The only cellist with a genuine Bergonzi?
NewsIt is being claimed tonight that the German cellist Raphaela Gromes is in the unique position of playing an authentic instrument by Carlo Bergonzi.
The cello, dated 1740, is one of three known Bergonzis in the world. One, valued at £10 million is in a London vault. Another is in Taiwan’s Chimei Museum.
The third instrument, identified by the luthier Dmitri Gindin, has been acquired for Raphaela Gromes and will be heard for the first time in memory on Friday at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, the first Saint-Saëns concerto.
1 in a vault and 1 in a museum? They are beautiful instruments to look at but even more beautiful to play and hear. What is the point?
Sometimes a famous-maker instrument is in a museum because people have tried playing it… and didn’t like it. Acquiring it would cost millions yet better playing options were available for far less.
I have no idea if that the case with these cellos, however.
When you have the scratch, you can buy up instruments and play or lend them to be played as you wish. Hopefully they won’t be pristine examples, as they only rarely stay that way in use.
Any luthier would tell you that she should not be holding it like that, with her palms across the top. She needs to treat it with much more respect.
I am a luthier and I don’t think it is a problem how she is holding the instrument.
I wonder if that is her Vuillaume and not the Bergonzi? It resembles some of her PR photos that have been around a while.
Not that a Villaume shouldn’t be pampered too …..
All instruments are made for a purpose. And that is to be PLAYED.