BOOKS

Bows, Strings and Dreams Leia Zhu

302PP ISBN 9798863268682 INDEPENDENT £14.99

While it may seem over-eager to pen an autobiography at the age of 16, few adults have managed to achieve what Leia Zhu has in her career to date. Bows, Strings and Dreams, written to be accessible to musicians and non-musicians alike, follows her journey with the violin so far.

Zhu’s infectious personality shines through. The language is flowery, with an abundance of adverbs that require some wading through, and she’s definitely a foodie – no description of her visit to a city is complete without a delve into the local cuisine. The text is supplemented by excerpts from her diary growing up, and a collection of photographs at the end.

It’s a pity that the most crucial era of Zhu’s metamorphosis is touched on only briefly. Her violin story begins with Twinkle at the age of three and a half, and the experience of an ABRSM Grade 1 exam; the next mention of any repertoire is Beethoven’s ‘Spring’ Sonata and the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto at the age of five. One can’t help but wonder at this sensational progression, especially in light of the fact that neither of Zhu’s parents is a musician, and she had only a few months of formal weekly lessons before spending two years without a consistent violin teacher. Zhu does not share insights into her practice methods or routine, but instead focuses on her personal journey and the thought process behind her musical interpretations.

The chapters are grouped according to themes rather than chronologically, with vague titles such as ‘Magic and Memories’, which lead to a sameness of structure. However, where this book comes into its own is in dispelling the mystique of life as an elite performer. Zhu’s grand adventures of meeting royalty and musical legends are offset by very human stories of mishaps with exploding cans of Sprite and losing teeth. And who wouldn’t be charmed by tales of getting pranked by Simon Rattle and introducing Ivry Gitlis to Snapchat filters?

The inspiring and charming Leia Zhu

KEVIN DAY PHOTOGRAPHY

From living in a motorhome for the sake of violin lessons to adapting throughout the pandemic, Zhu is to be commended for her perseverance, as is that of her extremely supportive family. Her motivation is contagious, as is her love for the music she plays. This is a short, feel-good read. Young musicians in particular can take inspiration from the extraordinary things that can be achieved even before adulthood, when fuelled by genuine passion and dedication.

LAUREN WESLEY-SMITH

Italian Violin Making in Argentina Pablo A. Saraví

376PP ISBN 9789878657127 ERIC BLOT EDIZIONI €125

Argentina, with its unique culture enriched by vast immigration, friendly people and cycles of economic boom and bust, epitomises the romance of travel and adventure, yet little is known of the wealth of fine instruments made there. How often do you see an instrument catalogued in the London auction rooms as originating from Argentina? This masterful work by Pablo A. Saraví casts light on the many, varied and often overlooked violin makers of Argentina, many who emigrated from Europe, notably Italy, during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The book is based on the original work by the same author published in 2002, but has been revised and expanded; anyone who enjoyed the first edition will also want a copy of this new version which has been thoroughly and passionately researched by the author. I have learnt a lot while reading this book and realised that some instruments I had seen in the past were in fact made in Argentina! Even though this book is a fascinating and enjoyable read, it also represents a great reference resource which should be on the shelf of every violin shop, collector, dealer and enthusiast. The historic photographs and biographies would also be of interest to musicians and social historians, and violinists are sure to find plenty to lust after among the copious illustrated examples.

As a bonus, and perhaps the section of this publication of most interest to violin makers, is a partial catalogue of notable instruments from the Isaac Fernández Blanco Museum in Buenos Aires. This collection includes violins by Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ (below), Storioni, Mantegazza, Landolfi, Rogeri, Guadagnini and many others, and the photographs in this section are of superb quality. The author explains that unrestored instruments have not been included – which makes me wonder what other gems are in that museum.

The 1732 ‘Armingaud, Fernández Blanco’ violin by Guarneri ‘del Gesú’

COURTESY PABLO A. SARAVÍ

As this volume represents excellent value for money in the world of violin reference books, it feels a little churlish of me to point out that some of the photographs have been snapped in less than ideal conditions, but this is a small gripe for a volume presented excellently overall, and perhaps it simply cannot be possible to bring rare examples of violins into a studio.

After reading this book I am planning a trip to Argentina, not only to see the Blanco museum but to experience Argentina itself. This work not only shares a huge knowledge of a little-known subject but also tells a fascinating story. This book comes highly recommended.

BHARAT KHANDEKAR

Bach Six Suites for Violoncello solo (BWV1007–12)

Arranged for Viola solo Ed. Chung Park

74PP ISBN 9790006568895 BÄRENREITER URTEXT £18

While the majority of modern editions of Bach’s Cello Suites are based on the manuscript by Anna Magdalena Bach, this new innovative edition for viola is based on manuscript C (c.1760s) by Johann Nikolaus Schober, and an anonymous copyist, and manuscript D (1795?) prepared by another anonymous hand.

