violin
Joseph Hel
built in Small in 1894
A violin built by Joseph Hel in Lille, 1894. Opus 361. Signed on the inside of the back plate.
Current player
Belemir Baran
from Joseph Hel
History of this instrument
In 1994, the Musical Instrument Fund received a substantial donation from a family member of Louk van Haastrecht, a founding board member. With this donation, a total of two harps, two violas, two violins, one cello, and two bows were purchased over a two-year period, including this Joseph Hel violin. David van Dijk was the first to play the instrument. He was followed by, among others, Helga van Harmelen Zöllner, Jan Navarro, Hawar Tawfiq, and Shin Sihan. Currently, Belemir Baran is the lucky player.
About the builder Joseph Hel
Joseph Hel began his career as a violin maker at a time when the Second Industrial Revolution had begun and traditional craftsmanship was under threat from all sides. Hel, born in 1842, also observed—after completing his training in...
