In Salisbury, Md., an amateur in the audience gushed to Violist William Primrose: "Ah, you can't get away from the old Italian instrument makers!" In South America, critics rhapsodized over the tones of his "marvelous Amati."
Last week, with a grin, William Primrose pulled the rug out from under these connoisseurs of tone. During most of his concert appearances in the past nine months, his valuable Antonio Amati viola (circa 1630) had stayed in its plush-lined case. The viola his audience heard was American (circa 1945). He had played it for more than 40 concerts to prove a point: "There's more snobbery...
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