Lost arts of string playing: Unlocking the secrets of the past

Gingold_at_IndianaUniversity_ProfessorEmeritus

Did the great string players of old know something that we didn’t? Some of today’s virtuosos reveal to Charlotte Gardner the various technical and musical tools of the trade that are in danger of being lost in the current pursuit of perfection

Explore more Featured Stories like this in The Strad Playing Hub

Picture this. You’re about to make a shift down from a higher note on one bow stroke to a lower note on a new bow stroke. However, rather than making the shift and bow change simultaneously, you first make the shift, and only upon arrival change your bow.

This is the ‘Menuhin slide’, so called because Yehudi Menuhin was the violinist who regularly used it, and it’s one of a number of colouristic tricks that violinist Guy Braunstein has noticed aren’t so commonly heard these days. ‘It’s simple, but very difficult to do convincingly,’ he tells me. ‘Singers do it all the time – sliding from one note to the next, and starting the next consonant only after arrival – and if you listen to the singers and violinists of 80 years ago, the similarity between the two is much greater than in our era.’

Already subscribed? Please sign in

Subscribe to continue reading…

We’re delighted that you are enjoying our website. For a limited period, you can try an online subscription to The Strad completely free of charge.

  • Free 7-day trial

    Not sure about subscribing? Sign up now to read this article in full and you’ll also receive unlimited access to premium online content, including the digital edition and online archive for 7 days.

    No strings attached – we won’t ask for your card details

  • Subscribe 

    No more paywalls. To enjoy the best in-depth features and analysis from The Strad’s latest and past issues, upgrade to a subscription now. You’ll also enjoy regular issues and special supplements* and access to an online archive of issues back to 2010.

 

* Issues and supplements are available as both print and digital editions. Online subscribers will only receive access to the digital versions.