Matteo Goffriller was an
VenetianThe Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
luthierA luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
, particularly noted for the quality of his
celloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
s.
Although it is known that Goffriller was born in
BrixenBrixen is the name of two cities in the Alps:*Brixen, South Tyrol, Italy*Brixen im Thale, Tyrol, AustriaBrixen may also refer to:*Bishopric of Brixen, the former north-Italian state....
, little else is known of him prior to his days in
VeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
before 1685. He is thought to have been active between 1689–1740, and is the founder of the "Venetian School" of luthiers, during the time when Venice was one of the most important centers of musical activity in the world.
In the past, Goffriller's celli had been erroneously attributed to the
Guarneri familyThe Guarneri is the family name of a group of distinguished luthiers from Cremona in Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries, whose standing is considered comparable to those of the Amati and Stradivari families...
, Carlo Bergonzi, and even
Antonio StradivariAntonio Stradivari was an Italian luthier and a crafter of string instruments such as violins, cellos, guitars, violas, and harps. Stradivari is generally considered the most significant artisan in this field. The Latinized form of his surname, Stradivarius, as well as the colloquial, "Strad", is...
, and was virtually unknown until the 1920s when his instruments began to be discovered. His cello of 1733 once owned by
Pablo CasalsPau Casals i Defilló , known during his professional career as Pablo Casals, was a Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor. He is generally regarded as the pre-eminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest cellists of all time...
was originally attributed to Bergonzi. His earliest identified instrument is a viola da gamba dated 1689.
Goffriller was married in 1686 to Maddalena Maria Caiser at the Madonna delle Grazie in Venice, and together had twelve children including five boys and seven girls in the span of 26 years.
Francesco GoffrillerFrancesco Goffriller was an Italian violin, viola, and cello maker thought to be active between 1709 and 1739...
, long thought to be his brother, may according to recent research, actually be his son. Goffriller died in Venice in 1742.
Goffriller labels
The standard label for a Gofriller instrument, whether genuine or forged, uses the Latin inscription
Mattheus Goffriller Fece in Venezia Anno [date]. This inscription displays the maker, the town (Venice), and "made in the year", followed by a date that is either printed or handwritten. In reality he labeled only a small percentage of his instruments compared to the ones he actually constructed. This was in order to evade paying his taxes in Venice.
Legacy
Pablo CasalsPau Casals i Defilló , known during his professional career as Pablo Casals, was a Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor. He is generally regarded as the pre-eminent cellist of the first half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest cellists of all time...
had a Goffriller which was his main concert instrument for most of his professional life. It was acquired by Casals in 1913 and used until his death in 1973. Since 2000, the use of this instrument has been awarded for two years to the winner of the International Pablo Casals Cello Competition in Kronberg,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Terence WeilTerence Weil was a British cellist, principal cellist of the English Chamber Orchestra, a founding member of the Melos Ensemble, a leading chamber musician and an influential teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music.-Biography:Terence Weil was trained as a cellist under Herbert Walenn at the...
played a Goffriller that had been played by Casals before.
Other notable musicians:
- Daniel Mueller-Schott
- Zuill Bailey
Zuill Bailey , Alexandria, Virginia, is an American cellist. A Juilliard graduate, he has appeared with a number of major orchestras internationally, and has an exclusive international recording contract with the Telarc label...
- Emanuel Feuermann
Emanuel Feuermann was an internationally celebrated cellist in the first half of the 20th century.-Biography:...
- László Fenyö
- Matt Haimovitz
Matt Haimovitz is an Israeli-born cellist now based in the United States and Canada. He mainly plays a cello made by Matteo Gofriller in 1710.-Family, musical education and early career:...
- Milt Hinton
Milton John "Milt" Hinton , "the dean of jazz bass players," was an American jazz double bassist and photographer. He was nicknamed "The Judge".-Biography:...
- Édouard Lalo
Édouard-Victoire-Antoine Lalo was a French composer.-Biography:Lalo was born in Lille , in northernmost France. He attended that city's music conservatory in his youth. Then, beginning at age 16, Lalo studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Berlioz's old enemy François Antoine Habeneck...
- Susie Napper
- Johann Sebastian Paetsch
Johann Sebastian Paetsch is an American cellist and musician.-Early musical education:Paetsch began his cello studies with his father, Günther Paetsch , at the age of 5, and gave his first recital when he was 6 years old...
- Nicolo Paganini
- Carlo Alfredo Piatti
Carlo Alfredo Piatti was an Italian cellist. He was born at via Borgo Canale, in Bergamo and died in Mozzo, 4 miles from Bergamo....
- Jacqueline du Pré
Jacqueline Mary du Pré OBE was a British cellist. She is particularly associated with Elgar's Cello Concerto in E Minor; her interpretation has been described as "definitive" and "legendary." Her career was cut short by multiple sclerosis, which forced her to stop performing at 28 and led to her...
- Leonard Rose
Leonard Rose was an American cellist and pedagogue.Rose was born in Washington, D.C., his parents were immigrants from Kiev, Ukraine...
