For most of the year, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s personal instruments are kept under lock and key in Salzberg, Austria at the Salzburg Mozarteum. But recently, his violin and viola paid a visit to the United States — their first time across the pond — for a premiere at the Austrian Cultural Forum New York; they also appeared at the Boston Early Music Festival earlier.
The violin and viola traveled on separate airplanes, accompanied by a 6-person team, who kept a very low profile to avoid attracting attention.
The violin is a Klotz, while the viola’s maker is unknown; neither instrument projects the visual flair you might expect for instruments used in the royal court; both are “workhorse” tools.
Read more — including reactions from the musicians who played the instruments — and hear audio from the All Things Considered broadcast at NPR’s website.