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French
bow
presented to
Lidy Blijdorp

Top-tier cello bows are not only extremely rare but also highly sought after. Despite the many competitors vying for the same prize, cellist Lidy Blijdorp has successfully acquired a bow! The bow was crafted by Jean Pierre Marie Persoit (Paris, ca. 1850) and is a perfect match for Lidy’s high level of skill and the Farotti cello she currently plays.

News
16 February 2024 by Indy de Vries
Fotografie: Isabelle Francaix

Making a Difference

Lidy Blijdorp (1986), one of the Netherlands’ leading cellists, shines in the world of chamber music, solo performances, and recitals. With her award-winning debut Journeyers (2020) and collaborations with top-tier musicians, she is known for her unique style and impressive musicality.

Since 2016, Lidy has had the ex-Anner Bijlsma cello on loan from the Musical Instrument Fund. Although this cello—built by Celeste Farotti—is beautiful, the cellist lacked a top-tier bow that could make all the difference and elevate her playing to an even higher level. Lidy teamed up with the Musical Instrument Fund to find the perfect match to complete the trio, and after an extensive search, the Persoit was declared the clear favorite.

Exceptionally beautiful

Over the past year, Lidy has had the opportunity to try out many high-quality bows from colleagues and dealers both in the Netherlands and abroad. Of all the bows that were offered, two Persoit bows from a Dutch expert came out on top in the comparisons. After trying both bows, one turned out to be the perfect match for Lidy.

Cellist Monique Bartels, Lidy’s former teacher at the conservatory, also confirmed that the bow stands out from the rest. She guided Lidy through the selection process. The Musical Instrument Fund had the bow examined by an independent expert, who described it as an exceptionally beautiful specimen still in excellent condition. He called it a top-quality bow from one of the finest makers. A wonderful addition to our collection!

Lidy Blijdorp en Frits Schutte (hoofd collectie) tijdens een klanktest.

Frits Schutte overhandigt de Persoit aan Lidy.

A Paris of Persoit?

A nice detail on the bow is the “P.R.S.” stamp. Persoit presumably filed away the A’s and I from an existing stamp that read “A PARIS,” leaving only the abbreviation of his last name. He branded these letters onto the bow near the frog or on the frog itself.

Here you can read more about the life and work of Jean Pierre Marie Persoit.

Time for top sticks

Top musicians are increasingly requesting high-quality bows that are a perfect match for the top-tier instruments they play. In recent years, we have therefore acquired exceptional bows that are now on loan to Vadim Tsibulevsky and Maria Milstein. This is only possible thanks to the support of our donors. Thank you!