Sara Caswell on What It’s Like to Play Her Norwegian Hardanger D’amore
It has a warmth to it and an age and a wisdom to its sound.
May-June 2023
Every Small Part of the Violin Making Process Makes a Big Difference for Luthier Edgar Russ
Russ' popular YouTube channel shines a bright and interesting light on the finer details of violin making
Matt Wehling Makes Bows with Balance, Strength, Weight, and Longevity in Mind
Wehling has been making high-end bows that help players minimize their effort (while maximizing their power) and color their tone for more than 20 years
Mike Block’s Cello Gear Has to Keep up With His Eclectic, Multi-Style Career
The “multi-style musician" plays in the Silk Road Ensemble, an American/African fusion band, a tabla duo project, an acoustic folk group, and more
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Mozart’s Divertimento Emerges Into a Gambler’s Paradise in Patrick Mackie’s ‘Mozart in Motion’
In his book Mozart in Motion, Patrick Mackie describes the era toward the end of the composer’s life as a “manically golden age of gambling across Europe.”
Violinist Stella Chen Produces ‘Interesting’ Sound on Stunning Debut Album ‘Stella X Schubert’
A sense of enthusiasm can be heard throughout Chen’s supremely confident debut with pianist Henry Kramer
Sheet Music Review: Claude Debussy’s Dances for Harp & String Orchestra
Debussy wrote these two short dances to a commission from the instrument-making firm of Pleyel, keen to market its newly developed chromatic harp.
Mark Wood’s Viper Electric Violin Has Enough Star Power to Make Guitarists Envious
His energy as electric as his violins, Mark Wood has been on a mission to disrupt the most venerable of musical traditions since his first day at Juilliard.
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Starting on the String Yields Great Benefit With Less Effort
Starting from the string (SOS, or grounding one’s overall technique by focusing on the moment the bow first touches the string) is a critical tool in making playing both better and easier.
Cellist Laura Metcalf’s Sunday-Morning Musical Series ‘Gather’ Showcases Talent and Diversity of NYC Scene
Metcalf’s current project is a Sunday-morning concert series called GatherNYC at the Museum of Arts and Design on Columbus Circle, the heart of Manhattan.
Jazz Violinist Sara Caswell Returns to the Stage, and Releases ‘The Way to You,’ Her First Solo Album in 17 years
The new album has a broad sonic range with Caswell's band, including bass, guitar, drums and vibes.
Desmond Timms Has Been Building Fine Violin Cases for Over a Quarter of a Century
As he approaches retirement, Timms is acutely aware that he is indeed “the trustee” of a long tradition of English case making.
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Sheet Music Review: Arnold Schoenberg’s Revolutionary Second Quartet Transitions Through His Experimental Style
For all its atonality, Schoenberg’s Second Quartet reverts to the classic four-movement form.
Slaying the Final Boss—Performance—Requires Smart Practice
The process can be broken down into making clear goals, trying out specific methods to achieve them, and then immediately observing if the methods were helpful
Gear Tips for Beginning Cellists: What a Student Really Needs to Have
When starting cello lessons, it’s important for beginners to have the appropriate instrument quality and gear. So, what does a student really need to have?
Violin Maker Jacob von der Lippe Focuses on Giving His Instruments a Signature Sound
Musicians create a signature sound. Composers do, too, obviously, and have over the centuries. Why not violin makers?
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The Catalyst Quartet’s ‘Uncovered’ Project Shines a Light on Forgotten Works by Black Composers
The seeds of the Uncovered Project were initially planted in 2010, shortly after the quartet was formed
Ligeti Quartet Taps the Nucleus of Anna Meredith’s Avant-Garde Universe
This recording includes the newly commissioned Meredith piece “Solstice In/Solstice Out” for string quartet and trumpet, as well as eight other works by her
Fiddler Mark O’Connor’s Memoir ‘Crossing Bridges’ Chronicles His Wide-Ranging Virtuosity
Mark O’Connor has lent his wide-ranging instrumental virtuosity to folk, jazz, rock, and classical music.
A Personal Look at Sibelius’ Sixth Symphony, a Paean to the Natural World That Debuted 100 Years Ago
The Finnish composer Jean Sibelius defies the neat categorizations of music history.
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New Violist Julianne Lee and Founding Cellist Camden Shaw on the Dover Quartet’s New Lineup
Beginning in September 2023, Julianne Lee will take up her new role as violist of the Dover Quartet.
Critic and Author Norman Lebrecht Pens an Ode to Beethoven
Norman Lebrecht listened to 1,000 Beethoven recordings and live broadcasts.
Seth Parker Woods Reimagines an Immersive Concert Experience as an Audio Recording on ‘Difficult Grace’
Difficult Grace, the new album from acclaimed cellist Seth Parker Woods, got its title long before the iconoclastic musician committed to recording
Post-Covid Audio Trends: Apple’s Classical Music App, Listening on Speakers, and a List of Demo Discs
An update on Apple's classical music streaming service, plus trends in home audio gear