ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Albert Stern

   Stern is a world renowned violinist. Albert is a graduate of New York's famed Juilliard School of Music where he studied with Ivan Galamian, who has taught some of the world's greatest violinists. His triumphs have included command performances for a presidential inauguration, a Carnegie Hall debut and concert appearances with most of the great symphony orchestras. He has toured with Mantovani, and has composed an Emmy-nominated score for TV. Recently, Stern was virtuoso violin soloist for the Western United States premiere of Paul McCartney's "Liverpool Oratorio", a performance L.A. Times classical critic Martin Bernheimer called "dazzling".

   The evolution of Albert Stern from a gifted child violinist to one of the world's premiere musical figures just scratches the surface of his complex and accomplished life. He is also an accomplished equestrian and inventor, patenting the world's first 'bitless bridle' for horses, and a new chin rest for the violin.

Joanne Pearce Martin

   Ms. Martin is a graduate of Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music. Her playing has been described by the Los Angeles Times as possessing "unusual fervor and fluency", and the New York Times has hailed her as a "superb collaborator". She performs frequently with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on their orchestral series as well as their chamber music and new music series, including performances at the Hollywood Bowl.

Carmon Dragon

   Ms. Dragon comes from a well-known musical family. Her famous and illustrious father Carmen Dragon, directed the Glendale Symphony Orchestra, with which she performed for fifteen years. In addition to numerous other concert and recording performances, she has also made appearances on her brother Daryl Dragon's award-winning television show "The Captain and Tennille".

Alan Williams

   After arriving in Los Angeles in 1990, this talented musician completed his graduate work in film scoring at the University of Southern California, and since has become one on Hollywood's most sought after composers and arrangers. His music is identifiable for its strength, grace, grandeur and broad sweeping scope. He is a master at creating an unlimited pallet of sounds and feelings, and his orchestrations are rich in texture. Mr. Williams has an extensive imagination and flair for dramatic musical expression, with an intuitive sense of good music.    Along with composing and arranging, Mr. Williams displays a treat talent and apparent love for conducting. He was able to elicit for this album a brilliant performance from the London City Symphony, a world class orchestra.

STRADIVARIOUS

The name Stradivarious conjures up the image of the epitome, or the best and greatest that man can achieve. It is incredible to realize that one man achieved a state of perfection over 300 years ago that can not be duplicated to this very day. Even with the use of modern technology and analysis we can not replicate these instruments.

Albert Stern performs on one of the greatest Stradivaries made at the start of the masters Golden Period in 1697. This violin has a name, it is called "The Count Molitor"
after the French nobleman who originally commissioned it almost 300 years ago.

Not all Strads are equal, although the majority are far superior to almost all other makers. When Stradivarious had a royal or noblemans commission, he put forth that extra bit of effort and selected the finest and most beautiful woods he possessed. This is the case with Mr. Stern's violin. The Maple on the back, sides and head have a most beautiful flame pattern to them, the workmanship is incredibly precise and fine, the tone rich and powerful.

Mr. Stern's violin remained in the possession of the Molitor family, (except for a short period of time when it was possessed by Napoleon, under very mysterious circumstances), until just slightly after the turn of this century.

It then came to England to the house of Hill, one of the most famous Violin dealers of our time. They literally wrote the book on Stradivarious, and are respected as the greatest authorities on Stradivarious. It then passed into the hands of the great Russian/American violinist Efram Zimbalist, father of Efram Zimbalist Jr. and grandfather of TV Star Stephanie Zimbalist.

In the 1940s it went back to England and the Hill dealers who sold it to a lady in Ireland. For almost 30 years thereafter it became lost, until finally this lady , who was quite old at this time, was found living in squalor on the dole from the Red Cross. The auction House of Christys persuaded her to sell the violin, which she hated to part with. They were able to provide her with a very comfortable life style from sale.

It then passed into the hands of the excellent American concert violinist Elmar Oliviera, winner of the prestigious Tschaikowsky competition, and a much sought after concert soloist.

Approximately three years ago Mr. Stern obtained this incredible instrument and has been using it ever since. Although some instruments may sound wonderful in an auditorium or other "live" situation, this does not mean they would record as well.This violin is most remarkable for the excellent and dynamic recording qualitys it displays. Many great violins do not have the sonority and sound quality to record at their finest, The Count Molitor/Napoleon/Stern violin of 1697 is one of these rare and precious instruments that is equally well suited to a live performance as well as the recording studio.