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![[1] Army Strings White House pc Staff Sgt. Brittany Primavera](https://dnan0fzjxntrj.cloudfront.net/Pictures/274x183/1/6/2/36162_1armystringswhitehousepcstaffsgt.brittanyprimavera_858924_crop.jpg)
EXPLORE PREMIUM THIS WEEK
Rachel Barton Pine: ‘What we’re doing today is the history of tomorrow’
As she turns 50, the American violinist Rachel Barton Pine speaks to Ariane Todes about her unwavering enthusiasm for discovering, and communicating, the artistic integrity in everything she does
![[1] Army Strings White House pc Staff Sgt. Brittany Primavera](https://dnan0fzjxntrj.cloudfront.net/Pictures/460x307/1/6/2/36162_1armystringswhitehousepcstaffsgt.brittanyprimavera_858924_crop.jpg)
Musical service: String groups in the US military
Rita Fernandes hears from musicians in the United States Air Force, Army and Marine Corps and travels to Washington DC to discover the little-known world of string playing in the US military
Session Report: violinist Fenella Humphreys and composer Adrian Sutton on a new violin concerto
Being diagnosed with an incurable cancer spurred on War Horse composer Adrian Sutton to write a new violin concerto for Fenella Humphreys. Michael White hears from both composer and soloist about recording the work
My Space: Corvus Kwok’s Hong Kong workshop
The luthier takes us on a tour of his shop in Kowloon, Hong Kong
Making Matters: Testing an instrument’s sound using weight ratios
In contrast to the normal practice of using tap tones to determine an instrument’s sound, Veikko Jaatinen presents a method based on the weight ratios of a violin’s various parts
Rachel Barton Pine: ‘What we’re doing today is the history of tomorrow’
As she turns 50, the American violinist Rachel Barton Pine speaks to Ariane Todes about her unwavering enthusiasm for discovering, and communicating, the artistic integrity in everything she does
![[1] Army Strings White House pc Staff Sgt. Brittany Primavera](https://dnan0fzjxntrj.cloudfront.net/Pictures/100x67/1/6/2/36162_1armystringswhitehousepcstaffsgt.brittanyprimavera_858924_crop.jpg)
Musical service: String groups in the US military
Rita Fernandes hears from musicians in the United States Air Force, Army and Marine Corps and travels to Washington DC to discover the little-known world of string playing in the US military
Featured People
Sentimental Work: Alexander Sitkovetsky on Bach’s ‘Double’ Violin Concerto
Bach’s ‘Double’ Violin Concerto in D minor BWV1043 has been a constant companion throughout the Russian–British violinist’s life, and played critical roles in his career
Technique: Expressive fingerings on the violin
Violinist Lucie Robert explores the art of expressive fingerings
‘Imagination is one of the most important things in music’ - Alexander Baillie’s life lessons
The British cellist on playing fundamentals and developing musicality
Sentimental Work: Alexander Sitkovetsky on Bach’s ‘Double’ Violin Concerto
Bach’s ‘Double’ Violin Concerto in D minor BWV1043 has been a constant companion throughout the Russian–British violinist’s life, and played critical roles in his career
Technique: Expressive fingerings on the violin
Violinist Lucie Robert explores the art of expressive fingerings
‘Imagination is one of the most important things in music’ - Alexander Baillie’s life lessons
The British cellist on playing fundamentals and developing musicality
Learn From The Experts
Learn From The Experts
Technique: Expressive fingerings on the violin
Violinist Lucie Robert explores the art of expressive fingerings
Long Reads
Remembering Ida Haendel: Grande dame of the violin
Following Ida Haendel’s death at the age of 96 in July 2020, Tully Potter surveys the career of an exceptional performer and a remarkable woman. From September 2020
Pierre Rode: The Rode less travelled
He is best remembered for his didactic 24 Caprices, but there’s much more to Pierre Rode. For the French virtuoso’s 250th anniversary, Charlotte Gardner reveals a colourful life story and hears from the German violinist Friedemann Eichhorn, who has revived and recorded all of Rode’s 13 violin concertos
All-female string quartets after the First World War
In the second and final part of his survey, Tully Potter reveals the extent of the explosion of all-female quartets that occurred after the First World War in the UK, Europe, the US and the Soviet Union, as well as notable mixed ones
