For this maestro, it's all about the sound

He has been playing the violin for 55 years, owns 13 violins and is blunt in his view that it doesn't take a Stradivari to make the best music.

Riad Kudsi, 62, the Director and Conductor of the Emirates Youth Symphony Orchestra and Director of National Conservatory, believes that the French today make violins that are far superior to what Antonio Stradivari crafted in Cremona, Italy, more than 200 years ago.

"What is a violinist really looking for? Sound. If he can get the best sound from a $60,000 violin, why would he spend millions on a Stradivari?" he says.

Commenting on the results of the violin test referred to in this feature, he says, "It's entirely believable. And I am not the only one with this viewpoint. It's a widespread belief among the violinists' community that the exclusivity of the Stradivari is greatly exaggerated."

Even among Stradivari, he says, the evenness of quality varies. "Not all are built to sound the same."

Given that it's been more than 200 years since the death of Stradivari, it's natural, he says, that the value of the violins made by him has pierced the sky.

As with all things that gain an overwhelming reputation - and value - posthumously for the artist, the Stradivari too is no exception. Aspirants and experts alike are led to believe that it is the only instrument of choice for them. "It's a clique, it's big money," he says, and that is a different thing altogether.