THE INSTRUMENT
I remember coming to Claude Lebet at La Chaux-de-Fonds in Sweizerland many years ago. I was on a search for a cello. I think I tried 10 famous celli that day by legendary makers. They all sounded great but none was really “mine”. The sound was too sweet, too perfect, too clean. Most of the celli actually forced me to play the way “ they like ” to be played. I was depressed. This was after half a year of searching for the right instrument.
Then I noticed (in one of the corners of the big room, behind many other instruments and a big cupboard…) something which looked like a very small Double Base to me with no strings, no bridge, hanging on the wall covered with dust.
I asked Claude, “What is this instrument at the corner?”
“It’s a cello – Antonio Garani 1702 - nothing interesting for you though,” he said, “It wasn’t played for years… very big… odd size… dark sound.”
“Is it in order?” I asked
“oh yes,… it’s in perfect condition - we just finished a full
restoration this year… needs a bridge and a good setup…”
“I want to try it! Pleeeeaaaase…” I said
The next day, I played it.
It was barely possible to produce a sound out of it.
The instrument was tired.
The sounds which did come out of were dark, smoky and quiet. Like a giant yet very gentle old whale.
The positions on the cello were all displaced and not parallel. One had to find the notes by ear (even in first position!!).
The “weaknesses” of this cello moved me so much. I felt an endless potential in it to express myself.
I fell in love.
After those few honeymoon hours we had a difficult start. It took few years to open the sound and convince this whale to sing.
I kept taking it from one violin guru to another. It still is a capricious instrument with bad and good moods, fatigue periods, oversensitivity, and of course, it is extremely jealous if I even look at any other celli (it’s Italian after all…). However, we know each other so well that those challenges only make the bond tighter.
I am deeply thankful to the Commerzbank for making it
possible for me to “marry” this beauty.
Each morning, I am moved when I take it in my hands.
Then I noticed (in one of the corners of the big room, behind many other instruments and a big cupboard…) something which looked like a very small Double Base to me with no strings, no bridge, hanging on the wall covered with dust.
I asked Claude, “What is this instrument at the corner?”
“It’s a cello – Antonio Garani 1702 - nothing interesting for you though,” he said, “It wasn’t played for years… very big… odd size… dark sound.”
“Is it in order?” I asked
“oh yes,… it’s in perfect condition - we just finished a full
restoration this year… needs a bridge and a good setup…”
“I want to try it! Pleeeeaaaase…” I said
The next day, I played it.
It was barely possible to produce a sound out of it.
The instrument was tired.
The sounds which did come out of were dark, smoky and quiet. Like a giant yet very gentle old whale.
The positions on the cello were all displaced and not parallel. One had to find the notes by ear (even in first position!!).
The “weaknesses” of this cello moved me so much. I felt an endless potential in it to express myself.
I fell in love.
After those few honeymoon hours we had a difficult start. It took few years to open the sound and convince this whale to sing.
I kept taking it from one violin guru to another. It still is a capricious instrument with bad and good moods, fatigue periods, oversensitivity, and of course, it is extremely jealous if I even look at any other celli (it’s Italian after all…). However, we know each other so well that those challenges only make the bond tighter.
I am deeply thankful to the Commerzbank for making it
possible for me to “marry” this beauty.
Each morning, I am moved when I take it in my hands.