- Joseph Schuster
Joseph Schuster is a cellist born in Constantinople of Russian descent.-Biography:On a trip through Russia, the famous Russian composer Alexander Glazunov heard young Schuster and was impressed with his talent. With Glazunov's help, Schuster entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music at the...
- Janos Starker
János Starker |Kingdom of Hungary]]) is a Hungarian-American cellist. Since 1958 he has taught at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he holds the title of Distinguished Professor.- Child prodigy :...
- Natalia Gutman
Natalia Gutman is a Russian cellist. She began to study cello at the Moscow Music School with R. Sapozhnikov. She was later admitted to the Moscow Conservatory, where she was taught by Rostropovich, amongst others....
Violins
| Sobriquet A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...
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Year |
Provenance Provenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object. The term was originally mostly used for works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including science and computing...
|
Notes |
| Goffriller violin |
1695 |
|
currently played by Andrej Power |
| Sammons |
1696 |
Kenneth Sillito |
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| Goffriller violin |
1700 |
|
purchased and played by Alexander Yudkovsky since 2008 |
| Goffriller violin |
ca. 1700 |
Stradivari SocietyThe Stradivari Society is a philanthropic organization based in Chicago, Illinois, best known for its arranging deals between owners of antique string instruments such as those made by luthiers Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri, for use by talented musicians and performers...
|
currently played by Michala Høj |
| ex-Sivori; ex-Lalo |
1700 |
|
|
| Goffriller violin |
1700 |
|
played on by Jorja Fleezanis |
| Goffriller violin |
1702 |
|
played by Jaakko Kuusisto |
| Goffriller violin |
1708 |
|
played by Jennifer Pike Jennifer Pike is a British violinist. In 2002, she became well known for winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, and for six years she held the record of being the youngest winner, at twelve years of age.-Musical career:...
|
| Goffriller violin |
ca. 1720 |
Alan Parmenter |
purchased in 2008 by an anonymous benefactor |
| Goffriller violin |
1722 |
|
stolen from violinist Charmian Gadd in 1999, subsequently recovered |
| Goffriller Violin |
1723 |
|
played by Amanda Favier since 1996 |
|
| Goffriller Violin |
1730 |
the Counts of Colloredo Castle, FriuliFriuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
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Violas
| Sobriquet A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...
|
Year |
Provenance Provenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object. The term was originally mostly used for works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including science and computing...
|
Notes |
| Goffriller viola |
ca. 1720 |
|
|
| ex-Walter Trampler |
1727 |
Richard O'Neill |
measures 41 cm |
Cellos
| Sobriquet A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...
|
Year |
Provenance Provenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object. The term was originally mostly used for works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including science and computing...
|
Notes |
| Goffriller cello |
1689 |
|
played by Geoffrey Rutkowski |
| Goffriller cello |
1690 |
previously Sabatier, Axelrod, The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra |
labeled: Nicolas Amatus, previously played by Maria Kliegel -Professional career:Kliegel was born in Dillenburg, Hesse. She studied under Janos Starker starting at the age of 19. She won first prize at the American College Competition, First German Music Competition and Concours Aldo Parisot, and was also the Grand Prize winner at the 2nd Mstislav...
|
| Goffriller cello |
ca. 1700 |
Antonio Meneses |
|
| ex-Leonard Rose; ex-Alfredo Piatti |
1693 |
|
on loan to Leonard Elschenbroich |
| Goffriller cello |
1693 |
Mischa Schneider |
features a carved Rosette A rosette is a round, stylized flower design, used extensively in sculptural objects from antiquity. Appearing in Mesopotamia and used to decorate the funeral stele in Ancient Greece...
on the top, under the fingerboard; currently played by Zuill BaileyZuill Bailey , Alexandria, Virginia, is an American cellist. A Juilliard graduate, he has appeared with a number of major orchestras internationally, and has an exclusive international recording contract with the Telarc label...
|
| Goffriller cello |
1695 |
played by Anner Bylsma Anner Bylsma is a Dutch cellist who plays on both modern, and period instruments in an historically informed baroque style. He took an interest in music from an early age...
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|
| Count Marcello |
1697 |
Nicholas Anderson; Count Girolamo Marcello; Aldo Pais of Venice; Irving Klein |
|
| Rosette |
1698 |
Leslie Parnas |
features a carved rosette decoration |
| Goffriller cello |
1698 |
played by Andres Diaz Andrés Díaz is cellist and winner the First Prize in the 1986 Naumburg International Cello Competition. His numerous orchestral appearances include engagements with the Atlanta Symphony, performances with the American Symphony at Carnegie Hall, the symphony orchestras of Milwaukee, Seattle,...
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| Goffriller cello |
1698 |
|
exhibited at the Landesmuseum Joanneum, Graz, Austria |
| D'Archambeau |
ca. 1700 |
Iwan D'Archambeau |
played by Jonathan Miller of the Gramercy Trio, Boston Artists Ensemble, and Boston Symphony OrchestraThe Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
|
| Goffriller cello |
1700 |
Ex-Amadeus Quartet |
played by Christian-Pierre La Marca |
| Goffriller cello |
1701 |
|
played by Gautier Capuçon -Biography:Gautier Capuçon was born in Chambéry, Savoie, the youngest of three siblings. His brother is the violinist Renaud Capuçon.He started learning the cello when he was four years old...
|
| Goffriller cello |
1703 |
Karl Fruh; Raya Garbousova Raya Garbousova was a cellist and teacher.-Early life & career:According to the biography contained in the program booklet for the 1997 memorial concert in her honor in DeKalb, Illinois, she made her formal debut in Moscow in 1923 and left the Soviet Union in 1925. She lived and performed in...
