (click on "concerts".)
You might also like:
- Interview in Aspen with Augustin Hadelich: the Ligeti Violin Concerto
- Violinist.com Interview with Augustin Hadelich: Paganini 24 Caprices
- Augustin Hadelich wins 2016 Grammy for Best Classical Instrumental Solo
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March 3, 2020 at 06:54 AM · I watched his Paganini with the Pacific symphony last week. The sounds on that instrument is incredible. It rings without him ever pressing or forcing the violin (which is a common struggle on a piece that's as endearing as Pag concerto).