Playing from the Bärenreiter edition is a pleasure. The music opens easily and stays flat, the layout is thoughtful and clear, and page turns are carefully thought out. It is even possible to perform the long Prelude from Suite no.5 while reading from the music, because open strings in the entire last bar on page 35 (and 43) make it possible to play and turn at the same time.

This edition provides two versions of Suite no.5: the original scordatura version and a pitch notation version. One should not be afraid to tune the A string down to G and learn the suite in its original version. For Suite no.6, the edition includes the original in D major – which it is best to play on a five-string instrument with an E string – and a transposed version in G major. The G major version sounds better on a viola with four strings.

It is very refreshing to explore new appoggiaturas and different notes provided in sources C and D. In this aspect, the new viola version is very important and inspiring, and it might become an indispensable edition for violists.

Unfortunately there are a few missed opportunities. Although both the C and D manuscripts have been used, when there are discrepancies between the two, source D is used in the vast majority of cases throughout the book. For example, in the Sarabande of Suite no.1, source C has a trill on the second beat of bar 4 and a nice appoggiatura note before the second beat of bar 8. Both of these are omitted in the viola part, because they are not in source D. This is surprising, because Johann Nikolaus Schober, the copyist for half of source C, had an excellent reputation and proved to be very reliable and accurate in copying Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas. It is disappointing that in a scholarly edition such as this one, there are no footnotes or endnotes indicating options not included by the editor.

The most frustrating feature of the new edition is bowings. It is much easier to play all bowings directly from a facsimile of either source than to follow the editor’s reading of them in the Bärenreiter viola edition. This could be a major barrier for an inexperienced student learning a suite for the first time. This reviewer recommends letting one’s musicality and experience guide bowing decisions.

Overall, the Bärenreiter edition of the Bach Suites in viola version is an important resource and I am excited to own it. However, one is advised to consult facsimiles of the sources to take full advantage of what this edition has to offer.

MISHA GALAGANOV

Angel Eyes Roger Graham Hargrave

376 PP ISBN 9781805142027 TROUBADOR PUBLISHING £9.99

It is interesting how life turns about. I start with a little personal history to set this review in context. Back in the 1980s, during my editorship of The Strad, Roger Hargrave was one of my stable of writers who put the integrity of the magazine’s violin knowledge on the map. Through his links and my persistence, writers of the calibre of John Dilworth also made their invaluable contributions on the same pages. Hargrave was responsible for introducing the colour posters that changed the lives of so many violin makers, with their accurate colour reproduction and, more importantly, the detailed measurements. Initially he delivered his writing in longhand, as did other contributors, so keen was I to include their words of wisdom and straightforward expertise.

Hargrave was a game changer.

Now at the other end of his working life, Hargrave has distilled his knowledge into a series of novels, the first of which has been published with the remaining four on the way. He is keen to underline the disguised characters, locations and anything else that might point to identifying the sources of some of the juicy stories and plot lines included.

He has spread his canvas wide, and the fluent writing and accessible content should appeal to a broad readership of players and luthiers, amateur and professional, and not just the inner circle of curious violin makers. The violin world is still full of secrecy, despite Hargrave’s efforts to dispel some of the myths, and this book (I have also read excerpts from the next novel) manages to combine raw detailed expertise in the history of violin making, and what to look out for in the making of individual makers, all in the readable narrative.

This is combined with the story of a woman who is tutored in the knowledge of violin making by her father and grandfather, and whose personal life is also a significant thread. The narrative of a young girl’s personal journey, in life and love, is told with real fluency and flair, although the many references to Grace being ‘fat’ did jar. The writing about sex cannot be ignored, and is graphic at times. This sits awkwardly within the narrative and isn’t needed to hold the reader’s attention. Others might enjoy this lurid detail more than I did.

Roger Hargrave

The story is initially set in America, then moves to London, and I imagine will go further in the subsequent novels. There is a terrific amount of interesting historical background, and there were moments when I wondered if I was reading a historical treatise, a graphic love story or a violin family tree. There is didactic storytelling as Hargrave tries to include a mass of information, whether on the Po Valley, class divisions, the development of jazz and its relationship with the radio, and even some interesting explanation of the role of the ship’s surgeon on the Queen Mary.

But I especially appreciated the thread about the Nazi appropriation of violins. If paintings, why not violins? This rang worryingly true, and the book opens post-war with a series of fine instruments being taken from London to the US to be dispersed.

The innate secrecy of the violin world means that the core details of identification are often hidden, and known by the few who have had access to seeing the finest. The selling of instruments is unregulated, save by those experts who profit from the exchanges, and this aspect of the trade receives welcome attention within the storyline of this absorbing novel.

ANNE INGLIS