[BC] The real thing....

[PeterH]

On Sep 24, 2008, at 4:00 PM, DHultsman5 at aol.com wrote:

> I read that the positioning of a single microphone in the proper  
> relationship
> to the orchestra was done by RCA's Russian conductor after extensive
> listening to the performances.

Actually, it was done by RCA's American recording technician, who  
was, himself, a master violinist, and a former Stradivari owner,  
until his instrument was stolen from RCA's New York City studios.

That instrument was later "shown" in a private collection in Tokyo,  
Japan.

The Japanese police authorities were completely non-cooperative in  
returning this noted musician's instrument to him in the United States.

After "exposing" the theft, presumably by a Japanese major-crime  
family, the violin was never seen again.

It is still believed to be in Japan.

Photographs, apparently made very recently, show this very same  
instrument "unassembled" (that is, disassembled into its component  
parts).

Everyone who is anyone knows every Stradivari instrument, by name.

And, who legally owns the same.