Episodes
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Episode 75: Patricia Kopatchinskaja on Brahms, Bartók and Janáček
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Patricia Kopatchinskaja speaks to online editor Davina Shum about her recent programme of Janáček, Bartók and Brahms – including how she has to embody the composers’ wishes on stage. Not only has she recorded this programme of violin sonatas with pianist Fazil Say, she has also taken it on tour. How does she keep the pieces fresh and spontaneous on the road and in collaboration? Have a listen to her insights on performing these works.
Check out Patricia and Fazil's 'Strad Recommends' album review in the February 2023 issue here:
Find the album here: https://lnk.to/JanacekBrahmsBartokAr
The duo will be on tour with the programme on the following dates:
2 June: Baden Baden
3 June: Essen
4 June: Madrid
5 June: Barcelona
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I: Con moto
Sonata for Violin and Piano JW IIV7
Leoš Janáček
Patricia Kopatchinskaja, violin / Fazil Say, piano
Brahms, Bartók and Janáček
Alpha Classics
Alpha 885
Photo credit: Marco Borggreve
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Episode 74: Violinist Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen on new Nordic folk music
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
As well as being violinist of the Danish String Quartet, Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen is also a member of the folk trio Dreamers’ Circus. In an aim to pass on the traditions of Nordic folk music to the next generation of musicians, the trio has devised a resource called Handed On – a project comprising original folk music in the form of sheet music and YouTube videos. If you’re interested in incorporating more (or any) Nordic folk music in your lessons, listen on to what Rune has to say. He spoke about the role of folk music in his own education, the parallels between Handed On and the Suzuki Method, as well as having more variety of repertoire in lessons.
Find out more here https://www.handedon.com/
https://edition-s.dk/music/dreamers-circus/dreamers-circus
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Mads Hansens Polka
Stormpolskan
Handed On
Dreamers’ Circus
Photo credit: Caroline Bittencourt
Thursday Jan 19, 2023
Episode 73: Cellist Alisa Weilerstein on ’Fragments’
Thursday Jan 19, 2023
Thursday Jan 19, 2023
Alisa Weilerstein is embarking on a multi-year project called Fragments – comprising all 36 movements of Bach’s solo cello suites, interweaved with new commissions from 27 diverse composers. Alisa speaks to online editor Davina Shum about how this project came about, how a combination of theatrical elements come together to provide a unique musical experience, and why it’s good to jump into seemingly daunting projects with both feet.
Fragments 1&2 will premiere in Toronto on 28 January. Alisa will perform Fragments 2 in Irvine, CA (12 March) and Fragments 1 in Santa Barbara, CA (10 March), La Jolla, CA (14 March) and at New York’s Carnegie Hall (1 April)
Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.
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Courante
Suite for Solo Cello no.2 in D minor - Bach
Alisa Weilerstein, cello
PENTATONE PTC5186751
Photo credit: Marco Borggreve
Thursday Jan 12, 2023
Episode 72: Liam Byrne on the viola da gamba
Thursday Jan 12, 2023
Thursday Jan 12, 2023
Liam Byrne’s website states that he ‘spends most of his time playing either very old or very new music on the viola da gamba’ – often involving electronics. Perhaps you might think of the viola da gamba playing only historical music – Liam shared with online editor Davina Shum his approach of playing a wide range of repertoire with new technology and how in doing so, it opened up a world of colour and timbre.
Liam will appear at the d&b Soundscape event on 20 January 2023 at Sound Unwrapped, Kings Place. Find out more information here.
Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.
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Long Phrases for the Wilton Diptych – Nico Muhly
Concrete
Liam Byrne, viola da gamba
Photo credit: Tom Roelofs
Thursday Jan 05, 2023
Episode 71: David Garrett on Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violins
Thursday Jan 05, 2023
Thursday Jan 05, 2023
Because of their rarity and exquisite craftmanship, the famed violins of Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ fetch a high price – including the 1741 ‘Vieuxtemps’ which boasts the title of the world’s most expensive violin. Recently, violinist David Garrett fulfilled a lifelong dream of acquiring a del Gesu violin from 1736 – he joins online editor Davina Shum in this episode to speak about what ‘del Gesù’ violins mean for him, as well as his new ‘del Gesù’ Club, where owners, players and collectors of ‘del Gesù’ violins gathered to play, observe and discuss all things ‘del Gesù’.
Find out more about David’s ’del Gesù’ Club at guarneridelgesu.com
Read David's account of acquiring his 1736 ’del Gesù’ violin here.
Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.
