We speak to the current members of the Borodin Quartet, celebrating its 70th anniversary this month, and reveal new findings about Mantua luthier Tommaso Balestrieri. Cellist Alexander Baillie analyses Britten, Lawrence Wheeler gives hints on playing spiccato, and we examine a late Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ for In Focus. Plus Julian Lloyd Webber’s Sentimental Work.