The cello ( CHEL-oh; plural celli or cellos) or violoncello ( VY-ə-lən-CHEL-oh; Italian pronunciation: [vjolonˈtʃɛllo]) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G2, D3 and A3. The viola's four strings are each an octave higher. Music for the cello is generally written in the bass clef, with tenor clef, or alto clef, and treble clef used for higher-range passages.
Antonio Stradivari 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 colloquial Strad are terms often used to refer to his instruments. It is estimated that Stradivari produced 1,116 instruments, of which 960 were violins. Around 650 instruments survive, including 450 to 512 violins. His instruments are considered some of the finest ever made, and are extremely valuable collector's items.
A Stradivarius is one of the violins, violas, cellos and other string instruments built by members of the Italian family Stradivari, particularly Antonio Stradivari, during the 17th and 18th centuries. They are considered some of the finest instruments ever made, and are extremely valuable collectors items.
Jacqueline Mary du Pré 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.
The Duport Stradivarius is a cello made in 1711 by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona. The instrument is named after Jean-Louis Duport, who played it around 1800.
The Davidov Stradivarius, is an antique cello made in 1712 by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona, Italy. It is very similar in construction and form to the equally famed Duport Stradivarius, built a year earlier and played by Mstislav Rostropovich 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 and Jacqueline du Pré, and it is currently used by cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
Yi-Jia Susanne Hou is a Canadian violinist.
David Tecchler, sometimes also written Techler, Tekler, Deckler, Dechler, Decler, Teccler or Teckler, (1666–1748) was a German luthier, best known for his cellos and double basses.
The Paganini Quartet was an American string quartet founded by cellist Robert Maas and violinist Henri Temianka in 1946. The quartet drew its name from the fact that all four of its instruments, made by Antonio Stradivari (1644–1737), had once been owned by the great Italian violinist and composer Niccolo Paganini (1782–1840).
The De Munck Stradivarius of 1730, also called the De Munck-Feuermann, is an antique cello crafted by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari. It was notably owned and played by Ernest de Munck and Emanuel Feuermann. Steven Isserlis has described the instrument as his "dream cello [...] it has everything."
The Servais Stradivarius is an antique cello crafted in 1701 by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). One of only sixty-three extant cellos attributed to Stradivari, it was crafted from exceptional wood reserved by the luthier for large instruments. Its varnish has been described as "unusually rich" and the color a reddish-orange with golden transparency. The cello takes its name from the nineteenth-century Belgian cellist, Adrien Francois Servais (1807–1866), who played this cello.
The Cholmondeley is the name of a Stradivarius cello (violin) that was made in Cremona, Italy, by Antonio Stradivari around 1698. It holds the record as the world's most valuable cello. At an auction at Sotheby's in London on 22 June 1988 it fetched the highest auction price ever at £682,000. Purchase of the Cholmondeley surpassed the previous record for an instrument at auction of $890,000, which was for Stradavarius violin named Marie Hall. Prior to the Marie Hall, the Bonjour Stradivarius was the record holder at $393,000, purchased in 1994 by Robert Cohen.
Matteo Goffriller (1659–1742) was a Venetian luthier, particularly noted for the quality of his cellos. He was active between 1685–1735 and was the founder of the "Venetian School" of luthiers, during a time when Venice was one of the most important centers of musical activity in the world.
Soo Bae is a Korean-Canadian cellist who currently lives in New Jersey.
The Du Pré Stradivarius is an antique cello fabricated in 1673 by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari of Cremona (1644–1737). It has also been known generically as the 1673 Stradivarius, as it is the only cello made by Stradivari in that year.
Aldo Simoes Parisot was a Brazilian-born American cellist and cello teacher. He was first a member of the Juilliard School faculty, and then went on to serve as a music professor at the Yale School of Music for sixty years.
Bernard Greenhouse was an American cellist and one of the founding members of the Beaux Arts Trio.
Maxim Viktorovich Beitan known as Max Beitan, is a Latvian cellist. He is the winner of 18 international competitions five of them Grand Prix Awards. Max Beitan tours and performs extensively in Europe, the US and Asia and is famous by his virtuosic repertoire. Beitan currently resides in Lugano, Switzerland.
Lisa Barbier Cristiani, also known as Lise Cristiani or Elise Cristiani, was a French cellist and performer known for being one of the earliest recorded instances of a woman becoming a professional in the field.
