Mention the word Gibson to a musician, and most will think of Gibson guitars. Others, however, will think of the antique Gibson Stradivarius violin made in 1713. Not only is the famed violin one of the most well-crafted instruments of its kind, it gained additional notoriety for having been stolen twice, eventually disappearing for more than 50 years, only to be rediscovered after the death of the thief. The Stradivarius is currently owned by violinist Joshua Bell.
Other musicians would be overshadowed by such a legend, but Bellยs story is just as remarkable. Bell, 42, made his orchestral debut at age 14. A Carnegie Hall debut, Avery Fisher Prize and Grammy Award quickly followed. Equally at home onstage or in a recording studio, Bell joins the Houston Symphony for a three-night stand performing a program called Joshua Bellยs Mendelssohn. The former child prodigy is now considered one of the brightest lights in the classical music world for his ability to attract a variety of listeners, including those not otherwise found in symphony halls, while maintaining a high level of technical expertise. Heยll perform Mendelssohnยs Scherzo for Orchestra from the Octet for Strings and the Violin Concerto. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. For information, call 713-224-7575 or visit www.houstonsymphony.org. $25 to $126.
Fri., Oct. 1, 8 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 2, 8 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 3, 2:30 p.m., 2010
This article appears in Sep 30 – Oct 6, 2010.