The Czech government has called back all instruments loaned out by the National Museum in Prague for fear they might be seized when played abroad.

Two members of the Talich Quartet (below) have been ordered to return a Stradivarius violin and Grancino cello. Leo Cepicky of the Wihan Quartet has handed back his Amati, reports Strad magazine.

The panic measure follows the Austrian government’s seizure of to Czech-owned paintings from Vienna’s Belvedere Gallery as security against a $500 million Czech government debt to a blood plasma company.

It’s a bizarre situation. If a government defaults on a debt, its credit ought to be worthless. But this debt is still being contested through the courts. Until the matter is settled, two fine quartets will be hampered by playing on less than top instruments.

In the August issue of The Strad, out now, I question the saleroom aura attached to fine instruments that are often past their play-by date. A notable case was the Lady Blunt that went last month for $14.2 million after half a century of disuse.

Why pay such fortunes? Is it prestige, investment, or perhaps something else?

Here’s a sample:

Why are people are prepared to pay record sums time after time for the Lady Blunt, which is practically unplayable after years of disuse, when 20,000 Euros would buy an instrument made last month in a German workshop with a blend of ancient craft and modern technology that ensure it sounds like Cremona, almost? The premium people pay for a Vieuxtemps or a Lady Blunt is less for high performance than for emotional transference…

Any further thoughts?

There’s nowt so trendy (or derivative) as art.

The moment the Royal Opera hired Kaspar Holten as its new chief, others went sniffing out Denmark as a possible talent stream.

This morning BBC National Orchestra of Wales announced Thomas Sondegard as principal conductor. He’s 41, presently working at Norwegian Radio. No other known form.

Who’s next? Not one of the alleged cokeheads from Denmark’s Royal Ballet, I hope.

Here‘s a viola player’s view.