Stradivarius Palatinos facts for kids
The Stradivarius Palatinos are a special group of five string instruments made by the famous craftsman Antonio Stradivari around the year 1700. These beautiful instruments are kept safe in the Royal Palace of Madrid in Spain. The word "Palatino" here means "court" instruments, showing that they belonged to the Spanish royal collection of the king and queen.
Four of these five instruments are decorated with special designs. They are known as the Royal Quartet. This group includes two violins, one viola, and one cello. There is also another cello that is not decorated.
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What is the Royal Quartet?
It was very unusual for Stradivari to decorate his instruments. It was also rare for him to make a complete set of instruments like this. Some of his customers did buy sets, like Ferdinando de' Medici. Stradivari wanted to give these instruments to the King of Spain, but he passed away before he could.
A group of two violins, one viola, and one cello is called a string quartet in classical music. Many songs have been written for this type of group since the 1700s. For example, the Spanish royal family supported a musician named Luigi Boccherini. He wrote over a hundred pieces for string quartets. However, Stradivari never heard music played by a string quartet. This type of music became popular after he died. The original plan for the Spanish court was to have a different group of instruments, as the set first had two violas instead of just one.
The Violas in the Set
The original set had two violas of different sizes: a larger one called a tenor viola and a smaller one called an alto viola. Both of these violas went missing during the wars with Napoleon. Only the alto viola was found later. The loss of the tenor viola did not change the group much. This is because the alto viola size became the usual one for violas.
The Alto Viola
The alto viola was made in 1696. It returned to Madrid in the 1900s after being owned by a dealer in London. This viola is one of only thirteen violas made by Stradivari that we know of today. It is special because it is decorated. Another tenor viola in Florence is also decorated with the Medici family crest on its fingerboard.
The Tenor Viola
The missing viola was larger and is thought to have been a tenor viola. There is a "Medici" tenor viola by Stradivari in a museum in Florence. It also had an alto viola partner. Both were part of a set for the Medici court. Tenor violas would play the lower notes for violas or a second viola part in music with five different parts.
The Violins
The two violins in the set are not the same size. They have labels that say they were made in 1709. Some experts agree with this date. However, others think the violins might be a little older.
The Cello
The cello in the set has been changed to fit modern playing styles. It is not in its original condition. It is said to be in good shape after being fixed. It was damaged during a photo shoot.
How are the Instruments Kept Safe?
The instruments are looked after by a Spanish group called Patrimonio Nacional. They sometimes allow musicians to play them. Some groups that have played these instruments recently include the Quatuor Mosaïques. This group plays on period instruments, which are instruments made in the same style as when the music was written. The Cuarteto Quiroga has also played them.
Recordings Made
The Quatuor Mosaïques made a music recording using these instruments in 2006.
See also
- Axelrod quartet
- List of Stradivarius instruments
In Spanish: Stradivarius Palatinos para niños
