cello

The Musical Instrument Fund purchased this cello in 2017 from a Dutch dealer thanks to a donation from a private individual. Cellos from the workshop of this prominent family of violin makers from The Hague are known for their exceptionally high quality. At international auctions, extremely high prices are sometimes bid for Cuypers cellos. Johannes Theodorus is the father of Johannes Bernardus and Johannes Franciscus, both of whom also worked in his workshop. Before the Musical Instrument Fund decided to purchase this cello, a large number of carefully selected cellos were subjected to a comparison of their tonal qualities in a concert hall. Among those cellos were instruments from England, France, Italy, and, of course, the Netherlands. The two Old Dutch cellos included in the (blind) tests were rated the best. The first cello was purchased for Emma Kroon with the help of a private foundation. When a private individual offered his help, we immediately thought of that other beautiful cello that stood out in this sound test and of Pieter de Koe, who was looking for a suitable instrument. He was recently able to purchase his own instrument; now it is Hadewych van Gent’s turn to enjoy this magnificent instrument.