By Cliff Hall | From the March/April 2026 issue of Strings

“The second I played this violin, I knew something was very special,” recalled Arnaud Sussmann in a YouTube conversation with Carlos Tome, director and head of sales at Tarisio Fine Instruments & Bows. The violin was the 1731 Stradivari known as the “Schneeberger,” and Sussmann is careful not to mythologize the moment, even as the memory carries weight. He had tried many instruments before and for a long time had wanted to live with one of these violins on a regular basis. 

Like some young, very talented players, his closest encounters with great historical instruments early on came through temporary access—“I remember being loaned a beautiful violin from the Juilliard School when I was a student”—brief windows into a sound and physical response that vanished the moment the instrument was returned. When the Schneeberger was placed in his hands, Sussmann recalls that he “really madly fell in love with it.” Only later, as the end of his initial loan approached, was he faced with a test: See if you can figure out a way to keep playing it.

That moment points to a larger truth about how great antique violins circulate. The most revered have long existed beyond the straightforward reach of even elite professionals. Their prices reflect not only rarity but cultural gravity, and for generations, violinists have reached them through patrons rather than paychecks. Midori, Hilary Hahn, and Joshua Bell have all performed on such instruments, their access sustained through complex arrangements involving benefactors, foundations, or long-term loans. The Stradivari Society exists precisely because the system still depends on intermediaries—patrons willing to buy the violins, and musicians willing to justify their faith over time.

The same dynamic might have shaped the Schneeberger’s previous chapter. When Hansheinz Schneeberger (1926–2019) gave the posthumous world premiere of Béla Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in Basel in 1958, he briefly stood at the center of the contemporary music world. The performance was conducted by Paul Sacher, the Swiss billionaire who’d married into the Hoffmann–La Roche fortune, who had already placed Schneeberger at the center of Basel’s musical life earlier in the decade by conducting the 1952 world premiere of Frank Martin’s Violin Concerto.

The Bartók concerto had been written nearly 50 years earlier, during a period when the composer was deeply in love with the young Hungarian violinist Stefi Geyer, who preserved the manuscript privately and kept it out of circulation during her lifetime after rejecting his advances. In later interviews, Schneeberger recalled that Geyer not only approved of his performing the work but gave him a lesson ahead of the premiere—and confided, in a striking personal aside, that she wished she had married Bartók.

The visibility from Basel was real but fleeting; Schneeberger remained a specialist admired for artistic authority rather than commercial stature. It was in the year following that premiere, in 1959, that he acquired the 1731 Stradivari—an acquisition that, given his circumstances, almost certainly required facilitation: favorable terms, discreet backing, or the active involvement of patrons who believed the instrument belonged with him. In Basel at that moment, such involvement may well have passed through Sacher himself, whose patronage repeatedly translated artistic judgment into material support.

The bridge to this acquisition was the luthier Pierre Gerber. Operating out of Lausanne, Gerber was the preeminent expert who facilitated the 1731 Strad’s transition from the estate of industrialist Jean-Jacques Mercier de Molin. An amateur violinist and prominent patron of the arts, Mercier had kept the instrument as a centerpiece of Lausanne’s private salon life. However, upon his death in 1932, the violin fell into a long period of professional dormancy. It had sat silent within the Mercier family for 27 years before Gerber’s workshop and the cultural gravity of the Basel scene finally brought it back into the hands of a leading soloist.

Sussmann’s own career places him squarely in that lineage. A 2009 recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and a former teaching assistant to Itzhak Perlman, the St. Paul Pioneer Press once noted an “old-school sound reminiscent of vintage recordings by Jascha Heifetz or Fritz Kreisler.”

After months of uncertainty—multiple avenues explored, many of them closed—he recalls realizing the moment of reckoning had arrived as he was heading to New York for a festival he runs at Boscobel, preparing to return the Strad and go back to his own instrument. “Pretty much the last day,” Sussmann recalls, “is when I went to see this family, and things worked out.”

Facilitated by an anonymous patron and Tarisio, Sussmann became the latest custodian of the Schneeberger in 2023. Now, as artistic director of the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, he is using its woody, luminous sonority not as a relic of the past, but as a living voice—one entrusted, once again, to carry the music forward. I chatted with Sussmann about what he’s discovered about this venerable concert partner. 