(1930–1951) |
|
| The Star |
1705 |
Janos StarkerJános Starker |Kingdom of Hungary]]) is a Hungarian-American cellist. Since 1958 he has taught at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he holds the title of Distinguished Professor.- Child prodigy :...
(1965) |
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| ex-Warburg |
1706 |
|
played by François Kieffer (Amedeo Modigliani Quartet) |
| Goffriller cello |
1707 |
Previously Hershel Gorodetzky (now Gordon), The Philadelphia Orchestra & Stringart Quartet. |
played by Eric Kim |
| Goffriller cello |
1708 |
Istituto della Pietà, Venice |
|
| Goffriller cello |
1710 |
|
played by Matt Haimovitz Matt Haimovitz is an Israeli-born cellist now based in the United States and Canada. He mainly plays a cello made by Matteo Gofriller in 1710.-Family, musical education and early career:...
|
| Goffriller cello |
1710 |
|
played by Anthony Ross, principal cello, Minnesota Orchestra |
| Goffriller cello |
1710 |
|
played by Richard Hirschl, cellist, Chicago Symphony Orchestra |
| Goffriller cello |
1711 |
|
played by Marc Coppey |
| Goffriller cello |
1712 |
|
Venice Research, has this uncut cello. |
| Goffriller cello |
1715 |
Samsung Foundation of Culture |
played by Sara Sant'Ambrogio |
| Goffriller cello |
1715 |
Stradivari SocietyThe Stradivari Society is a philanthropic organization based in Chicago, Illinois, best known for its arranging deals between owners of antique string instruments such as those made by luthiers Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri, for use by talented musicians and performers...
|
|
| Goffriller cello |
1720 |
Emanuel Feuermann Emanuel Feuermann was an internationally celebrated cellist in the first half of the 20th century.-Biography:...
|
played by Joseph Schuster Joseph Schuster is a cellist born in Constantinople of Russian descent.-Biography:On a trip through Russia, the famous Russian composer Alexander Glazunov heard young Schuster and was impressed with his talent. With Glazunov's help, Schuster entered the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music at the...
|
|
| Goffriller cello |
1720 |
|
played by Moray Welsh |
|
| Goffriller cello |
1720 |
"ex-Lederlin" |
played by David Delacroix |
|
| Goffriller cello |
1722 |
Yo-Yo MaYo-Yo Ma is an American cellist, virtuoso, and orchestral composer. He has received multiple Grammy Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 2001 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011...
|
played by Valentin Erben Valentin Erben is an Austrian cellist.He studied with Walter Reichardt in Munich, Tobias Kühne in Vienna and André Navarra in Paris. In 1970, he became a charter member of the Alban Berg Quartet, with which he played for 38 years. He has taught cello at the Wiener Musikhochschule since 1972...
|
| Goffriller cello |
1722 |
|
played by Pierre Fournier Pierre Fournier was a French cellist who was called the "aristocrat of cellists," on account of his elegant musicianship and majestic sound....
|
| ex-Cossmann |
1726 |
|
played by Carl Fuchs, Jenska Slebos; once thought to be a Bergonzi. |
| Saphir; ex-Harvey Shapiro |
1727 |
|
currently played by Daniel Müller-Schott Daniel Müller-Schott is a German cellist. He has worked with world-renowned conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Charles Dutoit, Christoph Eschenbach, Kurt Masur, Sakari Oramo and André Previn. He recorded and released the Mozart Piano Trios in 2006 with Anne-Sophie Mutter and André Previn...
|
| Goffriller cello |
1728 |
Samuel Mayes |
currently played by Timothy Eddy |
| Guffy |
1730 |
Johann Sebastian PaetschJohann Sebastian Paetsch is an American cellist and musician.-Early musical education:Paetsch began his cello studies with his father, Günther Paetsch , at the age of 5, and gave his first recital when he was 6 years old...
|
played by Gunther Paetsch (1970–1985) |
| ex-Pablo Casals |
1733 |
|
played by Matt Haimovitz Matt Haimovitz is an Israeli-born cellist now based in the United States and Canada. He mainly plays a cello made by Matteo Gofriller in 1710.-Family, musical education and early career:...
; currently played by Claudio Bohorquez. |
| Goffriller cello |
1735 |
Hermann Busch |
currently played by Matthias Naegele |
Double Basses
| Sobriquet A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...
|
Year |
Provenance Provenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object. The term was originally mostly used for works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including science and computing...
|
Notes |
| La Salute |
1712 |
|
the twin of the Benedetto Marcello; fabricated for the Santa Maria della Salute, Venice |
| Benedetto Marcello |
1712 |
|
the twin of the La Salute. exhibited in at the Venice Conservatory |
External links