François Richard Cello, ca. 1850

This cello was built by François Richard, who lived and worked in Paris during the years 1850-1870. In these tumultuous times in Europe around the 1850s, despite or because of the volatile political dynamics the composers of the era were gripped by a will to create. As a result, there was a proliferation of opera premieres with great success – Richard Wagner, for example, composed a significant number of his epochal works around this time. In Paris, the Grand Opéra Paris and the Opéra-Comique were regularly offering new productions. François Richard seems to have made the right decision to settle here.

The gifted luthier worked in a detailed and conscientious manner. The varnish has been applied with subtetly and control, soothingly flattering the eye with its orange-brown coloration, and the transparency is perfectly preserved, revealing a gorgeous one-piece back. The cello responds very well and delivers a defined tone. This allows the player to freely shape the expression of the interpretation, good access to all dynamic registers and assertiveness, even in soloist playing. The Mirecourt school is clearly evident in Richard’s handiwork and brings out its best in this master cello.