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EXPLORE PREMIUM THIS WEEK
The Liberty luthier: Nicola Utili
Stefano Pio examines the life and career of the early 20th-century Italian luthier Nicola Utili, who combined his natural skills in instrument making with a penchant for innovation and acoustic research
Making Matters: The curious case of Knute Reindahl’s 1905 violin
An impressively carved violin from 1905 led HyeonJeong Kim on a journey to discover more about its maker and dedicatee
A conversation with Ysaÿe - From the archive: November 1896
The great Belgian violinist Eugène Ysaÿe, aged 38, talks to The Strad at his home in Brussels
My Space: Andrew Carruthers’s Santa Rosa workshop
The maker presents his Californian shop
Technique: The art of Bach on the viola
Marc Sabbah on playing solo Bach on the modern viola
The Liberty luthier: Nicola Utili
Stefano Pio examines the life and career of the early 20th-century Italian luthier Nicola Utili, who combined his natural skills in instrument making with a penchant for innovation and acoustic research
Making Matters: The curious case of Knute Reindahl’s 1905 violin
An impressively carved violin from 1905 led HyeonJeong Kim on a journey to discover more about its maker and dedicatee
Featured People
Jordi Savall: connections beyond words
The Catalan gambist and conductor Jordi Savall speaks with Michael White about his six decades of music making, the ideals that have guided his work and the future of the early music world he helped to shape
Stella Chen: a bright future
The American violinist chats with Rebecca Franks about her philosophy of playing and teaching, studying at Harvard, her experience of winning the Queen Elisabeth Competition and her new album, which marks a fresh chapter in her career
The greatest storyteller: Itzhak Perlman at 80
As he turns 80, the legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman speaks to Ariane Todes about everything from his stellar career to his teaching ethos, and his approach to social media stardom
Jordi Savall: connections beyond words
The Catalan gambist and conductor Jordi Savall speaks with Michael White about his six decades of music making, the ideals that have guided his work and the future of the early music world he helped to shape
Stella Chen: a bright future
The American violinist chats with Rebecca Franks about her philosophy of playing and teaching, studying at Harvard, her experience of winning the Queen Elisabeth Competition and her new album, which marks a fresh chapter in her career
The greatest storyteller: Itzhak Perlman at 80
As he turns 80, the legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman speaks to Ariane Todes about everything from his stellar career to his teaching ethos, and his approach to social media stardom
Learn From The Experts
Learn From The Experts
Technique: The art of Bach on the viola
Marc Sabbah on playing solo Bach on the modern viola
Long Reads
Chop and change: 60 years of the chop technique
As the chop technique turns 60, Rita Fernandes tracks its evolution and the recent development of its notation in interviews with leading practitioners – as well as learning the technique herself
‘Let it happen’: Kató Havas’s teaching philosophies
Kató Havas’s teaching remains widely admired but is still often misunderstood. Clifford Hall revisits the debates around her methods to reveal a more nuanced picture of her legacy
Matthew Hardie: ‘The Scottish Stradivari’
Matthew Hardie, who died 200 years ago this year, was possibly Scotland’s most influential violin maker. To mark the anniversary, David Rattray tells the story of his life and examines a selection of his violas
From sword to bow: Marczi Zöldy
The young Hungarian soldier who became known as virtuoso violinist Marczi Zöldy at the turn of the 20th century was skilled in many areas, not least as a musician and a fencer. Grzegorz Kaproń tells his eventful, colourful life story
Amaryllis Fleming: A life less ordinary
To mark a hundred years since the birth of Amaryllis Fleming in December 1925, Oskar Falta takes a look at the British cellist’s colourful life and influential career, and hears from one of her pupils – Raphael Wallfisch
Lutherie
Chop and change: 60 years of the chop technique
As the chop technique turns 60, Rita Fernandes tracks its evolution and the recent development of its notation in interviews with leading practitioners – as well as learning the technique herself
Technique: The art of Bach on the viola
Marc Sabbah on playing solo Bach on the modern viola
Masterclass: Bach Violin Concerto in E major BWV1042, third movement
Julian Rachlin shines a light on this joyful movement comprising a satisfying musical architecture that alternates between anchoring refrains and exploratory soloistic episodes
