Recording musician and soloist Jonathan Hill talks all things strings with Ingles & Hayday…

You recently borrowed a G.B. Ceruti (1801) and a Giovanni Grancino (1685) violin from us to use in a recording session. How did the two instruments compare?

I was recording several commercial tracks for We Write Music Ltd, for different types of clients. In the end we decided to use both violins for orchestral and solo lines of recording and, as is usually the case with commercial recording, a lot of the decisions were made in post production. Interestingly, the rather ‘nutty’ and gravelly sound of the Grancino worked extremely well in the classical-style pieces, and the more modern Ceruti had a directness and clarity suited to the neo-romantic tracks. Intriguingly, this also reflects the historical time periods in which the instruments were made.

You’re well known for your sight reading ability. Do you need to spend much time with a violin for its character to open up to you, or do you respond quite quickly to its personality and capabilities?

I’ve been working in the recording industry since I was seventeen years old and have always been told that my sight reading ability is exceptional but that my playing doesn’t improve much after my first attempt! I do however have the flexibility of technique to pick up instruments and play them immediately. Often in concert. I played the Franz Waxman Carmen Fantasie with an orchestra on a violin which I’d had for only one day and felt at home. The better the instrument, the easier the acclimatisation, of course. I estimate that I’ve played on well over fifty violins in the last two years.

Do you have a favourite out of all these violins, or is it horses for courses?

Each of these instruments has brought its own unique colour to my recording life. If I had to summarise: the Grancino is a great all-rounder, and the Ceruti is perfect for solos and carries well across a full orchestra. The Guad is an experience. Period.

You are as passionate about strings as we are. Has it always been that way?

I have loved everything about the violin from the age of five. During my years working with London orchestras I have used my persuasive nature… I would approach the soloists we were touring with and ask to borrow their instruments for the second half of the concerts. After all, they were done by the interval and were only waiting in their dressing rooms for the end! In that way I managed to borrow Isaac Stern’s Guarneri from Boris Belkin, Gil Shaham’s 1699 Strad, Nikolaj Znaider’s Guarneri and countless others. It was a real experience for me, and I think the soloists just couldn’t believe my cheek! Beethoven 5 was great on Gil Shaham’s violin and the only downer was that, in return, he wanted to be my desk partner on my own violin when the original player had gone off sick. Management refused him. Shame!

And finally, what’s on your bucket list of future things you’d like to try?

My bucket list is a bit weird because I really love the review Henle gave a French maker called Savary [see below]. I’ve played on violins by most of the greatest luthiers in the world, so isn’t it logical to want to play on one of the worst?!