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2003
It's 200 years old, & it's in Stone. Now hear Yehudi Menuhin's violin for yourself | |
|  | | John Reid, Tim Toft - and violin |
| | ...well not quite "in stone"....! The great violinist's instrument is of course of the usual wood variety - but it now has pride of place in Tim Toft's collection.
Tim resides in the Staffordshire town of ... Stone. |
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| | It's almost impossible to assess the career of the great Yehudi Menuhin, who surely was one of the greatest classical musicians of the twentieth century, as well as its greatest violinist.
Now the instrument that he loved and used all through his life has been acquired by Tim Toft, himself an expert in stringed instruments.
The violin was bought in New York in 1924 for the infant prodigy Menuhin when the boy was just eight years old.
Not surprisingly, it had a long history before that, being made in 1770 by Carlo Ferdinando Landolphi.
Collector
Tim Toft is an expert in violins and violas and cellos, running a well-known business from his base in Stone.
He says he could barely contain his excitement when he realised the instrument (used by Menuhin on his debut at Carnegie Hall among other occasions) was to be sold by the family estate.
And now?
 Strangely enough, Tim himself is unable to play a violin; so, to hear it in action, he will occasionally be lending it out to the musicians he says "who will appreciate its quality".
One of the first to play it after Tim bought it was John Reid, leader of the English Haydn Orchestra (pictured above).
Hear BBC Radio Stoke's Janine Machin talking to Tim and John Reid about the importance of the violin - and (bonus...) hear John Reid playing Vivaldi on it
Click here to listen
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Viewing
 As Toft's organises the summer concerts Music in The Garden series in Stone (set in Tim's gardens - pictured right), it's quite possible the violin may be used during one of them.
It will certainly be on view - for the admiration of concert-goers. (See listings for dates)
And... if you're wondering ... yes, it was expensive.
But Tim isn't saying exactly how expensive....
For more classical music events check our Classical Listings page | | | |
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tel: (+44) 01782 221281
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