About Cellists, Volume I

As an adult I somehow and for some reason became interested in the cello.  I believe I read a book about the history of stringed instruments.  I was intrigued by the fact that the quality of the sound emanating from instruments made in Italy in the 1600's had a higher quality than the sound emanating from any instrument made today by the very best luthiers.  How could this be?  Scientists speculated that it was the wood those ancient luthiers obtained from the Italian Alps, or was it the finish applied to the instruments?  Stradivarius was said to be so secretive about his particular concoction that he didn't even tell his sons, who were in business with him.  This particular book of violin history listed quite a few luthiers here in Baltimore, from whence I write, and, anyway, I was soon hooked.  From there it was a quick leap to learning to play an instrument, which meant, first, owning one.  Information I came across listed two sellers in Baltimore.  I first went to the one said to be on South Roland Avenue in Hampden, an urban neighborhood in the throes of revitalization about a mile north of downtown.  Alas, the shop was not long for this Earth.  A dusty sign said entrance by appointment only and it didn't look like many appointments were being made.  The other one - and finding it - fueled my interest.  It was said to be on the fourth floor of an old downtown building.  The downtown building was so old that it had an elevator with a full-time human operator.  Imagine that!  On the fourth floor is Perrin and Associates and it is just what you would imagine such a shop to be:  lined (or littered) with handsome instruments, bows, parts, and loose strings.  Besides fixing instruments for those professional and amateur players in Baltimore - the shop is less than one mile from the home of the Baltimore Symphony and the Peabody Conservatory - Mr. Perrin sells new violins.  
       In particular, he carries some made by an outstanding luthier who lives and works in Brattleboro, Vermont.  His name is Douglas Cox.  My son and I made a point of visiting Mr. Cox during a hiking trip to points further north and further elevated (more about this in other posts).  The thing about Doug Cox is his determination to use New England native wood.  So many other luthiers stick to European wood because it is thought to be more like the wood the genius of the trade, Antonio Stradivarius, used.  The Cox instruments are superb and many famous classical musicians use them.  His web site is www.coxviolins.com.  He invites visitors and was more than cordial to Eddie and I even though he didn't know us from Adam.  
       Anyway, when Mr. Perrin is in, he can regale you with information about old Baltimore and the musicians and luthiers who lived and worked here.  I asked him about the old luthiers listed in the historic violin book I read.  He knew and was familiar with many of them, describing one as hopelessly self-centered and self-absorbed, always complaining of his fate: making great instruments in a "hick" town like Baltimore. Mr. Perrin said the man did, indeed, make great instruments, but if he didn't like Baltimore, nothing was making him stay, the affable Mr. Perrin told me.  I bought a cello from Mr. Perrin.  Until the last minute, I was going to go with a violin, but I thought at my age I was sure to develop neck problems trying to hold the instrument correctly.  I wanted a Cox cello, but there was no way I could afford one.  Today, a Cox cello sells for $42,000.00.  Instead, I purchased a gorgeous beginners cello for the tidy sum of $1,000.00, including bow and case.