All Focus articles – Page 4
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The Strad Calendar 2024: 1713 ‘Bass of Spain’ Antonio Stradivari cello
An extraordinary instrument by the master luthier, with an even more incredible provenance
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Double Acts: Carolin and Jörg Widmann
For violinist Carolin Widmann and her brother, composer and clarinettist Jörg Widmann, footballing rivalries mask a deep-seated respect for each other’s abilities
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The Strad Podcast #98: finding new double bass repertoire with Valentina Ciardelli
Transcriptions of existing repertoire should celebrate the double bass in all its glory, rather than present a poor imitation of other instruments, says the double bassist
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The Strad Calendar 2024: 1709 ‘La Pucelle’ Antonio Stradivari violin
Considered to be the first instrument made during the master luthier’s ‘golden period’, the violin is in an excellent state of preservation
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Double Acts: cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and violinist Maxim Vengerov
Before he became friends with Mstislav Rostropovich, Maxim Vengerov had to learn how to drink. From October 2004
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The Strad Podcast #97: Pavel Berman on playing Oistrakh’s Stradivari violin
What’s it like playing the Shostakovich Violin Sonata - a piece written for David Oistrakh - on Oistrakh’s former violin?
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The Strad Calendar 2024: 1676 ‘Conte Vitale’ Andrea Guarneri viola
The ‘Conte Vitale’ is one of only two instruments in the collection to have retained its original neck
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‘String players are the best!’: Peter Gregson on finding new string sound worlds
Ahead of a performance at London’s Southbank Centre in November, composer and cellist Peter Gregson speaks about collaborating with the Carducci Quartet, as well as finding new ways to write for stringed instruments
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Do string students really need to learn note names? Teacher’s notes with Philippa Bunting
Learning the names of notes can be one of the first stumbling blocks for beginner pupils. But it doesn’t have to be
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‘As though we’d been playing together for years’ - Double Acts: Emmanuelle Bertrand and Pascal Amoyel
French cellist Emmanuelle Bertrand and her duo partner and compatriot, pianist Pascal Amoyel, on why they are each other’s ‘musical barometer’.
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The Strad Podcast #96: Christian Tetzlaff on Bartók Violin Concerto no.2
The violinist shares his personal experience and thoughts on the work
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The Strad Calendar 2024: 1715 ‘Baron Knoop’ Antonio Stradivari violin
The favourite instrument of collector David L. Fulton, for whom its tone is ’silvery with lots of “sizzle”’
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The Strad Podcast #95: Historical instrument chat with violinist Rachel Podger
Rachel speaks about the tools of her trade in this episode of the ‘Podgecast’
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Words of Wisdom: violinist Margaret Batjer
The concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and pedagogue shared her musical insights in our March 2014 issue
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The Strad Calendar 2024: 1698 ‘Shapiro’ Pietro Guarneri of Mantua violin
The first fine instrument ever bought by collector David L. Fulton is a genuine rarity
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String quartets must offer an artistic voice to the music industry: Didier Schnorhk, Concours de Genève
Ahead of the Concours de Genève’s string quartet online rounds next week, secretary general Schnorhk shares how the competition offers emerging ensembles a stepping stone to their intended career
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The Strad Podcast #94: a theatrical Verklärte Nacht with cellist Matthew Barley
The cellist speaks about creating a theatrical experience with a multitude of access points for new and existing audiences to Schoenberg’s piece and other related works
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The Strad Podcast #93: creative storytelling with cellist Alexander Hersh
The star of ‘Absinthe’ shares how narrative and multiple access points can benefit classical music in reaching new audiences
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The Strad Podcast #92: remembering violinist Geoff Nuttall of the St. Lawrence String Quartet
The ensemble’s founding violist Lesley Robertson shares her memories of the violinist
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Crazy money? - Teacher’s notes with Philippa Bunting
Philippa Bunting looks at the scary economics of learning and teaching a stringed instrument