All Stradivari articles – Page 5
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FocusPiecing together the history of the
'Mara' Stradivari celloIts fate was almost to be consigned to the murky depths of an Uruguayan river but it continues to delight and inspire audiences of the present day. Alessandra Barabaschi delves into the dramatic life of the ‘Mara’ Strad
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FocusWhat is the secret behind Stradivari’s red violins?
Varnish maker Joe Robson explores the mystery of the special deep red varnish colour that makes Antonio Stradivari’s later instruments so attractive
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FocusDo violin making competitions stifle originality in favour of perfection?
Peter Somerford asks what luthiers should do to maximise their success when entering a competition, and whether winning really is everything
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FocusIn focus: the 1686 'Helvetica' Stradivari
In this article from the December 2015 issue, David Bonsey takes a look at a violin from early in its maker’s career, but already a few steps along a crucial design evolution
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VideoComparing Stradivari and Guarneri cellos with Pablo Ferrández
In this video, Spanish cellist Pablo Ferrández plays two cellos side by side: the 1696 ‘Lord Aylesford’ Stradivari which he has on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation and a 1694 Giuseppe Guarneri ‘filius Andreae’ from J&A Beare in London.
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FocusMaxim Vengerov: Me and my Strads
In conversation with Sota Nakazawa, Russian virtuoso Maxim Vengerov explains his love for Stradivari instruments, and his long relationship with them
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VideoRolf Lislevand plays a Stradivarius guitar
Norwegian early music specialist Rolf Lislevand plays the 1679 ‘Sabionari’ Stradivari, the only guitar by the maker which is currently playable. The piece is a Tarantela by Spanish Baroque composer Santiago de Murcia. Read: The ‘Sabionari’ Stradivarius guitar, 1679 [gallery]
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GalleryThe ‘Sabionari’ Stradivarius guitar, 1679
Of the five or six Stradivari guitars still extant, it is also, thanks to a recent restoration, the only one that is currently playable. Violinmaker Gregg Alf takes a closer look[click + to zoom]
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FocusFrom the archive: the 1697 'Molitor' Stradivarius
This article by Philip Kass was first published in the December 2010 issue, soon after the instrument had been sold to Anne Akiko Meyers for a then-record $3.6m
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NewsTen Stradivarius instruments brought together for D.C. concert
Library of Congress collection joined by ‘Paganini’ quartet for special event. Philip J. Kass reports
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FocusRay Chen on Strads, modern instruments and finding his sound
In the second extract from his cover feature interview in the May 2018 Strad, the violinist talks playing Strads and modern instruments, and personalising his sound
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FocusA beginner's guide to identifying a Stradivarius
Figuring out the maker of an unknown violin takes a trained eye and a detective’s skill, says luthier John Dilworth. Here he gives his personal perspective on the clues and processes of elimination that help experts pinpoint an instrument’s origins. From the July 2010 issue
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NewsInstruments announced for Tokyo Stradivarius Festival 2018 exhibition
Eighteen Stradivari violins, a cello and a viola, plus an Andrea Amati will be featured
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FocusWhy is the thickness of the front and back of Stradivari's instruments so unpredictable?
Although there is no record of how the Cremonese makers finished their instruments, Dirk Jacob Hamoen argues that the final scraping was done after they had been strung up and played in the white
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VideoBusoni's Kultaselle played on Stradivarius ‘Chigiano’ cello
In this video, cellist Erica Piccotti plays Busoni’s Kultaselle - variations on a Finnish theme on the Stradivari ‘Chigiano’ cello, with pianist Monica Cattarossi. The cello belongs to the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena and has been exhibited at the Museo del Violino, Cremona, as well as featuring in The ...
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FocusJan Vogler's 1707 ‘Fau, Castelbarco’ Stradivarius
In this extract from an article published in the August 2017 issue, Jan Vogler discusses how he first encountered the cello that is now his constant companion
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NewsPlans unveiled for Tokyo Stradivarius Festival
Blockbuster exhibition, supported by The Strad, will feature over 20 instruments
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NewsObituary: viola and violin soloist Luigi Alberto Bianchi, 1945-2018
Menuhin protégé who in later years swapped fluidly between violin and viola, and whose career was punctuated by the thefts of two famous instruments
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NewsThe Strad January 2018 issue is out now
Yo-Yo Ma’s initiative to encourage young players in Guangdong, and his enthusiasm for making all kinds of connections
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GalleryFrom The Strad Calendar 2018: Stradivarius ‘Lam, ex-Scotland University’ violin, 1734
Based in Cremona, the Friends of Stradivari network brings together instruments owned by collectors and stringed-instrument enthusiasts from around the world. The Strad Calendar 2018 celebrates twelve of these treasures, with this violin from the Lerner-Lam family collection featuring in November. Text by John Dilworth