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6 lieder op.34 II Auf Flügeln des Gesanges – Felix Mendelssohn
The Four Seasons 'Winter' II Largo – Antonio Vivaldi
David Garrett, violin
Iconic
Deutsche Grammophon
Photo credit: Christopher Koestlin
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Episode 70: Gwendolyn Masin on three unknown violin pieces you should know
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Violinist Gwendolyn Masin is an intrepid explorer of neglected violin works throughout history. In this episode, she shares with me three short pieces that she believes really should enjoy more time in the spotlight of staple repertoire; by Vítězslava Kaprálová, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Lazare Saminsky.
Interested in exploring these works? Here are links to the scores and Gwendolyn's recommended recordings:
Pieces in order of mention:
- Vítězslava Kaprálová, Burlesque
Score:
http://www.kapralova.org/EDITION.htm
+ Recording
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkHDYcaKeWw
- Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Ritmi
Score:
https://imslp.org/wiki/Ritmi,_Op.15_(Castelnuovo-Tedesco,_Mario)
+
https://mariocastelnuovotedesco.com/works_with_opus/ritmi/
+ Recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3ptU5zQ-X8&t=6s
- Lazare Saminsky, Hebrew Rhapsody
Score:
https://www.universaledition.com/lazare-saminsky-2717/werke/hebraeische-rhapsodie-9936
Recording (by Orsolya Korcsolán):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPnIQCeT1Cw
Read Gwendolyn's online article 'Shining a light on Poldowski' here
Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.
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Tango
Irène Wieniawska (Poldowski)
Gwendolyn Masin, violin / Vera Kooper, piano
Legends
Orchid Classics ORC100210
Photo courtesy Neda Navaee
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
Episode 69: Heather Noonan on the future of pernambuco
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
Online editor Davina Shum speaks to Heather Noonan, the vice president for advocacy, League of American Orchestras. Heather attended the 19th CITES meeting in Panama City, where on 25 November, a decision was made to keep pernambuco wood under CITES Appendix II, with modified wording. What does that mean for you? Heather explains what the modified classification entails, as well what measures musicians and bow makers can take to ensure the future of this precious wood.
Read: Future of pernambuco decided at CITES convention
Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.
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Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Episode 68: Aubrey K Alexander on bridge carving
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
If you’re a player, you’ve probably learnt from an early age to respect the bridge. Here to demystify the topic slightly for players is Aubrey K Alexander, winner of two gold medals for her viola and cello bridges at the International Violin Bridge Competition in October 2022.
Find out how long it typically takes her to make a bridge, as well as the challenges that come with crafting such an intricate component of a stringed instrument, as well as what German Shepherd puppies have to do with bridges.
Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.
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Thursday Nov 24, 2022
Episode 67: Violinist Curtis Stewart on Julia Perry’s Violin Concerto
Thursday Nov 24, 2022
Thursday Nov 24, 2022
Julia Perry (1924-1979) was an American composer, who studied at Tanglewood, Juilliard and in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, where she won the Boulanger Grand Prix for her Viola Sonata. She was the recipient of two Guggenheim Fellowships and also studied in Italy with Luigi Dallapiccola. Despite her prolific achievements, Perry's work has fallen into obscurity, including her Violin Concerto of 1963.
Here to shine a light on her work is violinist Curtis Stewart, who will be giving the premiere performance of Perry’s Violin Concerto with the Experiential Orchestra and James Blachly on 2 December in New York. Curtis speaks with online editor Davina Shum about the unexpected logistics of programming an unknown work, as well as the challenges that come with the piece, and why this work should be performed more often.
Curtis will perform Julia Perry's Violin Concerto on Friday 2 December 2022 at 8pm with the Experiential Orchestra and James Blachly, at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, 450 West 37th Street, New York, NY. More information can be found here.
Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.
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Thursday Nov 10, 2022
Episode 66: Cellist Anastasia Kobekina on choosing the right strings
Thursday Nov 10, 2022
Thursday Nov 10, 2022
This episode is brought to you in association with For-Tune Strings.
Today’s podcast guest is cellist Anastasia Kobekina, who was lucky enough to have the opportunity to help develop For-Tune’s new Opal Gold cello strings, through a series of trials and feedback. Not many string players get the chance to have direct input on their ideal set of strings: Anastasia shares with online editor Davina Shum what she looks for in an ideal string, including the type of sound and playability.
Do you have an opinion on an issue raised in The Strad or on The Strad online, why not write us a letter? If yours gets chosen as The Strad’s Letter of the Month, a set of For-Tune Opal Titan violin or cello strings will be all yours! Email thestrad@thestrad.com
Check out thestrad.com for the latest news, articles and reviews on all things to do with string playing. Register and subscribe to access exclusive archival content from 2010 onwards.
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Fandango Per Violoncello Solo
Giovanni Sollima
Anastasia Kobekina, cello
Ellipses
Mirare MIR 604
Photo credit: Julia Altukhova