TSA security guards smash Alban Gerhardt $20,000 19th century bow in half.

Run_to_da_hills

Its one thing bring an valuable instrument on board an aircraft, often booking a second seat without fearing security guards breaking it. I hope the TSA are well insured.


TSA workers at the airport in Chicago snapped rare 19th-century bow in two. Photo taken by Alban Gerhardt

One of the world’s top cellists had his rare and precious bow damaged after Transportation Security Administration workers at the airport in Chicago brutally and carelessly probed his cello case.

World renowned cellist Alban Gerhardt, a German musician who has performed with the Berlin and London Philharmonic Orchestras respectively, was traveling through Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on his way to a performance in Madison, Wisconsin when he discovered that his bow had been damaged.

“My bow must have moved out of its cover,” Gerhardt stated in an interview, adding, “and instead of putting it back in, they just slammed the case shut and broke the bow that way over the bridge.” The rare bow, made by 19th-century German bow maker Heinrich Knopf and possibly damaged beyond repair, was reportedly snapped in half and held an estimated value of $20,000.

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2013/02/exclusive-how-us-security-agents-broke-my-cello-bow-by-alban-gerhardt.html

IceFjoem

Absolute madness, somehow I'm not surprised though. A friend of mine had the back of her cello kicked in by them as there was something rattling inside it and they were curious essentially. A bunch of thugs. Some of the videos of them on youtube abusing passengers are sickening. You'd think they'd have a bit of respect for something like an instrument which can be literally irreplaceable in many cases.

Good lord, I'm off to see him in a week or two in the NCH too.
I hope he sues the hell out of them!

Fluorescence

Airport staff generally never have any regard for musical instruments. Extremely poor form in this case. How could he sue though? That bow was priceless.

Fluorescence

Fluorescence wrote: »

Airport staff generally never have any regard for musical instruments. Extremely poor form in this case. How could he sue though? That bow was priceless.

Well it's that or exact violent, violent revenge, but... :pac:

Fluorescence

bluewolf wrote: »

Well it's that or exact violent, violent revenge, but... :pac:

I'd go for the revenge option there, personally :P

Run_to_da_hills

The TSA will have to learn not to be so violent with musical instruments.

IceFjoem

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

The TSA will have to learn not to be so violent with musical instruments.

:rolleyes:

Cookie_Monster

Don't the condition of carraige (or whatever particular rule it is) specifically state the TSA are not responsible for any damage, I know my father in law had his bike and bike box damaged by them and there was nothing he could do about it in the end.

Fluorescence wrote: »

That bow was priceless.

$20k is hardly priceless...

Fluorescence

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

$20k is hardly priceless...

Well he can't exactly go back in time and commission another such bow, now can he? That's the point I was trying to make. He'd probably rather have his bow than $20k cold cash in his pocket to replace it.

IceFjoem

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

$20k is hardly priceless...

Agree with Flourescence, it's not about the money at all, it's the fact that the bow was a 'one of a kind' piece with a very specific sound quality that is irreplicable.

DownBeaten

To update this thread, the (almost) unbelievable happened at the NCH last night --- Alban's new bow started to crack! During the last movement of the Dvorak Cello Concerto, he had to discard it and borrow a bow from one of the orchestra members. Like any true professional, he didn't miss a note, completed the concerto and played a fine encore with the borrowed bow.

After the interval, the NSO played a Rachmaninov symphony. Alban sneaked back on stage and played at the back of the cellos with the orchestra, something I've never seen a soloist do before. Clearly someone who loves making music.

Clinker

DownBeaten wrote: »

After the interval, the NSO played a Rachmaninov symphony. Alban sneaked back on stage and played at the back of the cellos with the orchestra, something I've never seen a soloist do before. Clearly someone who loves making music.

I was startled by that! He was there in plain view but I didn't notice him until Buribayev got him to take a bow at the end. I'd noticed there were more cellists, but then there were more of everything for the Rachmaninov!

Dude111

Run_to_da_hills wrote:

Its one thing bring an valuable instrument on board an aircraft, often booking a second seat without fearing security guards breaking it. I hope the TSA are well insured.

They should be sued FOR EVERY PENNY THEY HAVE!!!

The TSA are a bunch of morons who think they can treat ppl like crap

Clinker

Alban Gerhardt writes about his travails on Slipped Disc, Norman Lebrecht's blogsite. Apparently they broke his cello too!