German bow makers in America: Across the Atlantic
Many, if not most, of the earliest bow makers working in America originally hailed from Germany. Raphael Gold discovers how they helped lay the foundations for the industry
Sphinx Organization: Change for good
For the past quarter-century the Sphinx Organization has worked tirelessly to bring much-needed diversity to the US classical music scene. Bruce Hodges examines its achievements, and hears from its founder and its president about the future
Lutherie
Remembering Ida Haendel: Grande dame of the violin
Following Ida Haendel’s death at the age of 96 in July 2020, Tully Potter surveys the career of an exceptional performer and a remarkable woman. From September 2020
Technique: Expressive fingerings on the violin
Violinist Lucie Robert explores the art of expressive fingerings
Masterclass: Schubert Arpeggione Sonata on viola, first movement
Yuri Zhislin illustrates the importance of colour and harmony in a work renowned for its lyricism and technicality
Technique: Rick Stotijn on double bass pizzicato
The Dutch bassist offers tips on exploring the world of pizzicato on double bass
Masterclass: Mendelssohn String Quartet in F minor, first movement
Second violinist of the Aris Quartet Noémi Zipperling examines Mendelssohn’s emotionally charged movement, considered to be a requiem for his sister and, ultimately, himself
Masterclass: Debussy Cello Sonata, second and third movements
Cellist Thomas Demenga reflects on the importance of restraint next to the extremes of expressive detail to be brought out in this masterpiece
Long Reads
Remembering Ida Haendel: Grande dame of the violin
Following Ida Haendel’s death at the age of 96 in July 2020, Tully Potter surveys the career of an exceptional performer and a remarkable woman. From September 2020
Pierre Rode: The Rode less travelled
He is best remembered for his didactic 24 Caprices, but there’s much more to Pierre Rode. For the French virtuoso’s 250th anniversary, Charlotte Gardner reveals a colourful life story and hears from the German violinist Friedemann Eichhorn, who has revived and recorded all of Rode’s 13 violin concertos
All-female string quartets after the First World War
In the second and final part of his survey, Tully Potter reveals the extent of the explosion of all-female quartets that occurred after the First World War in the UK, Europe, the US and the Soviet Union, as well as notable mixed ones
German bow makers in America: Across the Atlantic
Many, if not most, of the earliest bow makers working in America originally hailed from Germany. Raphael Gold discovers how they helped lay the foundations for the industry
Sphinx Organization: Change for good
For the past quarter-century the Sphinx Organization has worked tirelessly to bring much-needed diversity to the US classical music scene. Bruce Hodges examines its achievements, and hears from its founder and its president about the future
'When someone is healthy inside, it sounds that way' - Mental health services in conservatoires
Rita Fernandes hears from administrators, counsellors and teachers from music schools about what defines a successful conservatoire mental health support system
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 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
The Fulton collection: Magnificent obsession
For decades, top soloists would visit the home of David Fulton to sample the treasures of his legendary collection. Now dispersed, the instruments have been brought together again in book form. The collector shares some of the highlights with Christian Lloyd
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
Great Instruments
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
Reviews
Reviews
Festival round-up: Edinburgh International Festival 2024
David Kettle reports from the Edinburgh International Festival, where string works were much in evidence
Concert review: Bozzini Quartet
Bruce Hodges takes in the performance of Bekah Simms, Klaus Lang, James Tenney at Jürg Frey at Mary Flagler Cary Hall in New York’s Dimenna Center on 16 and 17 August 2024
Festival round-up: BBC Proms 2024
Peter Quantrill takes in some of the string highlights at the Royal Albert Hall from this year’s BBC Proms
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