Home / Instruments / View Violins / A Roger Hansell Original - The 'Ardour' (2013) A Roger Hansell Original - The 'Ardour' (2013) A Roger Hansell Original - The 'Ardour' (2013) Information A Violin by Roger Hansell The ‘Ardour’ This fantasy violin is the brilliant conflation of two violins by Guiseppe Guarneri del Gesù – the ‘Doyen’ and the ‘Sauret’ which Roger first saw together at the Metropolitan Museum of New York in the 1990s. It has taken twenty years for this subtle melding to find final expression. Both the ‘Sauret’ and the ‘Doyen’ are late period Guarneri; bold in concept and vigorous in making. Made from a spectacular one piece back with nothing of the neatness of Guarneri’s early years, Roger describes The ‘Ardour’ as being like a ‘roughed up, prize fighter; proud and unbowed’. The tone matches this description – dark and sonorous, counterpointed by sweetness and delicacy in the higher notes as the fighter reveals his complex inner voice. In the first week of its existence, this instrument was played by Jonathan Sparey formerly of the FSQ. It is exceptional, a truly enveloping sound to lose oneself in. Depth and sweetness all rolled into one. As unique and maverick as its’ maker – this is a violin for someone with an eye to the future.
