The Lady Tennant Stradivarius made headlines in 2005 by selling for a record 2.03 million dollars.  The violin was made by Stradivari in 1699 just before his golden period and is considered one of the great Stradivari violins.  Of course there are a number of old famous violin makers who made instruments that are treasured by their owners, but Stradivarius violins bear a mystique and fame that had transcended the sometimes exclusive communities of musicians and classical music connoisseurs to an almost mystical position in our popular culture.

When Philippe Quint left his four million dollar stradivarius on loan from the Stradivari Society in Chicago in a New York city cab he was so relieved to have it returned by his taxi driver Mohammed Khalil that he will give a free outdoor recital in the taxi holding area of the Newark Airport 3pm Sunday.