Lutherie
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VideoBach on a 1659 Andrea Guarneri
In this video the violinist Federico Guglielmo plays Bach on a 1659 Andrea Guarneri.
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Video
Cellist plays with synthetic bow hair
In this video cellist Sarah Markle performs ‘ Original Rags’ (1899) by Scott Joplin, using Coruss synthetic bow hair. According to the manufacturer, Coruss synthetic bow hair matches natural horsehair in blind tests for tone and articulation. The pianist Evan Currie.
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In Focus: A 1926 violin by Jeromos Cigl
Zoltán Délczeg examines an instrument by the Hungarian maker
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Trade Secrets: Inlay techniques
Giving a decorative flourish to an instrument can add a personal touch – and be a true test of skill
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Making Matters: A head for figures
Luthiers such as Jacob Stainer often surmounted their instruments with elaborately carved heads rather than scrolls. Lloyd McCaffery , a professional wood carver, explains how he developed a modern take on an ancient art form
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Video
A Far Cry performs Tchaikovsky’s Serenade on Cremonese instruments
Musicians from Boston chamber orchestra A Far Cry perform the first movement from Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings from memory on Cremonese instruments selected from the vault of Reuning Son
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News
Obituary: Soroku Murata (1927–2020)
The veteran violin maker and teacher was head of the Tokyo Violin Making School and a respected jury member at international making competitions
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Focus
7 tips for carving a scroll
How to perfect the head of your instrument from 125 years of the Strad
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Video
Whittall Stradivarius Collection
Musicians talk about and demonstrate instruments donated to the Library of Congress by Gertrude Clarke Whittall in 1935. With Robert Mann, Alexis Galperine, Miles Hoffman, Rene Morel, Young Uck Kim, Daniel Phillips, and Samuel Zygmuntowicz.
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Focus
Michel Collichon, enigma among French viol makers
Just a handful of instruments by Michel Collichon have survived to the present day – but they demonstrate the skill and techniques of a master innovator. With a tenth example recently identified, Shem Mackey explains the appeal of the 17th-century viol maker to modern-day luthiers
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Chinese Tonewoods: Interesting Times
For luthiers worldwide, European wood is still viewed as the best for making stringed instruments – even though China’s forests are filled with high-quality spruce and maple. Xue Peng presents the results of a study comparing the tonewoods of China and Europe, with some startling conclusions
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Video
Glass fibre cello used to play Takemitsu
Carbon fibre instruments have been introduced on the market for a couple of years. A research team from Ghent University and School of Arts Gent has been investigating the use of composite materials for string instruments. Now, one of their prototypes, a cello made from glass fibre by luthier Tim ...
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Article
An almost perfect success story: the evolution of Vuillaume
Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume was the most successful French luthier of his time, but the first years of his career remain shrouded in mystery. Jonathan Marolle examines some of his earliest instruments to uncover the evolution of his technique and style
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Focus
What do violinists Sarah Chang and Hilary Hahn keep in their instrument cases?
Ever wondered what players keep in their instrument cases, apart from their Strads? We talk to some well-known performers to discover the secrets they hold
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In Focus: an 1810 violin by Nicolas Lupot
John Dilworth examines an instrument by the French maker
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Trade Secrets: Notes on cello endpin fitting
A guide to veneer bushing and creating an ‘abrasive reamer’ for making adjustments
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Making Matters: The Sound of Science
Tom Croen reports on a 2019 experiment to discover how much variation in sound can be gained from fingerboard ‘tuning’ – and how alternative materials fare against traditional ebony
