My Instrument and Bow
I am lucky to play on what I consider to be the equipment of an extremely high caliber. I am the proud owner of a beautiful 2018 cello by Eugene Holtier of Cleveland, OH, and a spectacular bow by Franz Albert Nürnberger II of Markneukirchen, Germany (ca. 1890-1900). If you are interested in learning more about my instrument and bow, please read below for more information and detailed photos of my equipment.
My Cello
Eugene Holtier working at his bench
My cello was made in 2018 by maker Eugene Holtier. It is a beautiful instrument with an amazing sound that I am extremely lucky to get to play. The cello itself (pictured below) is made in the Italian tradition of instrument-making, and this painstaking and precise method of construction is reflected in the instrument’s sound. As Mr. Holtier so aptly puts it: the cello has an “Italian voice.” Playing an instrument made so carefully at a single maker’s bench has been a dream of mine for a very long time, and I still feel (three years after acquiring it) extremely lucky to have this work of fine art in my possession. I purchased the 2018 cello in the summer of 2020 at Encore Orchestral Strings at Paige’s Music in Indianapolis, Indiana. The manager, John Rihani, is a wonderful human being who knows and loves his work. He helped me find the instrument of my dreams, and I am very grateful for him connecting me with this fine example of superb craftsmanship. I firmly believe in the idea of “making art with art.” This principle, in my opinion, represents the traditional desire of artists to have a special connection with their equipment by knowing its origins and feeling as though the same amount of hard work went into making their instrument as they put into playing it. This desire, however, is a recent revelation of many artists who hold it. The dawn of industrialization created an environment where it became possible to play instruments that were not made with the same type of care that is taken to construct an instrument in the traditional manner. This is, perhaps not firstly, but nevertheless prolifically demonstrated in the phenomenon of 19th and early 20th century German factory instruments. Once industrialization became the norm and products were able to be mass produced, musical instruments got swept up in the phenomenon. Today, most new instruments being played by students are of Chinese origin. While these instruments “do the job,” the vast majority of commercially-made instruments lack the depth and color of sound that a professional musician looks for. Now, I must take a moment to acknowledge that mass-produced instruments have their place, as their existence in the marketplace has made it possible for less wealthy individuals to learn how to play. This is a good thing. However, for a professional, there will (more often than not) be a desire for the player to know who made their instrument and how. An instrument by an anonymous maker (or makers) lacks the charm and appeal of an instrument built by a single maker. I am extremely lucky to have the opportunity to experience the latter.
Progress Photos
My Bow
A portrait of Franz Albert Nürnberger II
I am pleased to be able to play with a beautiful example of the work of prolific bowmaker Franz Albert Nürnberger II (link to Nürnberger’s full bio on the Tarisio website) of Markneukirchen, Germany, from around the turn of the 20th century (ca. 1890-1900). I acquired this bow from Claire Givens Violins in Minneapolis, MN in 2021. As with an animal shelter staff that is overjoyed and saddened to see a beloved favorite animal get adopted, the staff at Claire Givens’s shop also seemed to reflect that sentiment. It truly is a beautiful piece of history, and I can understand how the cellists on staff would have relished the opportunity to spend time with this remarkable bow. Unfortunately, I do not have the necessary information to be able to research the chain of custody of this bow to determine which cellist(s) used it before me. However, I can say that whoever did own it before me took exquisite care of it. It possesses, to my knowledge, its original fittings. It is mounted in sterling silver and has a mother-of-pearl eye on each side of the frog. It has a three-part ebony and silver button and is branded “ALBERT NÜRNBERGER” in a sans-serif font above the frog. It has a remarkably well-balanced stick, and it elicits a warm and pleasing tone from my instrument. I was able to try a wide variety of bows when selecting it, and I came extremely close to selecting a bow by renowned contemporary bowmaker Rodney Moore. (Rodney’s work is hard to beat, in my opinion, among contemporary bowmakers, and his work is of the highest caliber. If you ever have a chance to try one of his bows, I highly recommend doing so.) When shopping for a bow, one must keep in mind that an instrument and bow must be a suitable match. Acquiring the bow that is of the objectively highest quality and made by the most notable maker is not an advisable practice. Many string players find that when they acquire a new instrument, the bow they previously used is no longer suitable as it does not “match” well with their new instrument.
Figure A
Figure B
Authentication
I am reasonably certain, based on my research, that this bow was in fact made by Franz Albert Nürnberger II. The shop from which I purchased it has verified its authenticity, but they were unable to tell me with certainty exactly which member of the Nürnberger family made this bow. I took it upon myself to research the origins of this bow and try to determine the exact (or at least relatively precise) time during which it was made. I believe I have landed on some promising evidence that this bow was made by the most prominent member of the Nürnberger family – Franz Albert Nürnberger II.
Figure C
Due to the nature of the stamp on the stick above the frog, I believe that this bow was made between 1884 and 1910. There is a stamp on the underside of the stick (below the frog, which must be removed to reveal it) that reads: “1896” (Figure C), though I am uncertain as to whether this is a genuine representation of the year in which it was made. (Testimonies from violin experts have led me to believe this may be a later brand added by the W.E. Hill & Sons workshop.) Franz Albert Nürnberger II would have used a sans-serif font for his brand between the approximate years of 1884 and 1910 – the former being the year in which he took over the family business from his father, Franz Albert Nürnberger I, and the latter being the year in which he began using a serif font for his brands.
This bow features a brand that reads: “ALBERT NÜRNBERGER” in a sans-serif font (Figure B). Therefore, I can be reasonably certain that, given the verified authenticity which I received from Claire Givens Violins, and the fact that the font and characters match up perfectly with what would have been used by Franz Albert Nürnberger II during the time when he was the sole proprietor of his workshop in Markneukirchen, Germany (not yet aided by his sons Carl-Albert and Philipp-Paul, nor his grandson Karl-Albert or his great-grandson Christian-Albert), I am in possession of a great artifact of history – a bow made by the master himself – Franz Albert Nürnberger II.