Video: Building a Cello

This meditative documentary directed by Laura Vidal takes us through the creation of a cello in the Barcelona workshop of master luthier Xavier Vidal i Roca. (To watch with English subtitles, click the closed caption icon — “CC” — in the lower right corner.)

Music scholar Ramón Andres’ explanation of how the “king of all instruments” speaks to the human condition complements Vidal’s craftsmanship, and cellist Lito Iglesias points out that musicians should make an effort to understand their instruments’ construction, as well as the reasons behind the selection of particular woods and shapes. Iglesias also notes that the luthier is the unsung partner in every public performance, the one the audience never thinks to acknowledge.

The master luthier himself acknowledges that there is always mystery as to how any given instrument will sound. Most modern cellos are copies of ancient instruments. With the design set by tradition, the luthier must channel his or her creative expression into the construction, working with ancient tools – chisels, handsaws, and palette knives.

The soundtrack is The Sarabande of Bach’s Suite for Solo Cello no. 1 in G major.