Cello da tavolo!!
A look into today’s practice
A short meeting with the great Christophe Coin. He is not only enthusiastic but also supported by a deep culture, his profound love for music emerging as a sweet, loving glance. The “I do what works best for me” is not laziness in information but an obvious statement, as should be for everyone, because our job is to bring music to the audience.
Communication is effective when it arrives to the audience. Communicating is not only in the action of “speaking”, but it happens only when the spoken word is listened to, participated and answered.
Playing with historically informed intention has little value if the music that comes out is unpleasant. Even if our taste today is different and if the audience certainly needs to be educated and to move one step towards the player to adapt taste and expectations (think a minute, is it not the same for rock bands, steampunk, heavy metal or jazz, or whatever?), we always have to present our audience with beautifully played music and emotions. So, “I do what works best for me” is a highly respectably position when coming from a man of culture.
Christophe Coin owns a magnificent Castagneri small cello, from 1739, in spectacular condition. Its body is 51,62 cm, with five strings. When he plays it, he places it on a coffee table (tavolo in Italian). He says this is convenient also for the sound, adding resonance.
News from da Spalla world
We receive something like two contacts every week from luthiers wanting plans to make a Spalla because they have an order. Or, requests from musicians who wish us to help their luthier to make them a Spalla. Good thing that the niche is becoming a movement!!
If you are a musician looking for a Violoncello da Spalla, let me tell you something. Making an instrument entirely new for you is quite an effort. It requires research, not only online research but best if live research, going into museums to see the originals, buying plans, also studying books! It means time and money, a lot of both things. Then it requires experiments, which timing experience can help reduce, but it involves exchange with musicians, not only future owners but better if also long time owners, experienced players. It requires knowledge of how to draw an instrument from scratch, what you need to adapt, what works best, and what is necessary.
Making it short, dear musicians, why, if you want a Spalla, don’t you simply write to those who already have experience making them? Playing on an experiment can be time-consuming at best but more likely painful and frustrating. On the contrary, being sure to have in your hands the right instrument allows you effective research to approach it the best way and get to a fulfilling playing in a short time.
You could start by sending us a message or visiting our website.
Updates from our workshop
Last weekend was Cremona Mondomusica weekend, the great Italian trade show. The first pics are with master violin-makers Bissolotti brothers. They have been luthiers and teachers all their lives and are constantly engaged in promoting the Cremonese-making tradition.
We got to finally meet in person Anna Huthmaker, the creator of the Celebrating Women Luthiers Exhibition. There has been a gathering of Women in Lutherie, the movement founded by Jeemin Kim and Jennifer Creadick.
Their motto says it all: “Empowering women and girls at the bench worldwide”. Last year I gave a talk at their annual conference online. This year’s conference is getting closer. Book your ticket here!
Videos of last year conference are being published on their YouTube channel.
We also met old ukulele friends: Ukulollo (who directed our Bach’s cantata video in may) and Paul Moore, the creator of Ukuleles for Peace. In the past 20 years, Paul and his wife Daphna Brought to play together Israeli and Palestinian children, showering away the fear they had of the different ones. They brought together their families on Sundays of beach combing and pic-nic, sharing foods, laughs and traditions. They certainly made a difference in the life of those hundreds of children and their families.
Featured video of the week
We recorded this video last May: this is a new version, only music, we hope you enjoy it!
I have created the group https://t.me/+It9futcZX1wzNmNh violoncello_daSpalla on Telegram and encourage interested people to join.