All Editors pick articles – Page 3
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‘It was the escape plan for less than first-class musicians’ – David Garrett on changing attitudes to crossover playing
Abandoned by his management, David Garrett had to overcome snobbery to return to the classical spotlight, as he tells Charlotte Smith
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How I warm up: Hilary Hahn
The American violinist explains why she no longer warms up with etudes, scales and technical exercises
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‘The violin’s dressing room was bigger than mine’ - Francesca Dego on playing Paganini’s ‘Il Cannone’
The Italian violinist was granted the rare opportunity to perform and record on the famous 1743 Guarneri ’del Gesù’ in 2019, as she tells Tom Stewart
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‘We see playing with others as an important means of nourishment’ - Modigliani Quartet
For the Modigliani Quartet, working with other artists has always been a priority – one that continues this year as the group turns its attention to Schubert, writes Charlotte Gardner
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I gave up a Montagnana for my c.1696 Cappa cello, says Jean-Guihen Queyras
The French cellist and January 2021 cover star tells Pauline Harding about his cellos and bows
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The Dover Quartet on the idea of the ‘hypermetre’
The ensemble discusses a concept that is not often taught or discussed in musical circles
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The fear of making mistakes stops violinists from playing with resonance and character – Nicola Benedetti
The British violinist speaks to Peter Somerford about launching her mass education project for string players of all ages
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‘One thing I’m grateful for is the amount of practice I did growing up’ – TwoSet Violin
Violinists and YouTube comedy stars Brett Yang and Eddy Chen of TwoSet Violin speak to Kimon Daltas about competition in classical music and the importance of practice
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‘He taught me how to stand up for what I believed in’ - Midori remembers Isaac Stern
Midori shares her memories of her mentor Stern, in honour of the great violinist’s 100th anniversary
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Cellist Alisa Weilerstein on working with conductors
The American musician discusses performing concertos with conductors and how she navigates interpretative disagreements
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Tabea Zimmermann on playing Beethoven’s viola
The German violist speaks to Amanda Holloway about recording on the historic instrument in The Strad’s May 2020 issue
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Pablo Casals’s approach to vibrato
The legacy of Pablo Casals can be traced primarily to the methods of his colleague Diran Alexanian and favourite student Maurice Eisenberg. Oskar Falta explores the Catalonian cellist’s main vibrato theories, as communicated by these two associates
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How knowledge of physics can improve your sound
Understanding the basic physics of string movement can help us produce a richer, more ringing tone, says professor of violin Wendy Case
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Matched quartets: a dream commission?
What does a string quartet look for when commissioning a matching set of instruments, and how do luthiers go about fulfilling such a project?
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A method for viola-playing, according to Karen Tuttle
Violists, particularly in the US, regard Karen Tuttle as a pioneer of pedagogy. As this month marks the 100th anniversary of her birth, Carlos María Solare outlines some of her ideas on playing the viola
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How to replace a quartet member, by the Ébène Quartet
In conversation with Charlotte Gardner, the French players discuss group chemistry and reveal how they have retained their sound with their newest member, violist Marie Chilemme
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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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On the question of retirement: string players of all ages share their views
Is there a time when we should put our instruments away for good? Pauline Harding talks to musicians young and old about falling standards, failing physiques and a joy of playing music that, if we want it to, should carry us to our graves
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Urtext editions - friend or foe?
Are urtext editions the only legitimate way to access the composer’s musical intentions? Do edited editions inevitably distort the authentic creative voice?
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The alchemy of the madder root
Madder root has been used since ancient times to create a deep red pigment – but the making process remains enigmatic