Amihai Grosz, the principal violist of the Berlin Philharmonic and a native of Israel, has been playing the “Macdonald” Stradivari viola on an open-ended loan from the Stretton Society, a Berlin-based nonprofit organization dedicated to placing rare stringed instruments with accomplished musicians. Having started the instrument about six months ago, Grosz described the experience as transformative, noting a profound enhancement in sound quality that he called “elegant and magical.”

Grosz began playing the viola at the age of five and had always regarded owning or playing an instrument of such prestige as an unattainable dream. The Macdonald Stradivari viola is among a limited number of these instruments still regularly played in public today, as most Stradivari violas are held in private collections or museums.

The Stretton Society, established in 2021, operates by connecting an international group of philanthropists with top-tier musicians to ensure that exceptional instruments are actively used and appreciated rather than kept idle. This approach responds to a broader market trend in rare stringed instruments, where prices have surged significantly since the 1970s, culminating in the 2011 $15.9 million sale of the “Lady Blunt” Stradivarius violin, setting a record at auction.

Tim Ingles, co-director of Ingles and Hayday, a London-based musical instrument dealership and auction house, remarked that many collectors prefer to see these exceptional instruments played rather than stored away. He emphasized a sense of responsibility among collectors to prevent their valuable instruments from being locked away and unused.

The collaboration between patrons and musicians facilitated by organizations like the Stretton Society reflects an evolving dynamic in the rare instrument market, where the emphasis on performance and preservation coexists with significant financial valuation. Through such partnerships, rare instruments like the Macdonald viola continue to enrich the world of classical music by being placed directly into the hands of those best equipped to bring their unique voices to life.