The Sabionari Stradivarius Guitar
Sabionari Guitar 1679
Many people know that Antonio Stradivarius made beautiful, exquisitely crafted violins and cellos. But, did you know that he made guitars? Although, no one knows exactly how many guitars Stradivari made during his lifetime, we do know that there are only five left in the world and only one is playable. In particular, the Sabionari Stradivarius Guitar is the only known guitar that is still being used by world-renowned classical musicians such as Chinese guitar soloist Xuefie Yang and world-renowned guitarist Rolf Lislevand.
Sabionari Guitar’s History
More commonly known today as “the Sabionari,” it’s believed that this guitar was created in 1679. The guitar received its new name when Giovanni Sabionari bought the instrument from the descendants of Antonio Stradivarius. Historians believe that Sabionair bought the guitar in 1854. The Stradivarius Guitar has since been bought and sold by several other owners since then. You can read about some of the instrument’s ownership history at sabionari.com.
Sabionari Guitar in Performance
See and hear the beauty of the only playable Stradivarius Guitar left in the world. In this YouTube video uploaded by world-renowned musician, Rolf Lislevand, the Sabionari is used to play a beautiful rendition of the Santiago de Murcia’s Tarantela. Lislevand is a world renowned luthier who has performed at a number of international festivals. He has recorded works by Bach, among others, and has become well known for performing music from the Spanish renaissance and the Middle Ages. Explore more of his musical works here.