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EXPLORE PREMIUM THIS WEEK

Patent pending: instrument innovations in the 18th century

6 June 2025

The 18th century saw an explosion in creativity from inventors trying to find the ‘next big thing’ in stringed instrument innovation. Rachael Durkin examines some of the artefacts from the dawn of the industrial age

My Space: Bruno Stefanini’s Bologna workshop

6 June 2025

The maker presents his workshop in Bologna, where he has worked as a luthier for over 40 years

Technique: Thoughts on intonation

6 June 2025

An exploration into the many types of intonation and strategies to practise them

In Focus: An 1859 violin by Gulbrand Enger

6 June 2025

Jens Stenz takes a look at the Danish maker’s 19th-century instrument

Auction Report June 2025: Mysteries, masterpieces and memorabilia

30 May 2025

Kevin MacDonald examines an eclectic array of lots at the London spring sales, where some fascinating curiosities found buyers

June 2025

June 2025: Editor’s welcome and contents

Buy this magazine

Patent pending: instrument innovations in the 18th century

6 June 2025

My Space: Bruno Stefanini’s Bologna workshop

6 June 2025

The maker presents his workshop in Bologna, where he has worked as a luthier for over 40 years

Featured People

‘Curiosity is at the core of human nature’ - Roberto Díaz’s life lessons
The US–Chilean violist and director of the Curtis Institute of Music discusses the importance of technique and curiosity
Philippe Quint: a time of change
US violinist Philippe Quint speaks to Rita Fernandes about his deeply personal new album Milestones, which represents a turning point in his career
Violinist James Ehnes: an exclusive profile from The Strad’s archive, November 2007
Charismatic, honest, self-critical, and with an amazingly relaxed approach to performing, the Canadian virtuoso charms Michael Quinn in this archive interview from The Strad’s November 2007 issue

‘Curiosity is at the core of human nature’ - Roberto Díaz’s life lessons

The US–Chilean violist and director of the Curtis Institute of Music discusses the importance of technique and curiosity

Philippe Quint: a time of change

US violinist Philippe Quint speaks to Rita Fernandes about his deeply personal new album Milestones, which represents a turning point in his career

Violinist James Ehnes: an exclusive profile from The Strad’s archive, November 2007

Charismatic, honest, self-critical, and with an amazingly relaxed approach to performing, the Canadian virtuoso charms Michael Quinn in this archive interview from The Strad’s November 2007 issue

Learn From The Experts

Masterclass: Mozart Violin Concerto no.4 in D major, first movement

Remembering that Mozart was an opera composer and understanding harmonies are the keys to bringing out the various characters in this work, says violinist Tobias Feldmann

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

Masterclass: Mozart Violin Concerto no.4 in D major, first movement

Remembering that Mozart was an opera composer and understanding harmonies are the keys to bringing out the various characters in this work, says violinist Tobias Feldmann

Technique: Thoughts on bowing

Charles Castleman explores a range of approaches to teaching bowing techniques

Trade secrets: External crack repair using silk

Sharon Que provides an innovative solution to a common – and tricky – repair problem

Masterclass: Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto no.3 in B minor, first movement

Violinist Benjamin Beilman explores how to navigate the athletic virtuosity of a work that requires the soloist to have firm technical and musical command

Technique: Finding the right bass technique for you

Why double bass technique needs to be tailored to the physicality of the individual player

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

All-female string quartets after the First World War

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

'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