Nineteen-year-old Stéphane Tétreault is thrilled with his new “toy.” What cellist wouldn’t be ecstatic with the exclusive use of an instrument that the New York Times describes as “perhaps the greatest surviving Stradivarius cello?”
The cello, officially known as the Countess of Stainlein, ex-Paganini of 1707, has a distinguished provenance. Niccolò Paganini owned it. Most recently it was in the hands of chamber music legend Bernard Greenhouse. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous Canadian patroness, this legendary instrument is now in Montreal, and Tétreault is its newest custodian.
But with a great instrument comes great responsibility. Another cellist who knows something about the guardianship of a multimillion-dollar instrument is Denis Brott, director of the Montreal Chamber Music Festival. Since 1985, he’s had the 1706 David Tecchler cello on a lifetime loan from the Musical Instrument Bank of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Here is Brott’s advice to Tétreault about caring for a priceless musical artifact:
“An instrument is your voice and regardless of its monetary value, it ought to be treated with care and consideration – like a friend. There is so much to say but common sense prevails. Here are some bullets:
1. Keep exposure to temperature extremes to a minimum.
2. Always keep it in a well-humidified room.
3. Never leave it anywhere (check room, unlocked studio, etc.).
4. Never put it in the trunk of a car, always place it upright in the back seat.
5. Buy a seat in the plane for travel.
6. Never leave it unattended when out of the case.
7. Always wipe it clean of rosin after playing.
8. Have yearly checkups to make sure seams are glued and varnish is kept clean of soil buildup.
9. Oh yes, always be honest, honourable and encouraging to others.
"Lastly, play it in tune, play in time, play with a beautiful sound; then you have earned the right to voice your opinions!”
Watch Tétreault perform on the Countess of Stainlein cello. He dedicates this performance to the memory of violinist Eleonora Turovsky, co-founder of I Musici de Montreal and the wife of Tétreault’s teacher, Yuli Turovsky.
On April 12, Tétreault plays the Dvorak Cello Concerto with the Orchestre Métropolitain at the Maison symphonique de Montréal.
Related links:
Violinist Eleonora Turovsky dies at 72
U de M student becomes custodian of prized 1707 Stradivarius cello
Stéphane Tétrault plays Bookburners by Nicole Lizée with DJ P-Love