This Ruggeri belonged to Giovanni Bottesini.

Let's hear the words of his owner John Van Lierop.

"

"This ensemble is a tremendous success – and legitimately so!”
Many stars agree with this statement made by none other than Anne-Sophie Mutter
in the documentary film “BASSIONA AMOROSA”.
Opera singer Anneliese Rothenberger claimed “They were not only funny but,
above all, brilliant!” and the great Plácido Domingo expressed his “friendship
and admiration”.
After playing Vittorio Monti’s Csardas with the double bassists in a sensational
television performance, which also reached over a million views on YouTube,
star violinist Maxim Vengerov commended the ensemble as “a treasure for everybody”.
These compliments by well-known musicians reflect what audiences around the world
feel when giving their standing ovations after every show.

Since its formation in 1996, the ensemble has managed to enthuse every
single audience with a unique mix of classical and popular arrangements at
concerts and radio or television performances throughout Europe, Asia and America
as well as on numerous CD recordings. “You need to have heard Bassiona Amorosa
to believe it!” is how a British music critic once put it, and a German newspaper
recently wrote: “Definitely the most unusual string quartet on the
international music scene”.

What makes BASSIONA AMOROSA so attractive is their remarkable sound
sophistication and outstanding performance skills. The brilliant musicians also
add special qualities from their respective home countries Slovakia, Russia,
the Czech Republic, Serbia, Georgia, Belarus and South Korea.
Klaus Trumpf’s former masterclass students from the University of Music
and Performing Arts in Munich combine classical training with traditional
musicianship, Slavic melancholy and supreme virtuosity.
Their unbridled temperament and charm captivate the audience."

press for the new album "boundless." (german/english):

Markus Fritsch in bassquarterly, März 2014:
„Um es gleich vorweg zu sagen: „boundless“ ist eine phänomenale CD eines phänomenalen Ensembles.
Bassiona Amorosa werfen Vorurteile über Bord und überschreiten spielend leicht musikalische Grenzen“.

USA-Musikzeitschrift BASS WORLD/Paul Erhard schreibt im Mai 2014: “boundless’ is a testament to the rightful arrival of the double bass and double bass quartets onto center stage of leading concert halls around the world. “Boundless” holds together as a journey of musical gems that flow naturally and satisfyingly from the CD’s first track through to the very end. Sit back, fasten your seat belt, and let
Bassiona Amorosa take you on a thrilling ride”.

Süddeutsche Zeitung, 4.3.14 von Harald Eggebrecht: „Den tollsten Hummelflug bieten nicht Schnellgeiger wie David Garrett, sondern die Kontrabassisten der BASSIONA AMOROSA. So nobel und zugleich witzig hört man Bach’s Arioso und Paganinis Moses-Variationen so gut wie nie!“

Der Tagesspiegel, Berlin 3.3.2014 von Frederik Hanssen:
„Es klingt wie die 12 Cellisten der Berliner Philharmonie…beeindruckend – ein mitreißendes Plädoyer
für das unterschätzteste aller Orchesterinstrumente!“