Nicolas Bertrand
Biographies
John Dilworth
BERTRAND, Nicolas Born 1686, died 1725 Paris France. Important viol maker, credited with pioneering the seven string form. Appointed ‘Faiseur d’instruments ordinaire de la muzique du Roy’. Possibly a student of Collichon. May have been teacher of Barbey and Vauboam, who drew up the inventory of the workshop at his death. This significant document shows the business to have been operated on a relatively large commercial scale, making batches of instruments for stock rather than individually to commission. It lists well over 250 finished instruments, including 91 violins and five cellos, excluding 20 ‘modern’ English viols, 42 violins by Treuillot, 10 violins by Dieulafait. Consistency of outline shared by several of the surviving viols strongly indicates the use of a mould. Amongst the 16 or so extant viols dating from 1687 to 1720 are the bass viol in the Metropolitan Museum, New York of 1720, a pardessus de viol of 1714 in the Musée de la Musique, Paris, and a 1687 instrument in the Brussels Musical Instruments Museum. As well as the evidence of the 20 English viols listed in the inventory, his general workmanship and style shows the strong influence of 17th century English viol making. Surviving violins are rare and of comparatively poor quality and it is for this reason that earlier writers have tended to diminish Bertrand’s status as a luthier. New York Bass viol branded on upper back: ‘Bertrand’ Nicolas Bertrand à Paris, 17.. [Milliot]
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