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‘Just like wine and the grape varieties that compose it, the anatomy of the cello is a
miracle of balance, a subtle alchemy between the voluptuousness of its curves, the
pure sound of its strings and the firmness of its structure. By theway, the cello scroll
– the final touch added by the instrument maker as a sign of absolute refinement –
bears more than a passing resemblance to the spiral pattern of the vine. Just like
the sun’s reflections on the grape, the varnish gives the cello its warmth, its depth,
its life – the shimmering character that vibrates in man’s heart.
Just like wine, the cello is a meeting point between the real and the metaphysical
worlds. One thing you should know is that the soundpost, the piece of wood that
transmits the vibrations of the belly, at the bottom of the instrument, is called in
french “l’âme”, “the soul”. And it is the position of that “soul” that determines the
whole harmony of the sounds produced. Once again, the comparison with wine
is tempting. In 1857, Charles Baudelaire wrote the poem
L’âme du vin
(“the Soul of
wine”), in which he breathed words and life into that magical beverage:“
One eve in
the bottle sang the soul of wine...
” – the same way the strings of the cello sing to calm
mankind.
‘What about man? The instrument maker is not only the craftsman who shaped
the object. He is also the cello’s physician throughout its existence, just as the
wine grower is the vine’s doctor. More than its dedicated labourer, he is its eternal
servant.’
Bernard Magrez
Owner of four
grands crus classés
in Bordeaux