Trade Secrets: Reinforcing a violin bridge with carbon rods
A method to improve the bridge’s durability and long-term reliability
Trade Secrets: Making a custom cutter for a second-hole bushing
Adam Goltry introduces a specialised tool for bow makers to use when carrying out a tricky repair job
Masterclass: Schumann Fairy-tale Pictures op.113, third and fourth movements
Patrick Yim explores two movements of juxtaposing characters that test a viola player’s versatility and technical skill
Long Reads
Chop and change: 60 years of the chop technique
As the chop technique turns 60, Rita Fernandes tracks its evolution and the recent development of its notation in interviews with leading practitioners – as well as learning the technique herself
‘Let it happen’: Kató Havas’s teaching philosophies
Kató Havas’s teaching remains widely admired but is still often misunderstood. Clifford Hall revisits the debates around her methods to reveal a more nuanced picture of her legacy
Matthew Hardie: ‘The Scottish Stradivari’
Matthew Hardie, who died 200 years ago this year, was possibly Scotland’s most influential violin maker. To mark the anniversary, David Rattray tells the story of his life and examines a selection of his violas
From sword to bow: Marczi Zöldy
The young Hungarian soldier who became known as virtuoso violinist Marczi Zöldy at the turn of the 20th century was skilled in many areas, not least as a musician and a fencer. Grzegorz Kaproń tells his eventful, colourful life story
Amaryllis Fleming: A life less ordinary
To mark a hundred years since the birth of Amaryllis Fleming in December 1925, Oskar Falta takes a look at the British cellist’s colourful life and influential career, and hears from one of her pupils – Raphael Wallfisch
Sofia Gubaidulina: a musical offering
Gavin Dixon examines the spiritual, visionary string works of the Russian–Tatar composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who died earlier this year
Lutherie
Violin maker Otto Schünemann: A Romantic visionary
Although Otto Schünemann’s violins were praised by everyone from Vuillaume to Sarasate, his name is barely recognised today. Clifford Hall tells the story of this idealistic luthier who strove to bring the glories of the Cremonese masters to 19th-century Germany
In Focus: A c.1800 violin by Joseph Panormo
Andrew Fairfax on the UK-based Italian maker’s turn-of-the-century instrument
The Strad Calendar 2024: The Fulton collection
The Strad Calendar 2024 pays tribute to one of the 20th century’s finest stringed instrument collections, put together in just a couple of decades by American violin collector David L. Fulton. Christian Lloyd examines the treasures
Zosimo Bergonzi: Family fortunes
Zosimo Bergonzi, son of Carlo, was for a time the only luthier active in Cremona . Michel Samson tracks his career through his known works
Great Instruments
The Strad Calendar 2027: Norway’s pride and joy
The Strad Calendar 2027 features eleven Stradivari instruments, all taken from the collection of the Anders Sveaas Charitable Foundation. Christian Lloyd examines the treasures
The Strad Calendar 2026: Treasures of Canada
The Strad Calendar for 2026 shines the spotlight on twelve instruments owned by Canimex, one of Canada’s leading supporters of the arts. Christian Lloyd surveys the riches
The Strad Calendar 2025: Canada’s crème de la crème
The Strad Calendar 2025 celebrates the work of the Canada Council for the Arts, which has been matching players with fine instruments for 40 years. Christian Lloyd takes a look at the collection’s highlights
A unique pairing: the ‘Paderewski, Wendling’ violin
In the first of a two-part article, Balthazar Soulier examines an extraordinary violin that displays the hallmarks of both Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ and Domenico Montagnana
Great Instruments
The Strad Calendar 2027: Norway’s pride and joy
The Strad Calendar 2027 features eleven Stradivari instruments, all taken from the collection of the Anders Sveaas Charitable Foundation. Christian Lloyd examines the treasures
Reviews
Reviews
Book review: The Violin Maker’s Secret
Lauren Wesley-Smith reads Evie Woods’ novel following the search for a stolen violin – with some personification of the instrument itself
Book review: Duo Gems: Classics for Two Violins
Alex Laing peruses Jennifer Maslin’s book of 20 duet arrangements, by composers from Delibes and Bizet to Offenbach and Rachmaninoff
Book review: Liuteria Mantovana Vol.2
Alberto Giordano reviews the second in the three-volume series by Andrea Zanrè and Philip Kass that shines a light on the myriad violin makers based in the city of Mantua over the centuries
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