SOUNDPOST

SMALL PLEASURES

LETTER of the MONTH

TOP PHOTO MICHAEL BECKET. BOTTOM PHOTO TOM DOMS

I loved reading about violin maker Maria Sandner in the August picture story (News, page 16). Good on her for making miniature violins in lockdown. They look spectacularly beautiful and expertly made. In the spirit of sharing, I thought readers of The Strad might enjoy this photo of my own antique miniature violins (above), which I have been collecting for over 50 years. As well as 1/16 and 1/32 instruments, I also have one which is 1/64 size. Tiny indeed. You might spot four Mittenwald violins (one of which is a Neuner) and another by Paul Hilaire.

London, UK

POSTER BOY

I wanted to say how blown away I am by The Strad ’s most recent poster, of the ‘Benecke’ Stradivari violin. The magazine’s posters have come a long way in the last 30-odd years that I have been studying them. As an engineer by trade, I found the technical information onpast posters a little vague - in particular, the way measurements were taken which was never explained, which left one in doubt. The very clear CT scans on the ‘Benecke’ poster o.er one the opportunity to study the violin in depth for the .rst time, and I’m having a go at making one myself. I urge The Strad to continue producing such .ne posters.

JOHN MATTHEWS

Gosport, UK

UNPLEASANT SIDE EFFECTS

If any good can come from the sad news that the historic artist management .rm CAMI (formerly known as Columbia Artists) has gone into liquidation, it will be to alert people to the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the wider reaches of the classical music industry. What is particularly worrying is that, with artists such as Anne-Sophie Mutter and Ray Chen (right) on its books, CAMI must have been better placed than most to weather the storm. The closure of the London-based artist management .rm Hazard Chase is just another sorry example. The overnight disappearance of many performers’ incomes has, understandably, received the lion’s share of sympathetic music lovers’ attentions, but the plight of those who bring together audiences and performers cannot be ignored.

Since players receive most of their income from the performance fees charged by those they represent, artist management companies are almost entirely dependent on alively culture of public music making. As well as the seemingly interminable stream of cancellations that came inspring and summer, incomes have also been dented by the e.ect limited audience numbers have had on fees where concerts do take place. Those tasked with delivering support to struggling sectors of the economy must not forget about the mechanisms that allow our most talented performers to do what they do best.

THOMAS RÜPPEL

Toronto, Canada

TRUE REFLECTION

MIDORI PHOTO TIMOTHY GREENFIELD-SANDERS

In the profile of Midori (‘Active Listener’, October), she is quoted as.saying, ‘Ultimately it is the composer’s work, and just because you want to play it in a certain way doesn’t mean you can.’ Reading this,.I was reminded of Patricia Kopatchinskaja’s contribution to the recent article about cadenza writing (‘Creativity Unchained’, July). What would Midori’s take be on the cadenza Kopatchinskaja wrote for Vivaldi’s ‘Tempesta di mare’ Concerto, complete with wind machine?

While the idea for a piece starts o. inside the composer’s head, it is the job of the performer to do it justice for the audience. In Vivaldi’s time, rain, thunder and howling wind would probably have been the loudest.sounds an.audience would ever have heard. Kopatchinskaja’s audience, on the other hand, know what a smoke alarm sounds like at close range, and have been inside an aeroplane as it takes o.. She has to give more to the music, in other words, for it to have the same e.ect now as it did back then. Being true to the composer’s wishes doesn’t always mean being true to the score.

ARTYOM RUBANOVICH

Budapest, Hungary

ONLINE COMMENT

An article in which Violinist Pinchas Zukerman suggested young players should be practical about making a career for themselves attracted both criticism and support bit.ly/2QK3jfF

NAOMI KEOGH I think he speaks a lot of sense. Not every incredible sportsperson makes it to the Olympics. How far you get is limited by your talents, but also by your mindset (and the need to keep a grasp on reality). It isnt a bad idea to have a plan B.

KHALIDA DE RIDDERI like Pinky, but I wish someone of his Standing would write an article about the importance of learning music regardless of the outcome.

SUSAN COLLI NS If he were coaching a young sports team, would the kids enjoy the game? If all coaches spoke like that, how many people would still have a favourite sport later in life? Fortunately there are many teachers who inspire young people to make music a part of their lives, regardless of how they go on to earn a living.

ANTOINE MITCHELL This guy always talks sense.

TASANA NAGAVAJARA I have always said to my students that, although their studying music might not help them to buy a house, it will equip them for life in other ways.

VERA ILYUSHINA It isn’t easy to be realistic and dream big at the same time