Servais Cello

This cello can be heard on this recording of the Bach cello suites performed be Annere Bylsma. http://smithsonianchambermusic.org/recordings/cd/johann-sebastian-bach-six-suites-violoncello-solo-bwv-1007-1012

"I completely disagree with Christopher Nicholls' comment. It is good that at least a few of the best instruments are in museums and not constantly used. Instruments that are in constant use are worn, damaged and eventually destroyed. I want my grandchildren to have the opportunity to see what a great Stradivari cello looks like! It's fine for it to be played occasionally, but please preserve it for future generations!"

"I would love to hear the sounds of this fine instrument, as its beauty is breathtaking. I would also like to see, Yo Yo Ma with this instrument in his hands. Are there any recordings of this cello being played? Wow, what it would be, to travel back in time to hear one of the Servais performances with this instrument. I must!, somehow get to the Smithsonian one day to see all the wonderful exhibits. Until then, thankyou Smithsonian for sharing American Hiistory Online!"

"Jon: Anner Bylsma recorded the Bach Suites for Solo Cello on this instrument in 1992; the CD is still in print. I know this because fifteen minutes ago I heard BWV 1007, the first suite, on the radio, and it knocked me down...so I looked for it. The instrument has an amazing, hmm, DEPTH OF TONE -- thickness, yet absolute purity, of tone. Bylsma is no slouch; he is worthy of his instrument; that said, I would agree with the person who wrote "I want to see Yo-Yo Ma with this instrument in his hands, " though, I would want to hear Yo-Yo Ma thirty years ago with this instrument in his hands, at a time when he seemed to be bursting the limits of the cello. Hmm, well...."

"It is a great shame that this beautiful 'cello is treated like an animal exhibit in a zoo. It should be out all the time being played and listed to by audiences across the world. Instrumentws are meant to be played not looked at. In fact it's not good for them just to sit idle. No doubt you occasionally have concerts where your collection is presented and played, but this hardly represents the purpose for which they were originally crafted. It is a great shame..."

"Your observation has been the subject of much debate in the worldwide museum community for many years, not only regarding musical instruments, but all functional objects such as clocks, watches, automobiles, etc.You can find reference to articles, seminars, discussions, papers on the use of musical instruments at the web site of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Musical Instruments (CIMCIM), a committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM).There are many audiences to be served by museum collections. Contemporary makers and connoisseurs, as well as musicians and listeners, benefit from public access to information revealed by objects that are carefully preserved. It would be ideal if functional objects could be thoroughly documented at the outset, so any changes (and especially loss) of original characteristics could be preserved. But we live in an imperfect world, and many private custodians of musical instruments do not have the resources, nor inclination, to capture and disseminate knowledge of these features.To that end you are correct. We not only use the Stradivari "Servais " cello in live performances here at the museum, it has been enjoyed by many throughout the world through nine recordings. In addition we have Computed Tomography (CT) scans that accurately document every physical aspect of the instrument, and shared knowledge of the cello through three major publications, as well as the web site. Before it came to the Smithsonian in 1981, this instrument was never seen nor heard in public, kept in private hands, since the death of Adrien-Francois Servais in 1867."

"This cello is frequently played by the Dutch cellist, Anner Bylsma, and is regularly on loan to him. He plays in the Baroque manner; he's recorded the Bach suites on this instrument and also performs on a traditional instrument, as well as the five-stringed violoncello piccolo. "