Talk:Servais Stradivarius

In Russia, Servais was the guest of prince and princess Nicolai Borissovitch Yussupov, according to this website. According to the Cello Heaven website, "In Belgium, Servais often played "Chant d'amour," a piece composed for him by Nikolay Yusupov... Matwey Wialgohorsky lent him his Stradivarius cello for the St. Petersburg performances before Servais himself bought an instrument by the master in 1841. The Russian Princess Yusupova, who greatly admired his talent, financed the purchase, and the grateful artist dedicated to her one of his fantasias on Russian songs Op. 15." Time Magazine serves up some embellishments: [1] --Wetman 21:04, 28 November 2006 (UTC)

Wetman, the correct spelling of the Polish comital family is Wielhorski. There were two Nikolay Borisovichs in the Yusupov family. The elder was a collector of art (1751-1831), while his grandson (1821-91) was a music connoisseur and writer. The princess in question may have been either his wife, Countess Tatiana Ribeaupierre, or mother, Comtesse de Chauveau, Marquise de Serre, who controlled the family finances during all of his lifetime. Nikolay Borisovich the Younger had no sons, however. His only daughter, Zenaida, was the mother of Prince Felix Yusupov who killed Rasputin. --Ghirla ^-трёп- 11:34, 29 November 2006 (UTC)