Soil Stradivarius
Encyclopedia
The Soil Stradivarius of 1714 is an antique violin
made by Italian luthier
Antonio Stradivari
of Cremona
(1644-1737). A product of Stradivari’s golden period, it is considered one of his finest.
One of two Stradivari violins named after Belgian industrialist Amédée Soil, this instrument is characterized by its brilliant red varnish
and a two-piece maple
back with the flames of the grain joined, descending from the edges toward the center.
The provenance of this violin includes the French luthier and collector Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, the Viennese
collector Oscar Bondy, who also owned the Hellier Stradivarius
of 1679. The Soil was acquired by Yehudi Menuhin
in 1950, and in 1986 by Itzhak Perlman
who with this instrument recorded the Cinema Serenade with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
in 1997.
Other sobriquet Soil violins are the Stradivari of 1708, and two by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù of 1733, and 1736.
as an item to be recovered from Vault 92, an underground bunker created to preserve the musical arts after a nuclear holocaust
. During the mission it is revealed, that the vault was in fact, a testing facility for subliminal messages, and it is hinted that the residents lost their minds and slaughtered each other prior to the events depicted in the game.
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
made by Italian luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
of Cremona
Cremona
Cremona is a city and comune in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po River in the middle of the Pianura Padana . It is the capital of the province of Cremona and the seat of the local City and Province governments...
(1644-1737). A product of Stradivari’s golden period, it is considered one of his finest.
One of two Stradivari violins named after Belgian industrialist Amédée Soil, this instrument is characterized by its brilliant red varnish
Varnish
Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective finish or film primarily used in wood finishing but also for other materials. Varnish is traditionally a combination of a drying oil, a resin, and a thinner or solvent. Varnish finishes are usually glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss...
and a two-piece maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
back with the flames of the grain joined, descending from the edges toward the center.
The provenance of this violin includes the French luthier and collector Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, the Viennese
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
collector Oscar Bondy, who also owned the Hellier Stradivarius
Hellier Stradivarius
The Hellier Stradivarius of circa 1679 is a violin made by Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy. It derives its name from the Hellier family, who might well have bought it directly from the luthier himself....
of 1679. The Soil was acquired by Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
in 1950, and in 1986 by Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
who with this instrument recorded the Cinema Serenade with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.-History:...
in 1997.
Other sobriquet Soil violins are the Stradivari of 1708, and two by Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù of 1733, and 1736.
In fiction
The Soil Stradivarius appears in the video game Fallout 3Fallout 3
Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game released by Bethesda Game Studios, and the third major installment in the Fallout series. The game was released in North America, Europe and Australia in October 2008, and in Japan in December 2008 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360...
as an item to be recovered from Vault 92, an underground bunker created to preserve the musical arts after a nuclear holocaust
Nuclear holocaust
Nuclear holocaust refers to the possibility of the near complete annihilation of human civilization by nuclear warfare. Under such a scenario, all or most of the Earth is made uninhabitable by nuclear weapons in future world wars....
. During the mission it is revealed, that the vault was in fact, a testing facility for subliminal messages, and it is hinted that the residents lost their minds and slaughtered each other prior to the events depicted in the game.