The “Gustav Mahler”, like the “Gibson” viola, is one of the most valuable instruments of the Stradivari Foundation. Even in its highest register, it possesses a range of tonal colours of exquisite beauty. It was the first of eleven, still extant, violas to have been made by Stradivari. What is remarkable about the “Gustav Mahler” is its size. It is a contralto, smaller than the then current tenor-alto – which makes it most suitable for playing nowadays. It seems to have predicted the way violas would be built in the future.

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The original inner construction of this instrument, made in Stradivari’s home town of Cremona, is still visible. Curiously, the label in Latin has a misprint: ‘Antonins’ instead of ‘Antonius’ Stradivari. 

 

The “Gustav Mahler” viola was once in the possession of the Birmingham industrialist, Joseph Gillott (1799–1872), part of his vast collection of musical instruments which after his death was auctioned off at Christie’s. After various stations, the instrument passed from P.R. Parera to John Hart, the founder of Hart and Sons, Violin Makers, London (established 1825). Hart bought the instrument when it was auctioned by Puttick & Simpson in 1877, after which it was purchased by the English collector Richart Bennett in 1885. He retained it until 1893. Then the violin maker William Ebsworth Hill bought it from Bennett’s heirs. Hill, the founder of Hill & Sons, a musical instrument company that is still in business today, is also the author of two standard works on Stradivari and Guarneri. In 1895 the London collector A.W. Young acquired the instrument; it was in his keeping until his death in 1930, whereupon his daughter inherited it. In 1950 the London-born Swiss violin maker/dealer, Henry Werro, bought the instrument with the aim of completing a string quartet equipped entirely with Stradivarius instruments. Werro was forced to sell the instrument in 1960 to Hans Schicker, a Freiburg colleague, in order to cover the legal costs of the ‘Violin war’ he had triggered.

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On 7 July 1960, the hundredth birthday of the composer Gustav Mahler, Rolf Habisreutinger acquired the viola. In honour of the composer, the viola was christened with his name. 

 

The instrument is currently played by Antoine Tamestit.