Paganini's violin gets X-ray treatment in quest of sound secrets

The world's most famous violin 'Il Cannone', made in 1743 and played by the great virtuoso Niccolo Paganini, is being examined by a synchrotron during a non-destructive X-ray analysis carried out by ESRF scientists (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility) in Grenoble, France. Photo: AFP

French experts fired X-rays at a 18th-century violin worth millions this weekend hoping to discover the secret of its magical sound, they said recently.

The violin, dubbed "Il Cannone" (the cannon) because of its powerful sound, was Italian composer and violin virtuoso Niccolo Paganini's favourite.