Josef Faerber
A Priceless Gift

For Josef Faerber, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra came first, and he believed, in a quite and dignified way, that it was indeed the best in the world. His estate gift helps keep that vision very much alive.

Generally considered the last in a long line of native Germans to play with the CSO, Josef Faerber joined the CSO in 1939, when Frederick Stock was still Music Director, and retired in 1986. During this remarkable career, interrupted by three years of grueling military service in the Pacific, Mr. Faerber served as assistant concertmaster, as principal second violin, and as member of the first violin section. He also taught at the American Conservatory of Music and coached members of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. He passed away in September, 1999. In the months preceding his demise, Mr. Faerber revised his estate plan to provide that the CSO receive the gift of his collection of fine instruments, most notable of which is a rare Guadagnini violin from 1776.

For a musician who gave so much of himself in performance for the glory of classical music and the renown of the CSO, his estate gift anticipates the Orchestra’s future needs. As newer members of the CSO find prohibitive the cost of fine instruments, the CSO must become a repository of such instruments for those members to use. For Josef Faerber, the CSO came first, and he believed that it was indeed the best in the world. His estate gift helps keep that vision very much alive.

Says David Taylor, CSO Assistant Concertmaster and current trustee of the Faerber Guadagnini, “Joseph Faerber’s Guadagnini is bright and broad with a good deal of power – perfect for the acoustics in the hall. His gift of this highly-valued instrument is an ideal situation for the CSO, where its beauty can be appreciated by musicians and audiences far into the future.”

A gift of tangible personal property allows a full fair market value charitable deduction if the property has “related use” to the Orchestra, such as the instrument donated by Josef Faerber.

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