Three amazing cellists one cello

I'm (Ian McWilliams)an instrument maker working just outside Berlin, Germany. I finished this cello in early 2020 for someone in Berlin. She was kind enough to lend it to me so I could do this Recording/Film. My idea was to have three different cellists (Rolando Fernandez, Martina Biondi, Mon-Puo Lee) to play three different pieces of music with three different bows. To get a wide range of the potential of this cello and a good example of my work.
www.crawfordinstruments.org

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

For me, Mon-Puo Lee got the most interesting colours and character out of the cello. When the others played, the cello still sounded great, but when Lee played it it's like it finally had a soul, personality and both a tender and passionate voice that needed to be heard!

[@ericstrunck3611]

The others knew too

[@anonymousl5150]

@@ericstrunck3611 Rolando was easily the most impressive cellist here. I think people are confused by the choice of pieces.

[@joshuagleeson4776]

​@@anonymousl5150 I agree. Chills inducing piece of music, mostly thanks to his amazing playing.

[@aqad]

@@anonymousl5150i agree... A year later i don't remember their playing, but i came back to hear Rolandos rendition of song of the birds. Absolutely amazing.

[@themoviejunky3918]

Agreed.

[@SailingWolf47]

Whoever downvoted was simply jealous they didn't get to play this beautiful cello.

[@wespowers4323]

It's the birds for me. Arrival of the birds is one of my favorite pieces to not only listen to but play. Hats off to Rolando the vibrato is crazy hard at the beginning ❤.

[@joshuagleeson4776]

Man Rolando can play. What a unique piece.

[@pauljohnson6233]

It was Cassel's encore piece due to its Catalan ancestry.

[@Sofia-gr9lt]

This instrument is absolutely stunning…the dynamic range and depth I’m the sound is phenomenal.

[@mrjjfroberger]

I remember seeing the concert at the UN in the 1970s when Pablo Casals played the Song of the Birds Some of the audience where in tears

[@irenemeno3585]

Gorgeous, exquisite instrument....like it stepped out of history. The sound is inviting....soul stirring!

[@BitStrawberryMuffin]

Mon-Puo Lee's playing is wonderful, went straight to my heart

[@kevinpark2566]

This new instrument looks and sounds amazing! Contratulations to the maker and wonderful young players!

[@goodluckchilerens]

this cello could compete a lot of famous vintage cellos， very impressive work

[@BootiliciousMonique]

The birds made me tear up, very beautiful and unique. Felt like I was in nature. Very emotional. The second one felt like family to me, very warm and cuddly. The 3rd one done by Lee was also spectacular; it felt like remembering a sweet memory of one's ex but then you remember seeing him/her with another person, it drives you to despair, but then a glimpse of the sweet memories appear again and that makes your heart stop to ache.

[@bennichols9034]

That is a beautiful sounding cello. Dark and rich.

[@pandjichristian7872]

Beautiful playing - this cello has gorgeous sound. The colours of that Tchaikovsky piece is amazing.

[@papaxsmurf7678]

Bro the title is bringing back some bad memories

[@DCBfanboy]

💀💀💀

[@hanssellrock]

5:28 is my favourite part, the sudden smile is just adorable! (besides the playing of these three great cellists)

[@jenniferdunn9785]

Beautiful!

[@Constitution1789]

I like Mr. Lee's.

[@johnk5208]

For me all of em did an amazing job! That was beautiful, thank you!

[@interstellar618]

Out of my element a little here, (I play guitar, piano and drums) but very much into classical music. However, I think that might be the finest sounding instrument I've ever heard! Well done!! Lately I've been wanting to learn the cello and this inspires me so deeply, thank you:)

[@gilshan636]

really appreciate ur work....👍

[@matthewgroters6270]

Great work Ian. It's a beautiful instrument. Great video concept too.

[@hollygrail2964]

This is beautiful ♥️ I am haunted by the beautiful piece that Rolando Fernandez plays... Thanks you for this 🙏

[@guillermorochabrun3456]

"The birds" is a folk song from Cataluña (Spain) that was "rescued", written and played by Pablo Casals.

[@humbertobarquero]

Amazing and beautiful 🙏

[@ulyssesleal4958]

Muito bom! Parabéns à todos!

[@franzfigueracello]

I would never play that good on an unknown instrument (unknown by me), kuddos!!! ♥

[@juanzuccoli]

wonderful... every player did, at least for me, great! thanks for sharing the sounds and the art of playing the cello... the luthier I think, might be satisfied with his work...

