From the mists of time: forgotten string players of the past

Browsing through copies of The Strad from a century or so ago can be very nostalgic, especially if you read the ‘Violinists at Home and Abroad’ column. Written by ‘Gamba’, it is thronged with players who at the time were emerging talents, or already enjoying public esteem. Sadly, some once-familiar names have been forgotten – not because they deserved oblivion, but for reasons of bad luck, bad timing or bad judgement. Here I try to resurrect a few of them who can be heard on recordings.