SOUNDPOST

David and Igor Oistrakh in the 1950s

LETTER of the MONTH

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

The recent death of Igor Oistrakh (Obituaries, October 2021) prompted a reminiscence.

I lived in Berlin during the 1970s and 80s, when I saw both David and Igor Oistrakh at the Philharmonie, in several recitals and concerts. The Berlin audiences absolutely loved David; the applause was always fanatical. The applause for Igor was polite – certainly not at the same level as his father’s.

A few years after David died, I saw another recital at the Philharmonie where Igor was accompanied by his amazing pianist wife, Natalia Zertsalova. She never used a page turner! The programme for that recital was somewhat heavy and leaden for my taste, and perhaps also for that of the audience. After the final selection, the audience applauded politely and Igor played an encore, again to polite applause. After he exited the stage, the applause waned quickly, but Igor didn’t waste any time backstage, and came out again for a second encore. He played The Last Rose of Summer by Ernst, and the audience went nuts! The applause lasted for about ten minutes. It was as if Igor were telling the audience not to underestimate him. I went to one more recital of Igor’s in Berlin before returning home to the States. That recital was almost sold out, and the applause was no longer merely polite; it was fanatical, just as it had been for his father.

LORRAINE COMBS

Millersville, MD, US

BON VOYAGE

I was interested to read the story about Delta Airlines creating panic and uncertainty for musicians travelling with instruments that the airline cannot or will not check (bit.ly/3ANHu4h). I have a few suggestions for string players, based on pre-Covid and more recent experiences.

Firstly, board as early as possible. Be at the front of your boarding group. Make eye contact with the boarding staff so they know you are serious about a calm and timely process. I find it best to get a paper boarding card rather than have something on my phone. Phones take away our attention from our surroundings and slow down the efficiency of movement. If you suspect problems, use your charm to seek out potentially helpful flight attendants or employees. If they attempt to ask you to gate-check, inform them that it is a valuable historic relic (the year it was made helps) and ask if the cargo space will be pressurised and heated, and that your insurance company will not allow you to gate-check. Offer to help them find space elsewhere in the plane. When inside the plane, pay attention to what is happening around you and who is in charge.

Travel with the smallest possible case to minimise visibility when it is on your back. If you have a ton of music with you, it’s best to put it in a separate small backpack. Offer to help people with whom you share cargo space. They will be fascinated that their unmentionables will be riding next to a Stainer!

Attitude and arguing do not work. Honey works better than vinegar. You are not the most important person in the airport. The pilot and flight crew are. Once you are in your seat and your fiddle is safely stashed, congratulate yourself on a fine performance!

GABRIEL SCHAFF

Harrington Park, NJ, US

SINGING THE PRAISES

‘I love oddities above all things, and odd men above all oddities’ – so wrote the Rev Meredith Morris of British Violin Makers fame. This is the quote that came to my mind after reading your article on the amazing cellist, Daniil Shafran (‘The unsung hero’, September 2021). He was a man who, it seems, always remained true to himself, a ‘non-conformist who played on a Cinderella cello’. Oh, that there were more like him! Thank you to Steven Isserlis for organising the 1995 concert, which reminded the music world of this wonderful artist and human being.

CLIVE MORRIS

Neath, Wales, UK

GOLDEN OLDIES?

PHOTO ANTOINE NÉDÉLEC. ATTACCA PHOTO DAVID GODDARD

I was reading The Strad’s feature on antiquing (‘The art… of deception?’, September 2021) and had a few thoughts. The issue of antiquing newly built instruments (and the still-prevailing desire for musicians to play an old-looking one) is surely linked to the cheap factory instruments from Germany and China that flooded the market in the 1970s and 80s? Those instruments generally gave modern ones a bad press, and only since the 90s or so has it been more acceptable among musicians to play highquality and hand-crafted newly built instruments (also owing to the fact that the old ones were becoming rather unaffordable!). Perhaps it’s only a matter of time for un-antiqued instruments to become desirable for musicians to play, and the issue will resolve itself?

KARIN TILCH

London, UK