Violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing Granted Use of 1707 "Rivaz, Baron Gutmann" Stradivarius Violin

The golden-period instrument has been made available to Hemsing by Norway's Dextra Musica foundation

The Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing will now play on a golden-period Stradivarius violin, thanks to the generosity of Norway's Dextra Musica foundation. The instrument in question is the "Rivaz, Baron Gutmann" violin, which was made in 1707. It was crafted in the period between 1700 and 1725 — the period which is most often known for representing Stradivarius's most mature work.

The Dextra Musica Foundation is a subsidiary of the Norwegian DNB Savings Bank Foundation, and since 2006 it has purchased valuable instruments for loan to Norwegian musicians. Violinist Janine Jansen was awarded the loan of the violin in 2016.

Another notable violinist who has played on this instrument is Kenneth Gordon, a mid-century American prodigy who performed alongside Fritz Kreisler at just 12 years old. He later gave 46 years of dedicated service in the New York Philharmonic.

Born in Valdres, Norway, Eldbjørg Hemsing studied at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo and with Professor Boris Kuschnir in Vienna. She has recently made major debuts with London's Philharmonia Orchestra and at the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

A dedicated chamber musician, Hemsing is a member of the Hemsing-Müller-Schott-Stadtfeld Trio alongside cellist Daniel Müller-Schott and pianist Martin Stadtfeld.

"What is really fantastic to me is that the instrument is probably the best I've ever heard or seen," Hemsing said after trying the instrument in 2021. "It's an absolutely gorgeous sound: it has so much depth, it's really dark...at the same time it captures brilliance, and there's almost nothing you cannot do on this instrument."