The ''Davidov

Stradivarius A Stradivarius is one of the violins, violas, cellos and other string instruments built by members of the Italian family Stradivari, particularly Antonio Stradivari (Latin: Antonius Stradivarius), during the 17th and 18th centuries. They are ...

'' (also: ''Davidoff'' or ''Davydov''; russian: Давыдов), is an

antique An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

made in 1712 by Italian

luthier A luthier ( ; AmE also ) is a craftsperson who builds or repairs string instruments that have a neck and a sound box. The word "luthier" is originally French and comes from the French word for lute. The term was originally used for makers of ...

Antonio Stradivari Antonio Stradivari (, also , ; – 18 December 1737) was an Italian luthier and a craftsman of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas and harps. The Latinized form of his surname, '' Stradivarius'', as well as the col ...

Cremona Cremona (, also ; ; lmo, label= Cremunés, Cremùna; egl, Carmona) is a city and ''comune'' in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po river in the middle of the ''Pianura Padana'' (Po Valley). It is the capital of the ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

. It is very similar in construction and form to the equally famed '' Duport Stradivarius'', built a year earlier and played by

Mstislav Rostropovich Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, (27 March 192727 April 2007) was a Russian cellist and conductor. He is considered by many to be the greatest cellist of the 20th century. In addition to his interpretations and technique, he was well ...

until his death in 2007. The varnish is of a rich orange-red hue, produced with oil color glazes. Its owners have included

Karl Davydov Karl Yulievich Davydov (russian: Карл Юльевич Давидов; ) was a Russian cellist of great renown during his time, and described by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky as the "czar of cellists". He was also a composer, mainly for the cello. H ...

and

Jacqueline du Pré Jacqueline Mary du Pré (26 January 1945 – 19 October 1987) was a British cellist. At a young age, she achieved enduring mainstream popularity. Despite her short career, she is regarded as one of the greatest cellists of all time. Her car ...

, and it is currently used by cellist

Yo-Yo Ma Yo-Yo Ma ('' Chinese'': 馬友友 ''Ma Yo Yo''; born October 7, 1955) is an American cellist. Born in Paris to Chinese parents and educated in New York City, he was a child prodigy, performing from the age of four and a half. He graduated from ...

Etymology

In 1870, the ''Davidov Stradivarius'' was given to the eponymous

(1838–1889) by patron Count Matvei Wielhorski (1794–1866) at the court of Tsar Alexander II. Davydov was a Russian cellist of great renown at the time, described as the "czar of cellists" by

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most pop ...

, though far less successful as a composer. The cello body has a few marks and scratches due to mishandling from this period.

History

The cello was sold in Paris in 1888. In 1928 it was purchased by Herbert N. Straus, an American business executive. When he died, his widow asked New York City musical instrument dealer Rembert Wurlitzer to sell the instrument for her. In 1964, the ''Davydov'' cello was purchased for US$90,000 by Ismena Holland who in turn presented the instrument to her goddaughter, the English cellist

. Upon receiving the ''Davydov'', Du Pre's instructor, William Pleeth, declared it as "one of the really great instruments of the world". Practically all of du Pré's recordings from 1968 to 1970 were made on this instrument. By 1970, du Pré began using a different cello (made for her by Sergio Peresson and purchased by her husband

Daniel Barenboim Daniel Barenboim (; in he, דניאל בארנבוים, born 15 November 1942) is an Argentine-born classical pianist and conductor based in Berlin. He has been since 1992 General Music Director of the Berlin State Opera and "Staatskapellmeist ...

), as she was bothered by the Davidov's "unpredictability."

later commented, "Jackie's unbridled dark qualities went against the ''Davydov''. You have to coax the instrument. The more you attack it, the less it returns". The Peresson was her primary instrument for the remainder of her career. Upon her death in 1987, the ''Davidov,'' owned by

Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (), commonly known as LVMH, is a French holding multinational corporation and conglomerate specializing in luxury goods, headquartered in Paris. The company was formed in 1987 through the merger of fashion house ...

, was made available for use by Yo-Yo Ma. He has since performed and recorded with the instrument in Baroque music, specifically, the ''Simply Baroque'' and ''Simply Baroque II'' recordings. It was modified especially for the task of creating a more authentic sound for that era. The ''Davidov'' has subsequently been reconfigured for modern music.

References

External links

* {{cozio, 40277 1712 works Stradivari cellos Stradivari instruments