THE MENESESThree years of hard work to find what he defines as “the perfect bow to my hand”, and we finally did it. The fact that the news came on the 25th of April, the anniversary of the liberation of Italy from the nazi/fascist oppression makes this success even more full of meaning.
Violoncello bow by D.T. Navea Vera 2013 - “The Meneses” (Click to enlarge) It all began on a hot and sunny August afternoon. I was sitting in the classroom of Master Boris Belkin, tired and trying to pull myself together, sending my thoughts to the genius who gave us air condition, when Master Boris Belkin asked me if I knew Mº Antonio Meneses. “Obviously only by fame” I answered, “Well then, come with me, and I will introduce him to you”.
When we had done with the presentations, I proposed that the Master should try the beautiful violoncello bow, I had brought that day. It is an endless moment of pleasant excitement, when I find myself for the first time before musicians of such caliber, who tries our bows. Although I am certain of our work, the fear not to please, is difficult to tame. After the first notes, as it often happens with our bows, the mouth of the Master began to draw a smile, and I miraculously began to breath again. “Can I try it?”, “It would be my honor”.
Two days later I was in Siena once again, and not without hope I was about to visit the Master. But things didn't exactly go as I had hoped. “Paolo, the bow is really very beautiful, but it has a rigidity my arm doesn't want”. Despite the summer heat, I would gladly have done without this ice cold bucket of water in my face, even though it should turn out to be more healthy and giving than it seemed at the time.
Reflecting on the words of the Master, the words of another excellent instrumentalist came in my mind. A person I have never thanked – to avoid seeing him getting all gassed up – whom I have now decided to honour publicly. I am talking about Mr. Emanuele Silvestri, the excellent first violoncello at the Fenice di Venezia, to whom I owe my most sincere thanks for the involuntary cue. Summing the two opinions, observing the distribution of the curve, knowing the quality of the material, and filtering it all through logic and experience, the fogs finely began to lift, and we began the work on what has resulted in the the object you see.
The problem was the distribution. My colleague had used a Sartory hybrid curve model, so to speak. To be specific, this means that the quantity of the first half is simile to the Sartory, but the second half of the curve gave more, like the Peccatte model. This means that the bow doesn't have a spot where it gives in, which is needed to allow the instrumentalist to obtain contact to the instrument. We lowered the head one millimetre, pushed the curve forward, and the following year I returned to Siena, with a beautiful violoncello bow with an antique curve and a sly smile. The answer was excellent, but still not what I had hoped: “Much, much, much better than the one last year....”, “but....”, but it isn't mine”. At the time I didn't know, but those words were going to haunt me for the following two years.
From that day on, a constant search to find “his bow” began. Believe me, I have presented to him everything from the most beautiful bows to some you could only dream of. The proof is in the video. I have seen the current owner of the bow used in the video losing his reason when he played with “Daniel” for the first time. And then Master Meneses's: “beautiful, but it isn't mine”; a nightmare.
I had almost lost all hope of one day to find “His bow”, when two month ago he arrived in Cremona for a concert. When things begin to interact, you notice it from events that in a strange way starts to link together in a positive way; I had two beautiful bows just finished by my colleague, and one of the finest musician in the world - what coincidence.
After only a few notes, I began to sense a particular taste in his playing with the bow. After a little while, I raised my sight and finally uttered the phrase: “This is mine”, for which I had craved for so long. I couldn't believe we had finely made it. “Well then Master, will you buy it?”, “No”. He told my he had just bought two Dominique Peccatte bows, and he wanted some time to become familiar with them, before adding more irons in the fire, so: “Let's talk about it in April”. To maintain hope was everything but easy, but as the saying goes: “Who endures wins”. I wrote to the Master the other day, asking him what he was going to do regarding the bow; the answer I believe is inferred, after this long story. “Ok Paolo, I'll take it”.
The Bow The “Meneses” is made in a very dense and dark wood, indeed like the Peccatte owned by the Master. The cut is perfectly radical, the annuali rings are very wide, as you can see on the left side of the head, and the speed of the sound exceeds 5750 m/s; which is rare in this kind of structure. The style of the head is a personal model by Mº Navea Vera, inspired by the first period of work by Pierre Simon. The frog is obviously inspired by Dominique Peccatte, even though tamed and less aggressive. For the mechanics I will quote to you a comment from a friend, Scaligero, who has had the opportunity to try the bow: “I understand why he liked it, this is not a Peccatte curve, this bow gives the exact same sensation as Dominicque Peccatte”.
Violoncello bow by D.T. Navea Vera 2013 - “Meneses” (Click to enlarge) Finally a few days ago, my colleague Mº Navea Vera and I went to deliver the bow and to enjoy the result of the work. In the video you can see the last test and the comments by Master Meneses.
Master Antonio Meneses (Click to see the video)
To read more about this topic: VIOLONCELLO BOW BY DOMINIQUE PECCATTE “col de cygne” 1845 c. VIOLONCELLO BOW BY DOMINIQUE PECCATTE 1850 c.
So long, Paolo
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