Just in: Airline wrecks Koussevitsky’s bass

More airport violence.

Colin Corner, principal double-bass of the Atlanta Symphony, flew Southwest Airlines to his former orchestra at Rochester to play the Koussevitsky concert.

He took with him the famous Amati, formerly owned by Gary Karr and Serge Koussevitsky himself.

He decided to fly the bass cargo, in order to avoid possible mishandling by TSA agents. It was packed in a strong case. This is what greeted Colin on arrival at Rochester.

The instrument had been subjected to some kind of blunt force and the neck was pulled out of the body.

Rochester acting principal bass, Michael Griffin, an expert luthier, is trying to fix it in time for Sunday’s concert.

But the airline has some explaining to do.

Is it now impossible to fly a good instrument anywhere?

This instrument is so historic it has a wikipedia entry all its own.

UPDATE: Colin Corner tells us from Rochester that the bass has been successfully repaired and sounds ‘as good as ever’. Phew!