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About to attend the Audtralian Chamber Orchestra concert this afternoon. Included in the program is the famous Bach Choconne played on a $10m Guarneri violin by Richard Tognetti, lead violin and music director of ACO.

Just how can an instrument, although very unique, be worth that much? Would that be the most expensive musical instrument ever or does anyone know another that is more expensive?

Because it's so old and a collector. Just like antique cars are worth so much money or anything antique for that matter.

Not because it's old, but because it's good and it's rare and it's desirable.

So it's all about demand and supply then.

Also because many things they don't make like they used to and people with money collect certain things. Whatever your vice is you know.

A musical instrument can only be valued based on those that have played it.


I played Jeremy in Timberlake's collection of words.

Like everything else, hype serves to create demand and desirability beyond whatever it is an object deserves. Perhaps a very well made old violin is better than a very well made new one, but the fact that it commands 50 to 100 times the price of quality $10,000 - $20,000 new one depends on hype. Why else would a Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing made in the 1950's be worth so much when it is slower and less comfortable than your average brand new VW?

One might argue that unlike vehicles, a violin's quality, those that are of high quality, improves in time if continuously played and maintained well. The combination of antique, rare, superb quality, hype created by the market, the never ending persuit of musicians for perfect sound, increase in number of super rich people... still, $10m for 80 pieces of wood glued together?

Don't get me wrong, I love violins and would love to play a Guarneri, but I just thought that the price is silly. Less than 100 years ago, Stradivarius violins were only in the thousands of dollars. Now, millions.

BTW, how do we "know" this one is worth $10 million?

Appraisals mean NOTHING. The value is exactly what was paid for it. No more, no less.

Did the current owner pay $10 million for it?

It was insured for over $10m, lend to ACO by an anonymous owner. It was all over the news several years ago. Whether it was paid that much, who knows.

It may be this violin in which case the present owner did pay $10m

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/guarneri-violin-sold-for-10-million/

This reminds me of the story where Joshua Bell performed inconspicuously in a Washington DC subway station, on his personal violin. I forget the value, but it's in the millions of dollars range.

Fortunately for him, only one fan recognized him at the end of his gig. But had everyone known who he was and what he had with him, heck, even the turnstyles would have mugged him.

One thing worth bearing in mind is that Tognetti's violin is virtually a stablemate of the most famous violin ever made, Paganini's "Il Cannone". Made by the same maker, possibly from the same piece of timber and perhaps the same batch of varnish (thought by many to be a big factor in the performance of these violins). Presumably Paganini's violin won't ever leave the museum so this is a way of buying something close to it.

More importantly, what was the concert like? Did you get your $10m worth?

The concert was enjoyable but wasn't spectacular, probably because of the music performed. They were playing Choconne, Barber's Adagio, laments etc, mournful music. It may have been a different story if they play a concerto or other more virtuosic works.

I guiltily admit that I snoozed off a couple of times during the concert. Nothing to do with the performance. I was very tired :-p