All Features articles
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Dance of the swans: the bows of Charles Nicolas Bazin
The Tourte-model bows by Charles Nicolas Bazin represent the pinnacle of elegance and refinement in the history of French bow making. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the swan-head model, Richard Morency examines some of the finest examples
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Session Report: Timothy Ridout on recording a new solo album
As violist Timothy Ridout makes his first foray into recording alone, he and his producer Andrew Keener tell Davina Shum about the process of setting down music by Bach, Britten, Shaw and Telemann
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Dinner with Kreisler: the Kreisler 150th anniversary
To mark the 150th anniversary of the Austrian virtuoso violinist’s birth on 2 February 1875, long-time fan Ariane Todes imagines a dinner-party conversation with her hero, based on documentary evidence and accounts by his contemporaries
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‘Master of the violin, artist of the soul’: Władysław Baczyński
Władysław Baczyński overcame a life of tragedy to become one of Poland’s most highly regarded 20th-century violin makers. Grzegorz Kaproń tells his story
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Nigel Kennedy: the real thing
Nigel Kennedy is still often viewed as the bad boy of the violin, but he reveals his thoughtful, straight-talking nature as he chats with Harry White about equality, education and his recent forays into original composition
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‘It’s about spending time with the music’: the Attacca Quartet
The Attacca Quartet is about to release its first recording of Ravel’s String Quartet in F major, closing the circle on the ensemble’s career so far. George Grella hears from the four musicians about why they are drawn to that composer, and about their repertoire choices, influences and working methods
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Family treasures: Leopold van der Pals
At the turn of the millennium, a young Scandinavian cellist discovered he had an illustrious musical forebear. Since then, a treasury of previously unperformed music has come to light. Andrew Mellor speaks to cellist Tobias van der Pals about his great-great-uncle Leopold’s legacy
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Session Report: Baroque violinist Davina Clarke on The Art of Obligato
Baroque violinist Davina Clarke speaks to Harry White about her new album, The Art of Obligato, which explores the intricate interplay between vocal and instrumental lines in Bach’s sacred cantatas
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Stars of Africa: South African tonewood
Wood physicist Martina Meincken presents the results of a study investigating whether indigenous woods of southern Africa might be suitable for use as tonewood for instruments
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The legacy of a legend: Jacqueline du Pré tribute
The impact of British cellist Jacqueline du Pré’s towering talent continues to endure, despite her cruelly short career. To mark 80 years since her birth on 26 January 1945, several prominent string soloists speak about the influence her playing has had on their own music making
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A unique poster: ‘Paderewski, Wendling’ violin – part two
Expert and conservator Balthazar Soulier has curated this month’s poster which, for the first time, features an ‘original composite’ violin: the ‘Paderewski, Wendling’, made by Montagnana and Guarneri ‘del Gesù’. Here he places this unique instrument in context and highlights complementary information to enable a better understanding of the poster ...
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Heifetz as teacher: Words from the master
Ayke Agus served as Heifetz’s personal accompanist during classes and performances for the last 15 years of his life. Here, she shares recollections of his practice routine and teaching methods with Enrico Alvares
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Five generations of the Weidhaas–Finkel bow making dynasty
Gennady Filimonov continues his survey of the great 20th-century German bow makers with a look at the Weidhaas–Finkel dynasty, which now boasts five generations in the profession
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Celebrating South African music: the Signum Quartet
Carlos María Solare meets the members of the Signum Quartet towards the end of their two-year-long project to commission and perform brand new works that mark 30 years since the fall of apartheid in South Africa
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Session Report: Nemanja Radulović on the sunny side of Bach
Violinist Nemanja Radulović speaks to Tom Stewart about his no-preconceptions approach to arranging and recording some of Bach’s concertos and shorter pieces, and finding just the right balance of novelty and reverence
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Merchants of Venice: Venetian lutherie
In the 16th century, the Republic of Venice was a hotbed of innovation for stringed instrument makers – and the members of the Linarol family were at the heart of the trade. Stefano Pio explores the archives to reveal their fascinating and often colourful lives and careers
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Violinist Ning Feng: Truth and substance
There is seemingly nothing the Chinese-born, Berlin‑based violinist Ning Feng can’t do, from dazzling Paganini interpretations to Bach to 20th‑century concertos. He talks to Michael White about his influences, his future plans and his desire to pass on his musical wisdom to the next generation
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The cosmopolitan virtuoso: Ivan Mane Jarnović
Tanja Goldberg examines the life and legacy of the violin virtuoso and composer Ivan Mane Jarnović, who died 220 years ago, and whose influence on the development of the violin concerto and violin playing in the 18th century has long lain unrecognised
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An unforgotten talent: 100 years of violinist Leonid Kogan
The matchless Soviet violinist Leonid Kogan was born 100 years ago on 14 November 1924. To mark the centenary, Tully Potter examines the life of ‘the greatest violinist’ he’s ever heard in concert
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In the zone: a one-person double bass repair method
For luthiers working alone, double bass repair can be a difficult task to take on. US bass maker Nick Lloyd presents his ‘Zone method’ for re-gluing a bass top using just one pair of hands