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EXPLORE PREMIUM THIS WEEK
Sofia Gubaidulina: a musical offering
Gavin Dixon examines the spiritual, visionary string works of the Russian–Tatar composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who died earlier this year
‘People sense when you are genuinely passionate about something’ - Stephen Upshaw’s life lessons
The Solem Quartet violist on the life of a chamber musician and how to create your own professional path
Technique: knowing your chords
Encouraging students to know their chords and understand how they work
Making Matters: constructing a quartet from one maple tree
Hans Jóhannsson reflects on the experience of making a quartet of instruments using maple sourced from a single tree
Staying power: US String Quartets
As Brooklyn Rider and the Jack and the Miró quartets mark milestone anniversaries, Thomas May looks at how these contemporary American ensembles are not just surviving, but reshaping the 21st-century musical landscape
Sofia Gubaidulina: a musical offering
Gavin Dixon examines the spiritual, visionary string works of the Russian–Tatar composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who died earlier this year
‘People sense when you are genuinely passionate about something’ - Stephen Upshaw’s life lessons
The Solem Quartet violist on the life of a chamber musician and how to create your own professional path
Featured People
Always by my side: double bassists (and a viola da gambist) reveal what’s in their case
James Oesi, Uxía Martínez Botana and Liam Byrne share the items that they always carry with them when they are on the road. From the June 2025 Accessories supplement
Charles Beare: 1937–2025
One of the world’s most renowned violin experts died on 26 April this year. Anne Inglis looks back at his life, while friends and colleagues share their memories
Adam Summerhayes: Music shaped by instinct
Adam Summerhayes is a violinist and composer who combines his flair for improvisation and a love of folk music with a classical training and technique. He speaks to Alexandra Petropoulos about his latest projects and his very special instruments
Always by my side: double bassists (and a viola da gambist) reveal what’s in their case
James Oesi, Uxía Martínez Botana and Liam Byrne share the items that they always carry with them when they are on the road. From the June 2025 Accessories supplement
Charles Beare: 1937–2025
One of the world’s most renowned violin experts died on 26 April this year. Anne Inglis looks back at his life, while friends and colleagues share their memories
Adam Summerhayes: Music shaped by instinct
Adam Summerhayes is a violinist and composer who combines his flair for improvisation and a love of folk music with a classical training and technique. He speaks to Alexandra Petropoulos about his latest projects and his very special instruments
Learn From The Experts
Learn From The Experts
Technique: knowing your chords
Encouraging students to know their chords and understand how they work
Long Reads
Sofia Gubaidulina: a musical offering
Gavin Dixon examines the spiritual, visionary string works of the Russian–Tatar composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who died earlier this year
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
Lutherie
Sofia Gubaidulina: a musical offering
Gavin Dixon examines the spiritual, visionary string works of the Russian–Tatar composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who died earlier this year
Technique: knowing your chords
Encouraging students to know their chords and understand how they work
Masterclass: Dvořák String Quartet no.12 ‘American’, second movement
Cellist of the Dover Quartet Camden Shaw illustrates the importance of sound exploration in this bittersweet movement that can be seen as a metaphor for life and its many tribulations
Trade Secrets: Sharpening gouges
A practical method for maintaining the sharpness of this essential tool for all makers
Masterclass: Schumann Fantasiestücke for cello and piano
These three pieces pose an opportunity to create a dream-like sound world illustrating love in all its forms, says cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca
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
Sofia Gubaidulina: a musical offering
Gavin Dixon examines the spiritual, visionary string works of the Russian–Tatar composer Sofia Gubaidulina, who died earlier this year
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
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
Chu-Yu Yang: An English Pastoral
An inviting exploration of English pastoral music
Ensemble Louise Farrenc: Bonis, Farrenc, Firsova
A trio of works demanding repeat listening
Takács Quartet, Marc-André Hamelin: Dvořák, Price
An unusual coupling proves compelling
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