Recording of a recent Marquis de Corberon Stradivari copy by Robin Aitchison

This famous Stradivari Marquis de Corberon cello was given to the Royal Academy of Music in 1960, initially for the lifetime use of the cellist Zara Nelsova who played it for 42 years.  Nelsova is recognised as one of the great cellists of the 20^th Century, particularly famed amongst aficionados for her extraordinary tone production and the legacy of her recordings, to the extent that she and the ‘Marquis’ have entered cello folklore.  Keith Harvey memorably described her as a ‘very gutsy player who always sounded like about six men’.  Her physical power combined with the rich tonal qualities of the cello produced an unforgettable ‘warm, blooming tone’ (Strad Magazine Feb 2003) which can be heard in her many recordings made after 1960.  The cello is currently in the distinguished hands of Steven Isserlis who also plays a 1740 Montagnana cello.

The ‘Marquis de Corberon’ is one of the last cellos to have been made on Stradivari’s Forma B mould.  It was this mould that defined the outline shape of many of Stradivari’s most famous cellos from 1709 onwards.  The creation of the Forma B mould is seen as one of Stradivari’s great achievements and its use coincided with the ‘golden’ period of Stradivari workshop production.  Many of these cellos are works of extraordinary grandeur with a quality of wood, craftsmanship and varnish never before lavished on a cello.  In contrast, the ‘Marquis de Corberon’ cello of 1726 is from the later period of Stradivari workshop production and was made during very lean economic times in Cremona.  Everything from the use of locally grown willow wood for the back and ribs to the dark red brown varnish speak of a more earthy creation, but one which many believe to be the best sounding Stradivarius of them all.

Stradivari cellos and contemporary copies of them are often criticised for lack of depth in the lower register.  It is in this area that the ‘Marquis de Corberon’ is so exceptional.  It has all the tonal elegance and golden colouring of the iconic Stradivarius sound but also great depth and richness in the C string.  A significant factor behind this aspect of the cello is its one-piece willow back.  Willow can sound a little softer under the ear than maple, but produces an extra depth of colour and darkness of tone without sacrificing core sound and therefore projects extremely well in a concert hall.

Another significant advantage of this model is that the arching of the front is particularly low and subtly arched; many other Forma B cellos have higher, fuller front arching and thinner graduations.  It is thought that the best sounding  Stradivari cellos are  those with low front arching, as this allows the plate to vibrate more freely, providing greater vibrating mass for the player to connect with and creating the potential to move air in a very powerful way.

It is generally believed that Forma B Stradivari cellos have to be coaxed carefully – like nervy thoroughbreds – in order to get them to speak and perform at their best.  Fortunately, the ‘Marquis de Corberon’ is not an extreme example of this (probably a factor of its thicker graduations and softer arching) so, by Stradivarian standards, you can play into the instrument more freely and it responds with more ease and warmth.  The long body of the Forma B and Stradivari’s placing of the F holes result in a full string length, so this model is best suited to players who are comfortable with larger intervals in the left hand.