and Ivana Truong
On this blog, we love to talk about some very specific, admittedly esoteric, stringed instrument topics- from All About Tailpieces to Tarahumara Violins- but now we're going to take a pause and do something that everyone can appreciate. We're going to take a look at some beautiful instruments that belong to the Royal Academy of Music in London.
| The 'Archinto' Stradivarius viola, 1696 |
Becket Collection
The Becket Collection was created by Lady Elise Becket Smith and contains a complete orchestra of twenty-five classical Bristish stringed instruments and a set of woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments constructed by modern makers in classical style. The collection also commissioned modern copies of fifteen Baroque Venetian instruments and their bows.
The oldest instrument in the collection is a Robert Cuthbert violin from 1676 made in a style similar to Amati. It has a modern neck and fingerboard and modern fittings.
| 2 piece spruce top 1676 Robert Cuthbert |
| Maple back 1676 Robert Cuthbert |
| Bridge 1676 Robert Cuthbert |
| Label reads "Robert Cuthbert (illegible) in Russell Streete high Covent Garden 1676" |
This is a 1770 cello, traded by London instrument dealer James Longman under the name Longman Lukey and Co. Longman sold instruments from many luthiers, but the cello might have been made by Edmond Aireton. The cello has a modern neck, but otherwise has a classical set-up.
| 1770 Cello branded with Longman Lukey & Co |
| Cello bridge 1770 Longman & Co |
Top of 1770 instrument labeled Longman Lukey & Co possibly made Edmond Aireton 1770 Longman & Co 1770 Longman & Co |
Below are pictures of a Violino Piccolo by John Barret. This 1725 instrument is the only known English example of a Violino piccolo. Violino Piccolos are baroque instruments that are, as the name suggests, smaller than modern violins. They are tuned up up a 3rd or 4th above a regular violin.
| Top Made of Pine or Spruce, Replica Fingerboard with Maple Core and Ebony Veneer Tailpiece with pearl inlay 1725 Barret |
| One-piece Maple Back 1725 Barret |
| Baroque Bridge 1725 Barret |
| Boxwood Pegs with Original Scroll grafted with Baroque Neck 1725 Barret |
Calleva Collection
On the opposite side of the very Baroque/Classical Becket Collection, the Calleva Collection focuses on high-quality modern instruments. Many of the instruments in the Calleva Collection are loaned out to students of the Royal Academy of Music.
One of the collection's goals is to "demonstrate over time that these fine new instruments can compete with many older instruments and that with good playing and due care, they will improve further still." The instruments commissioned or bought by the collection can't be antiqued, as modern instruments often are. The principal of the Royal Academy of Music said this about the requirement: "Calleva instruments must be pristine — not ‘antiqued’ — in order to preserve the modus operandi of the Collection. Makers, performers and listeners acknowledge the special beauty of creating fine new instruments in their own right, banishing the default inferiority complex that ‘if they aren’t old they aren’t as good’." (read more about the collection here).
I'm not against a slightly antiqued violin, but the instruments and the idea of the collection is very cool, so we would like to mention it.
I'm not against a slightly antiqued violin, but the instruments and the idea of the collection is very cool, so we would like to mention it.
| 2-piece Spruce Top on 2014 Jan Spidlen violin one of the instruments in the Calleva Collection |
Rutson Collection
The Rutson Collection was established by the bequest of a former director of the Royal Academy of Music, John Rutson. The collection includes several Stradivaris and Amatis.
The 1694 Rutson Stradivarius is one of the instruments in the 1906 bequest that began the collection. It has been lent to Clio Gould, who has used it to lead the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and now the London Sinfonietta, as well as direct the Sainsbury Royal Academy Soloists, the Royal Academy's "elite string ensemble".
The 1694 Rutson Stradivarius is one of the instruments in the 1906 bequest that began the collection. It has been lent to Clio Gould, who has used it to lead the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and now the London Sinfonietta, as well as direct the Sainsbury Royal Academy Soloists, the Royal Academy's "elite string ensemble".
| Top made of "tight-grained spruce which opens towards the flanks" 1694 Rutson |
| One-Piece Maple Back, Ribs are made from a matching wood 1694 Rutson |
| F-hole 1694 Rutson |
| 1694 Rutson Scroll |
The collection has one other violin made by Stradivari- the 1718 Maurin. This violin was made in Stradivari's "Golden Period", approximately from 1700 to the 1720s. The violin has a spruce top, maple back, and maple ribs. The violin has a modern neck and a modern set up.
| Spruce Top 1718 Maurin |
| Maple back 1718 Maurin |
| f-hole 1718 Maurin |
Another instrument belonging to the bequest that began the Rutson collection is the 1696 Archinto viola. Only ten Stradivarius violas are known to exist, and this one is in great condition. The viola has a one-piece maple back and some very beautiful varnish.
| 1696 Archinto Viola Top |
| The back of the 'Archinto' Stradivarius viola |
| f-hole 1696 Archinto Viola |
| Pegbox of 1696 Archinto |
| The Archinto has a cello-type pegbox, meaning pegbox is wider at the base |
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| For comparison, one of our violas with a violin-type pegbox |
The collection also has several Amati instruments, one of which is a 1662 violin by Nicolo Amati. The violin is made in the "Grand Amati" pattern, meaning it's slightly longer and wider the usual Amati model. The "Grand Amati" became the basis for later Stradivari and del Gesu models.
| Add caption |
| F-hole 1662 Nicolo Amati |
If you've read the blog for a while, you know that we love Stradivarius cellos (read more about them here), so of course we need to mention the 1726 Marquis de Corberon. The cello is now on loan to Steven Isserlis, who says the cello has "amazing warmth and a particularly rich bass".
| Front made with two matching pieces of spruce 1726 Marquis de Corberon |
| One-piece willow back, ribs are also made with Willow 1726 Marquis de Corberon |
| F-hole 1726 Marquis de Corberon |
| Scroll is beechwood, modern neck graft |
These are only a few of the beautiful instruments in the Royal Academy's extensive collection. They have great photos of all their instruments on their website, so we would recommend taking a look for more in-depth information and photos! We may enjoy writing about the fine details of rosin, but sometimes its best to just look at some cool stringed instruments!
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