viola da gamba

The 2023 acquisition of this rare Old Dutch viola da gamba may well be the most significant in the history of the Musical Instrument Fund in the field of Dutch cultural heritage. Although the Musical Instrument Fund now has more than 40 Old Dutch instruments in its collection, this viola da gamba by Pieter Rombouts is the only one of his that can be played and heard; as the other eight gambas he made are (unplayed) in museums or private collections. A place in a museum seemed the obvious choice for this gamba as well, but thanks to the vigilance of Andreas Post (a violin maker and dealer in Amsterdam), the Rombouts could be brought to the Netherlands so that it would at least find a home on Dutch soil. The Musical Instrument Fund made every effort to preserve this gem from the golden age of Dutch violin making for the Netherlands and to ensure that it would remain accessible to musicians and the public.

In early June 2023, cheers rang out at the Musical Instrument Fund office, as the purchase was finalized! And on June 15, during a press presentation, the first notes were played on this extraordinary instrument by gambist Mieneke van der Velden. We find it a beautiful thought that those first notes were played just a stone’s throw from where Pieter Rombouts had built the instrument more than 300 years earlier.

In the late 19th century, the Rombouts viola da gamba was part of the famous “César Snoeck Collection” in Belgium. Part of that collection was sold around the turn of the century to the Staatliche Sammlung in Berlin, where the Rombouts must have spent several decades. From Berlin, the instrument went to the Erich Lachman collection at the University of California. That collection was auctioned at Christie’s in New York on October 13, 2009, and the Rombouts was acquired by an American cellist for a record sum. Importantly, this meant the viola da gamba had been removed from the circuit of private collections and would finally be played again. In 2022, that cellist decided to sell the viola da gamba and placed it on consignment with a dealer in New York. The very observant Andreas Post brought the instrument to the Netherlands and notified the Musical Instrument Fund.

The exceptionally good condition of the Rombouts is partly due to the fact that it has hardly been played for over a century and was housed in collections that were very well secured and maintained. The Musical Instrument Fund is fully aware of the great responsibility and duty of care that the acquisition of this instrument entails. The Rombouts viola da gamba will only be available on loan for short-term projects. Before and after each project, the instrument will be carefully inspected by an expert, and the Musical Instrument Fund will ensure its safe storage. The viola da gamba will also be used regularly during lectures, presentations, masterclasses, and possibly exhibitions.

The viola da gamba is loaned out on a project basis under specific conditions. Since its purchase, Mieneke van der Velden has been the one who has played the gamba the most. She has contributed significantly to optimizing the instrument’s sound and playability. But other gambists have also shown interest, such as Rodney Prada, a member of the Holland Baroque ensemble and a viola da gamba instructor at the Claudio Abbado Civica Scuola in Milan. He played the gamba during several projects with that ensemble and wrote the following to us about his experiences:

“I was just looking at some beautiful pictures that take me back to the unforgettable experience of playing the Rombouts last year!
Such a privilege. Thank you again for the opportunity!
Although there are many original instruments out there, and I’ve been lucky enough to perform on some of them on occasion, the quality and potential of the Rombouts remain unique!
I really hope to be able to make music again on this instrument!’