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Friday, September 28, 2012

What Cello Are They Playing? Is That A Strad?

Written by: Andy Fein, Luthier at Fein Violins
 & Kevin Berdine

When you hear a great performer, ever wonder "What instrument are they playing? Is it a Strad?" 

If you hear a great solist on violin, chances are good that they will be playing on a Stradivarius or a Guarnerius del Gesu. Not so much with great cellists. Sadly, the great Guarnerius del Gesu never made a cello. And many of Stradivarius' cellos, particularly the cellos he made before 1700, were very large and not particularly well suited to the demands of a modern soloist. All but two of those large pattern Stradivarius cellos have been "cut down" and reworked into easier playing modern instruments.  Luckily, two great Venetians, Montagnana and Gofriller, made great cellos that meet the demands of today's great cellists.

Here is a list of some wonderful cellists and the instruments they play.

Cellists:


1733 Domenico Montagnana-Nicknamed "Petunia" by a student in Salt lake City, Utah.


1712 Antonio Stradivari, "Davidoff"-formerly Jacqueline du Pre's cello

portrait-02
1722 Gofriller-Being played by Valentin Erben

image from Valentin's website


1673 "ex-du Pre/ex-Harrell" Stradivari





1733 Matteo Gofriller, on loan to Amit Peled



1709 "Boccherini/Romberg" Stradivari-now played by Stephane Tetreault


Jacqueline du Pre

c.1696 David Tecchler

1970 Sergio Peresson- now played by Kyril Zlotnikov of the Jerusalem String Quartet



1673 "du Pre," Stradivari-now owned by Nina Kotova



1712 "Davidov," by Stradivari-now owned by Yo Yo Ma



Mstislav Rostropovich


1711 Duport Stradivari
Sergio Peresson



Janos Starker


1696 Lord Aylesford Stradivari-The largest cello made by Stradivari




1705 "Star," by Gofriller



1696 Lord Aylesford Stradivari-The largest cello made by Stradivari



1739 "Sleeping Beauty," by Domenico Montagnana



1725 "Baudiot," by Stradivari


1714 "Batta" Stradivari


Truls Mork



1723 "Esquire" Domenico Montagnana with a Stradivari Scroll owned by SR Bank and Loaned to Mork



Mischa Maisky




Bernard Greenhouse





Purchased by a "Patron of the Arts" & on loan to Stephane Tetreault




1707 "Paganini/Countess of Stanlein" Stradivari




Pierre Fournier



1722 Gofriller




Heinrich Schiff



1711 "Mara" Stradivari



1739 "Sleeping Beauty" Montagnana



Zuill Bailey


1698 "Rosette," by Matteo Gofriller



Emmanuel Feuermann



1730 "Feuermann" Stradivari-known to be relatively slender




Pieter Wispelwey



1760 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini 



1710 Rombouts Baroque Cello





Steven Isserlis




1730 "DeMunck" Stradivari





1745 Guadagnini



Alisa Weilerstein




1790 William Forster



Matt Haimovitz



1710 Gofriller



Anner Bylsma


1695 Gofriller



1701 "Servais" Stradivari



Gautier Capucon

1701 Gofriller 

image



Raya Garbasouva

Image result for Raya Garbousova
1703 Gofriller




Anthony Ross


1710 Gofriller


Sara Sant'Ambrogio


1715 Gofriller



Daniel Muller-Schott


1727 "Saphir," by Gofriller



Julian Lloyd Webber



1690 "Barjansky" Stradivari



Han-na Chang




1757 Guadagnini



Robert DeMaine




1841 J.B. Vuillaume, a gift from the Cecilia Benner Trust
Joseph Gagliano
Antonio Gragnani



Myung-wha Chung



'Braga' Stradivarius, circa 1731




1787 Perry on loan from the Coburn Foundation



Custom Tina Guo Model Yamaha SVC-200

Are you a cellist or interested in becoming one? Take a look at our Fine Cellos!

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