[@charliebrown465]

I love!!

[@ivoryweingartner2751]

Mr. Lee sound so good

[@dolceviolins9535]

Gorgeous, instrument....like it stepped out of history. The sound is inviting....soul-stirring!

[@faristropoli]

Wow This cello has a really beautiful sound, amazing! I wounder in what price range such a cello would be.

[@gucker07]

20,000 euros minimum if it's mostly hand made.

[@mangelicacezario1]

What's the beautiful and power songs!

[@juanpolainasrockandroll6702]

Muy bueno bien 3

[@nickliu3511]

7:07

[@mmmygc]

Sounds rich and resonant, I'm impressed with the fullness of sound and balance across the board. It would have been cool to hear to how the very highest registers of the A string sounded, as well as the upper register of the D string as well. Is this cello made to your own dimensions or is it based on a model?

[@ianmcwilliams8217]

It’s based on a montagnana cello. I’ve been making this model for a few years now. I thought this would be a good way of showing my work.

[@liamnevilleviolist1809]

@@ianmcwilliams8217 It's an excellent cello and any cellist would be lucky to own one!

[@GilbertoSanchezIII]

Rolando Fernandez play very expresive, I love when he play solo.

[@Dindy_lover]

Would be good to know which bows they used! Remarkable cello btw

[@Carltoncellobassist]

The a string seems choked ar hard to speak under the first cellist at piano. What tension strings were installed ?

[@robertalexander2478]

Lovely!!!! The craftsmanship and playing!!!! Mr. Fernandez has gained a fan, beautifully soft color, Bravo!!! How much was this cello?

[@gasparocelloman9852]

🥇

[@marlyswilliams9949]

A change to one of the strings on the instrument?

[@user-gr8ke2ok1p]

เสียงมีมนต์ขลังมาก ส่งผลถึงจิตใจอารมณ์ความรู้สึกของคน

[@user-sx6xb5nq9l]

Dream team

[@kenlangerauthor588]

Lovely sound - all three cellists. Is/Are any of your cello/s available in the US?

[@ianmcwilliams8217]

Hello, yes through carriage house in boston, there’s also one going to a shop in LA and New York this year… hopefully if I get them all done.

[@Vib.H]

wow...................................................................................................................................................................................

[@user-uk3xk1sv3h]

Хотели сравнить кто из виолончелистов лучше раскроет красоту звучания виолончели Монтаньяна , но выиграл Чайковский П. И.

[@Ianews1]

i have the same name as you sir!

[@gaven4349]

3 cellists one celoo

[@pauljohnson6233]

Is it crass of me to want to know how much this would cost? I only ask this because I want one.

[@joshuagleeson4776]

A cello like this should be at least $20k, but it could very well be much more than that. It'd be best to find a reputable luthier nearby and ask them about their pricing. You can usually rent cellos and find one you like, if they're nice enough they might even offer you a bit of a discount when you decide to buy one.

[@pauljohnson6233]

@joshuagleeson4776 Thank you Joshua. I do actually own three cellos but am thinking I would sale them to buy a better one. Two of my cellos are very nice. One is a Mirecourt cello by Justine Durazey

[@liqmadiq3370]

1:25

[@estremp]

In a cathedral ? If so, not a good idea. You could easily guess why. Nevertheless, it sounds... good enough.

[@PlanetZ1]

good marketing trick :P

[@Spastafarian]

Jon Snow is pretty good at the cello.

[@e.2857]

Mon-Puo Lee from Spain or China?

[@poshrat993]

From Spain, but his family is Taiwanese. He’s pretty popular (rightly so) so you can Google him

[@ambianknight6816]

Surprised nobody that the Asian with the normalized semiquaver of parental abuse won the day.....

[@axelsohn1454]

To hear the instrument over KZbin is perhaps not an adequate, or at least full, measure of an instrument's quality, but to my uneducated ear, this one sounds robust with deep potential but also rough and raw in a way that needs to be broken in with a lot of playing. Maybe that was also due to how the different cellists were performing on the instrument. It is encouraging that there are so many talented violin makers today- and a great boon for players, since the finest instruments of yesteryear are unaffordable for all but the super rich. It is also noteworthy that music education at the elite conservatories has also become unaffordable for most students and become a debt trap for them.

[@Carltoncellobassist]

That would be the strings and the type of mic.

[@unified_method]

@@Carltoncellobassist of course , a cheap zoom hand recorder wont do justice on this instrument.