Edgar Russ Viola 41,5cm Copy of Mantegazza by Edgar Russ

The story of this Viola is actually very curious. Michael Strasser, a friend of mine who even came to Cremona to make some violinmaking for one week, is actually violist at the Vienna Philarmonics. When he had the opportunity to buy this original Mantegazza for 200000Euro 15 years ...The story of this Viola is actually very curious.

Michael Strasser, a friend of mine who even came to Cremona to make some violinmaking for one week, is actually violist at the Vienna Philarmonics. When he had the opportunity to buy this original Mantegazza for 200000Euro 15 years ago, he went to the Bank. He certainly agreed but after a few months he showed up and asked me to build a copy of his new Mantegazza since he still felt the desire to own a Viola all by himself.

So I made hi the first one..., which he passed by to one of his colleagues in the Orchestra. He told me that some agreed that my copy sounded even better than the original. And so on.

It is definitely a great sounding model. The arching are quite high and by looking at the model itself you wouldn't expect such powerful Viola. Might be also the ideal size; 41,5 is actually the winning size for all viola.

The slammed back which is slightly slap cut; the oval and somehow rough and graceful scroll; a funky combination of precise craftsmanship and still you can tell that Mantegazza has been a Great Master from Venice. Some of his work has been attributed to Stradivari, just as a Stradivari Cello with a Mantegazza scroll. This specific Viola has been made for the son of a friend of mine who is a promising Viola student in Vienna Austria.

But as a matter of fact I live and keep on going by making and so I decided to show it here to all of you; and who picks it first will be the proud owner of it. Listen here when Lena plays it: