Editor’s letter

ANGELA LYONS For most musicians, living through the

SOUNDPOST

Letters, emails, online comments

On the beat

News and events from around the world this month

IN FOCUS

GIROLAMO AMATI II

TRADE SECRETS

Making a martelé button

MY SPACE

LUTHIER GERTRUD REUTER

MAKING MATTERS

Something in the air

MASTERCLASS

BRAHMS VIOLA SONATA OP.120 NO.1

TECHNIQUE

Playing with expression

CONCERTS

Live streams: US

RECORDINGS

HOMAGE TO BACH BACH Solo Violin Sonatas: in

BOOKS

Monograph of the Antonio Stradivari Cello c.1690 ‘Barjansky’ Ed.

From the ARCHIVE

FROM THE STRAD AUGUST 1901 VOL.12 NO.136

VIKTORIA MULLOVA

The Sibelius Violin Concerto played a pivotal part in the Soviet-born violinist’s life – even though it was unknown to her until the age of 18

A kind of magic

The powers of alchemy form the basis of a new string quartet

NEW PRODUCTS

Pure and simple A user-friendly tuning website for

Life lessons

The acclaimed solo and chamber bassist stresses the importance of self-reliance and self-discipline in building a meaningful career and life

RELAXED BODY, FOCUSED MIND

The art of Chinese calligraphy has much to teach us about playing a stringed instrument, writes violist Hsin-Yun Huang

A SUNNY DISPOSITION

In the past few years, US violinist Esther Yoo has seen her career blossom as a soloist and chamber player. And despite the pandemic, she has seized every opportunity to grow as a musician, as she tells

ADJUSTMENT TO CHANGE

The method of connecting an instrument’s neck to its body has undergone seismic changes since the Baroque era. Joseph Curtin analyses the ancient and modern procedures, and examines the benefits offered by fixing an adjustable neck

LORD OF THE DANCE

Three centuries ago, Bach had completed his set of six Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin. In the second of two articles, Lewis Kaplan, senior member of the Juilliard School faculty, discusses interpretation of the three partitas – with reference to Bach’s autograph score

An enduring legacy

Like their close contemporaries the Knopfs, the Herrmann family of bow makers left behind a large number of bows, many of which show exquisite craftsmanship. In the second of two articles, Gennady Filimonov examines their history, their connections with the Knopfs, and several examples of their work

WEATHERING THE STORM

Violinist Karen Gomyo’s new album, dedicated to Astor Piazzolla and recorded during the Covid-19 pandemic, was a profound and personal project for all involved, writes Rita Fernandes

PORTRAIT OF A LADY HOLDING A VIOLIN

Taking a Regency portrait of an unknown violinist as his starting point, Kevin MacDonald investigates the lives and careers of Louise Gautherot and other female violinists of Georgian England

AHEAD OF THE CURVE

Recording the archings of instruments is one of the most difficult areas of violin making and restoration. Charline Dequincey describes a method using dental compound which is accessible to anyone, and gives high-quality results