Violoncello

The instruments that inspire me: a Gagliano violoncello and a F. Ruggeri violoncello

Alessandro Gagliano (1665 – 1732) is the first known Neapolitan maker. Little is known about his training, and his highly individual work is quite unlike that of the rest of his family. He used his own models, and the originality of his designs, some of which are rather too small, recalls the creative freedom of the works of Guarneri del’ Gesù. 

Francesco Ruggeri (1628 – 1698) has traditionally been considered a student of Nicolò Amati, although there is no documentary evidence that he was present in the Amati workshop. While Amati's dominance in the 17th century Cremonese violin making scene kept his rivals at bay during his lifetime, today Ruggeri's instruments are nearly as renowned as Amati's.

Perhaps the largest impact Ruggeri and Gagliano made historically were their experimentation with smaller cello models.  As a result, Ruggeri's and Gagliano’s cellos are highly regarded today.