Violinist Josef Špaček discusses his Guarneri del Gesù

I met the LeBrun; Bouthillard Guarneri del Gesù for the first time in June 2017, when I came to Ingles & Hayday and played it for two hours to see what it was like. I was impressed from my first few notes. My own Vuillaume is a copy of a del Gesù, so the way it felt and articulated was similar and the transition was natural. From the moment I picked it up I was able to start creating, rather than having to get used to it. I went back to collect the violin in October and within 48 hours I was playing the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto on it, live on radio. That’s how confident I was about this violin.

Guarneri del Gesù instruments are famous for their big, rounded sounds and this one is no exception. I think of the tone as being like melting honey – it’s very satisfying and smooth. You can really dig into the string to produce a great big sound: the violin can take pretty much anything. You can also explore its depth of colours and it has a beautiful tone in pianissimo dynamics. I like it when a violin articulates easily, so that you don’t have to work too hard. Some violins need more effort to produce what you want. With the del Gesù it’s very easy.

I’ve been playing it for about a year and it continues to blossom and develop for the better – even though it was already fantastic when I first touched it. My ears are also getting more used to it, hearing it every day, so I know how to treat it in even better detail. It’s a great all-round instrument.

When I was on my way to Ingles & Hayday to meet the violin, I had a difficult thought. What if it’s not good enough? What if it’s difficult to play? Do I still play it because it’s a Guarneri? I decided that I probably would, because playing a Guarneri is like owning a Picasso. Even if you don’t own the best piece of Picasso, you’re still going to put it on your wall, even if you’re not passionate about it – it’s still a Picasso. Fortunately I loved the del Gesù immediately, so this wasn’t an issue. When you choose an instrument, you should feel goosebumps when it is the right one. You should pick up a violin and melt with its beauty and power.