Updates from our trip

Feb 22

Hello dear reader! Here is a short update about our research trip to Germany.

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Last Friday, we went to Leipzig, we had a great chat with Veit Heller, curator of the Grassi Museum, and we studied two gorgeous and super-interesting instruments:

The Violoncello da Spalla made by Lorenzo Arcangioli, Firenze 1825

The Five strings Violoncello piccolo by Christian Gottlieb Klinger, Kligenthal 1775

We then drove up to Lübeck, where we could briefly study again the Johannes Wagner, known as the only five strings violoncello piccolo surviving in original conditions. We double-checked some measures we took three years ago and compared it with the copy I made. I know it feels something too obvious to tell, but in a way, it’s not: watching them side by side, it stroke me how much the original was used: it is worn in all parts, smoothened, scratched… he simply had a tremendous honourable career! This is something that should be taken into account…

Daniela with the two Wagners: made by her and original

We also saw the beautiful tenor viola by Ehrich, in original condition as well.

The Wagner Violoncello Piccolo and the Ehrich viola.

We took a day off and wandered on the Baltic sea coast.

Today we are headed south to Markneukirchen, where we will meet Ekkard Seidl and study and discuss more instruments!

Violoncello da Spalla

Markneukirchen Treasure - part 1

While reading the (many times quoted in this newsletter) work of Agnes Kory on tenor cellos, my curiosity was attracted by the fact that in some museums, not just in one (Paris, Milano, Markneukirchen), they have several instruments with measures equal to our Violoncello da Spalla but made in the first two decades of the 20th century. Why did they make …

a year ago · Daniela Gaidano & A. Visintini

Violoncello da Spalla

Markneukirchen Treasure - part 2

Following from In the collection of the Markneukirchen Museum there is an instrument, not in the exhibition, which pictures stroke me right away. Probably it’s mainly affection, but probably as a reader of this newsletter you will like it too. Catalogue number 1121, signed Johann Georg Hammig, 1747. It looks like a small double bass, five strings, flat ba…

a year ago · 1 like · 1 comment · Daniela Gaidano & A. Visintini

Violoncello da Spalla

Markneukirchen treasure, part 3

For the sake of completion, let’s share the pics of other instruments in the Musical instruments Museum of Markneukirchen, which are of the same size as the Violoncello da Spalla. They are experiments and design studies for samples to propose to exhibitions, made from local luthiers at the beginning of the 20th century…

a year ago · Daniela Gaidano & A. Visintini

Questions, curiosities?

Featured video of the week

Here's "Ridmarsch från Ön", the opening track from Väsens new album Melliken, with release on 1 March. It's composed by Mikael Marin. Olov plays three-rowed nyckelharpa, and Mikael plays violoncello da spalla. The album can be pre-ordered on Väsen's website.