All Historical articles – Page 13
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Focus‘The first maker of what is unambiguously a double bass’
In this extract from the December 2021 issue, Thomas Martin, George Martin and Martin Lawrence examine the beginnings of bass making in Venice
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Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: An 1807 violin by William Ferguson
David Rattray details an instrument by the Scottish maker
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Premium ❘ FeatureMaking Matters: The imitation game
In 1927 a cache of documents came to light, purportedly from the Stradivari workshop – and fooled some of the leading experts of the day. Carlo Chiesa explains how the case turned out to be an elaborate forgery
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Giuseppe Antonio Rocca violin 1844
The Rocca is clearly modelled after the most famous Stradivari violin, the ‘Messiah’
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FocusPierre Aloysius Josephs: the first bow maker of the San Francisco Bay Area
In this extract from the November 2021 issue, Raphael Gold profiles the bow making work of Pierre Aloysius Josephs and his family
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi double bass c.1770
Landolfi’s choice of wood ranges from plain maple scrolls to highly flamed backs
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Pietro Guarneri of Venice violin 1725
Known as the ‘Reine Elisabeth’, this is the most expensive instrument bought by the Dutch Musical Instruments Foundation
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Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: Team Player
Sam Zygmuntowicz examines the large proportions of this 1796 Mantegazza viola, which give it a powerful sound that makes it ideal for string quartets. From December 2003
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Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: From Strad to Slava
The ’Duport’ cello is a fine example of Stradivari’s ‘Form B Piccola’. Samuel Zygmuntowicz examines Rostropovich’s own instrument, in this article from October 1997
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Giuseppe Guarneri ‘filius Andreae’ cello 1715 ‘ex Navarra’
The Guarneri ‘filius Andreae’ must be the most impressive Cremonese cello in terms of maker’s marks
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Premium ❘ FeatureBay Area bow makers: Bows on the bay
With a large and growing music community, the San Francisco Bay Area became a hotbed of violin and bow making talent in the early 20th century. Raphael Gold tells the stories of the most prominent bow makers of the day
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Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: A 1926 violin by John Friedrich
Bruce Babbitt details an instrument by the German-American maker
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Premium ❘ FeatureFrom the Archive: November 1911
Regular columnist Towry Piper bewails the notorious practice among dealers of switching labels in instruments to make them more attractive to buyers
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume viola 1867
This viola is regarded as an exceptionally pure and unique specimen among Vuillaume’s work
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Santo Serafin violin 1750
Santo Serafin’s refined style can be particularly seen on the scroll
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FocusAnne-Sophie Mutter on fine and contemporary instruments
The Strad’s April 2020 issue cover star discusses performing on her own Strads and on newer violins
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Hendrik Jacobs cello 1696
One of the very few cellos made by Hendrik Jacobs himself, and the only Dutch instrument in the Calendar
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FocusThe Strad Calendar 2022: Giuseppe Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin c.1736
With a handsome, deeply reflective and broadly flamed maple back, this is the crown jewel in the Dutch Musical Instruments Foundation’s collection
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Premium ❘ FeatureIn Focus: An 1847 violin by Agustí Altimira
Jordi Pinto details an instrument by the Catalan violin maker
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Premium ❘ FeatureBetween the Baroque and modern age: Vuillaume’s ‘Messiah’ Strad
Stefan-Peter Greiner examines Vuillaume’s unorthodox method of fastening and extending the neck in his copy of the ‘Messiah’ Strad. From November 1996
