ABSTRACT
In 1990, the “Mendelssohn” Stradivarius violin sold at Christie’s in London for $ 1,686,700 while a good violin at a typical music store sells for about $ 2,000 or $ 2,500. Then, a natural question that one may ask is as follows. Why does a Stradivarius costs so much more than an ordinary violin? The geometry o f the musical instruments is very similar. However, in addition to the prestige associated with a Stradivarius, there are subtle differences in the structural dynamic characteristics o f the two musical instruments. These subtle differences result in yielding different dynamic responses o f these musical instruments when they are excited by the same accomplished violinist. The different dynamic responses or the different vibrations o f the two instruments determine the quality o f the acoustic radiations, hence the quality o f the music and the associated price.