Tell me about your primary instrument.

I am incredibly fortunate to be playing the 1731 Schneeberger Stradivari, on loan from a private owner. It’s been my companion since 2023, and I truly feel I have met my lifelong partner. 

What do you know about this instrument’s history?

For nearly all of its known history, the Schneeberger has been in the hands of exceptional musicians. Most recently, it was in the possession of the Swiss violinist Hansheinz Schneeberger, who owned the instrument for more than sixty years. Schneeberger is known for giving the world premiere of Béla Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Another musician of note who owned this violin was Hugo Heermann, an accomplished soloist, chamber musician, and teacher who studied with the great Joseph Joachim. 

How did you come to play it?

My good friend and director of Tarisio, Carlos Tome, put this violin in my hands as I was visiting the Tarisio shop in New York City in 2023. I fell in love with it as soon as I played a few notes on it.

What first drew you to it, and how did you know it was the right fit?

Having tried countless instruments and played many extraordinary violins over the years, I knew right away that this 1731 Strad was different—it brings me closer than ever to the voice I carry inside. The very first thing that captivated me was the instrument’s deep, rich voice. Many of the greatest violinists (Kreisler, Francescatti, Grumiaux, among others) were particularly attracted to late-period Stradivari instruments. In my humble opinion, those made in the final decade of his life represent the perfect balance: They combine the sophistication and brilliance of his earlier work with an extraordinary body and depth that feels almost unique to this phase.

A defining moment came during an instrument tryout, surrounded by exceptional musicians and extraordinary violins. I remember playing this violin side by side with three other magnificent Stradivari instruments and one Guarneri del Gesù. For me—and for the other violinists in the room—it was immediately evident that the 1731 Schneeberger was the one that suited me best.

What gift does your instrument bring to your playing that can’t be found in any other instrument?

This violin inspires me deeply every time I play it, sparking ideas and emotions in a way no other instrument has. Its vast palette of colors gives me endless options to explore and express the music. It constantly reminds me that there are no limits to creativity, and this violin invites me to keep discovering new possibilities. Finally, it is a profound privilege and responsibility to be part of the lineage of players who have brought this instrument to life over nearly three centuries.

Does it perform better in certain situations?

Luckily, this instrument is very stable and performs well in most situations.

What is its greatest strength?

Its rich, clear, deep voice.

What are some of its limitations?

I haven’t found any yet. 

Can you tell us the story of how you came to be entrusted this violin?

I still pinch myself every day, amazed that I get to play this magnificent instrument. The journey took some time. It involved finding and connecting with generous patrons willing to acquire the violin for my use. I shared my passion with them—talking about the magic of these historic instruments, how they are living works of art that connect us to a rich musical heritage, and how their voices continue to touch audiences worldwide. Those heartfelt conversations made all the difference, and I’m deeply grateful to the patrons who believed in the vision and entrusted me with this violin.

What is the experience like playing such a high-value, loaned instrument, and how does this arrangement affect your sense of artistic ownership?

Playing a Stradivari on long-term loan is an extraordinary privilege that comes with a deep sense of responsibility. This violin has an illustrious history, and I’m simply the latest in a long line of players entrusted with its care. I look after it meticulously, of course, and even after nearly three years together, I still feel I’m only beginning to discover its full personality. Knowing this is a lasting partnership fills me with excitement—I look forward to understanding it more profoundly as we share many more years of concerts, practice, and music making.

Can you describe the specific sonic and physical characteristics of this late-period Strad that you feel best complement your playing style?

This violin comes from the late period of Stradivari’s life—he was around 87 when he made it—and to me, it represents the extraordinary culmination of his decades of experience. Late-period Stradivari violins are characterized by fuller, higher arching, which gives them a deep, woody sonority while preserving the characteristic brilliance and power. It’s a rare and wonderful combination that I absolutely adore.

Strings Thomastik-Infeld Peter Infeld G, D, and A; Pirastro Gold Label E

Bows Joseph Henry, Charles Espey, Gilles Nehr

Case “My new travel setup is a Bam cabin case inside of the GEWA Space Bag (for extra protection). It’s perfect for traveling, as this case fits like a regular suitcase in the overhead bins of an airplane. A game changer!”

Rosin Salchow