Instruments Owned by Nippon Music Foundation

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Stradivarius

Stradivarius 1730 Cello

“Feuermann”

  • “Feuermann”
  • “Feuermann”

History

In the 1860’s, this instrument was in the possession of a well-known Parisian amateur Monsieur de Barrau, who was believed to be a client of Parisian dealer Jean-Baptiste Vuillame. It subsequently passed into the hands of the well-known cellist August-Joseph Franchomme (1808-1884) for the use of his son. However, due to the son’s premature death, the cello was sold through the intermediary of Gand et Bernardel of Paris in 1869 to Ernest De Munck (1840-1915) of Brussels, a cellist of repute and a pupil of Adrien-Francois Servais (1807-1866). Hence, this cello is also known as “De Munck”. Shortly before his death in London in 1915, he sold the cello to one of his pupils C. H. Heriot who then sold it to W. E. Hill & Sons. In 1939, the Hills sold the cello to renowned cellist Emanuel Feuermann (1902-1942), who used it for many concerts and recordings. It has since come to be known as “Feuermann”. After his death, it was acquired by the American collector Mr. Russell B. Kingman in 1943 and later again by W. E. Hill & Sons. It was later sold in 1956 from the dealer Rembert Wurlitzer to the distinguished cellist Aldo Parisot (1918-2018). Nippon Music Foundation acquired this cello in December 1996.

Feature

The back, in two pieces of maple, is marked by a faint small horizontal curl. That of the sides is similar but more pronounced, and the scroll is plainer. The table, in three pieces of spruce, is of fairly even grain. The upper bass flank is marked by a small knot. The varnish, of thick texture, is of a light chestnut-red color. Stradivari experimented with some narrower shaped cellos including the “Feuermann”, and Alfred Hill of W. E. Hill & Sons speculated that these cellos may have been designed for female players.

Certificate

Stradivarius 1730 Cello “Feuermann”

August 4, 1956 Rembert Wurlitzer, to Aldo Parisot
April 5, 1939 W. E. Hill & Sons, to Emanuel Feuermann

Reference

Stradivarius 1730 Cello “Feuermann”

October 28, 1996 Andrew Hill, Report to Nippon Music Foundation
May 10, 1996 Andrew Hill, Report to Nippon Music Foundation
April 5, 1939 W. E. Hill & Sons, History letter to Emanuel Feuermann

“Antonio Stradivari: The Cremona Exhibition of 1987” by Charles Beare, (P 264)

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