December 2020 issue | Willemotte Stradivari: The late-period violin's strong personality is the perfect match for its current owner Leonidas Kavakos

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Cover features

1734 Stradivari violin ‘Willemotte’: Late… but worth the wait

Made when Antonio Stradivari was 90 years old, the 1734 ‘Willemotte’ bears all his hallmarks including a deep, complex tone quality

Vieuxtemps cadenzas: Following the clues

The recent discovery of another cadenza to the first movement of Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, likely by Vieuxtemps, sheds an interesting light on the early performance history of the work, writes Martin Wulfhorst

Teaching chamber music: light-bulb moments

Giving formal chamber music training to students during their school years is vital for fostering a lifelong commitment to the art, writes Graham Oppenheimer, senior chamber music tutor at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester

Session Report: No holds barred

For Amandine Beyer and her Gli Incogniti period ensemble, the string symphonies of C.P.E. Bach represented an opportunity to record difficult but exhilarating repertoire. Charlotte Gardner recalls attending the 2019 sessions, as the album nears its release following Covid-19 delays

The viola d’amore: For a sympathetic ear

The viola d’amore is undergoing a resurgence in popularity among early music groups, with a wealth of repertoire still to be rediscovered. Rachael Durkin tracks the development of this unique instrument, examining its many precursors along the way

Evolving interpretations: The long and winding road

The development of the great violinists from fresh young artists to profound musical thinkers can be charted through their recorded interpretations. Nathaniel Vallois uses his time in lockdown to examine changes in the playing style of some of the best-known names