On Wednesday of last week the SMCM Movie and Music Night, part of the River Concert Series at the college, offered a free showing of the film “The Red Violin” (“Le Violon Rouge”) (1999) followed by a discussion and performance with violinist José Cueto, on his very own red violin.

The acclaimed film told the story of a red violin with a sound that inspired passion, and ultimately brought it iconic status. The red violin makes its way through three centuries and several countries, its story told through the lives of its various owners. The R-rated film stared Carlo Cecchi, Irene Grazioli and was directed by François Girard.

Following the film, violinist José Cueto met with the audience and discussed the film which inspired him to seek out his very own red violin.

“Red is the most opaque color – and you want to be able to see the grain – so it’s also the most difficult to produce successfully,” said Cueto, explaining some of the magic of the red violin. Having said that, he continued, Stradivari (probably the most famous of violin makers) did make several red violins. “I couldn’t afford a Stradivarius,” laughed Cueto, “so I went to my friend Bellini, and asked him for a red violin; he made it, and I finally got my red violin in December.”

The varnish is not just an aesthetic touch to the violin, but of ultimate importance to the sound of the instrument. “Without varnish – a white violin – has no sound; it has no power,” explained Cueto. “The greatest varnishes were of that period of Stradivari. […] During that time the varnishes came from recipes of alchemists.”  Stradivarius developed a distinctive amber-red varnish, which is often said to account for his advantage in violin making.

“The recipe for Stradivari’s varnish has been lost – or I should say someone discovers it every ten years,” Cueto joked. Stradivari had two sons who worked with him in his shop, but upon his death he left his business to another apprentice who he clearly considered more talented than his own sons. One of the folk-tales surrounding the loss of the formula is that one of Stradivari’s sons possessed the recipe for his father’s varnish but destroyed it in anger after his father’s death.

 
  José Cuerto

The film “The Red Violin” could be a loose biography of Amati, one of the earliest violin makers, as well as incorporating aspects from Stradivari’s craftsmanship, suggested Cueto. Amati was born in 1511 and was the teacher of Stradivari. 

Following the informative yet informal discussion of the film and the art of violin making, the audience was treated to an intimate performance of one of The Red Violin Caprices, by John Corigliano, a musical refrain repeated throughout the film, which served as the musical theme.

Jose Cueto is admired by both the public and the critics for his “solid technique, as well as his rich and beautiful tone” (El Mundo, San Juan). Recently, he appeared at the La Gesse Festival in France and the Autunno Musicale Veronese in Italy.  Cueto is concertmaster of the Baltimore Opera Orchestra and Concert Artists of Baltimore. He is also concertmaster for the River Concert Series Friday night concerts, which continue through the end of this month.

Tonight The Ri