Editor’s letterWhen, in March 2019, The Strad held its rst Stradfest

Contributors(Making Matters, page 72) has won 14 gold medals and

SOUNDPOSTLetters, emails, online comments

The devil and the deep blue seaWith a Covid-19 second wave looking increasingly likely in the UK, string teachers are faced with the choice of returning to work in schools, or continuing with online tuition

OBITUARIESDouble bassist Erich Hartmann, who died on 6 July

Ex-Shanghai Quartet violinist sues former colleagues for unfair dismissalALL CHANGE: Two of the world’s leading female violinists

A clear purposeUsing new materials to help bring balance and beauty to players’ sound

Life lessonsThe British cellist reflects on transformative experiences in the US and returning as a teacher to his old student haunts

UNITED IN SOUNDAfter twelve years together, the Dover Quartet is marking its graduation to the ranks of mature ensembles with a new Beethoven recording cycle and a residency at the Curtis Institute. The players speak to Charlotte Smith from the Bravo! Vail Music Festival

THE SPICE OF LIFEToo often string teachers shy away from embracing styles outside the Western classical canon, but in doing so they’re ignoring a wealth of useful skills and techniques, not to mention repertoire, writes

DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT LINEGennady Filimonov examines the letters between Carlo Bisiach (1892-1968) and his American representative Leo D. Larsson, which provide a fascinating perspective on the violin trade in the 1930s and 40s, as well as an insight into the Italian luthier’s working methods

AMERICAN DREAMSOn his latest album, German Violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann devotes himself to the works of Bohuslav Martinü and Bela Bartök, two immigrants to the US in the wake of the Second World War, as Tom Stewart reports

ALL ABOUT THE BOWAmerican cellist Leonard Rose was a consummate performer and pedagogue, whose velvety tone was the result of complete mastery of the bow arm. Oskar Falta explores some of his bowing theories and speaks to former students about his teaching techniques

UNSUNG HEROES of the SILVER SCREENLasting from the late 1920s to 1960, Hollywood’s golden age was a boom time for musicians, and those who catered for them. Raphael Gold tells the stories of some of the era’s bestregarded LA bow makers, and reveals why their work should be better known today

ARTHUR JAMES MASKREYA close look at the work of great and unusual makers

Removing the mould after gluing the liningsA simple procedure that imitates the methods of the old Cremonese makers

MY SPACEA peek into lutherie workshops around the world

New angles on an old problemDavid Burgess explains how he made a simple device for raising and lowering the tailpiece, to compare the differences in sound when adjusting the string angle and downforce on the bridge

BRAHMS VIOLIN SONATA NO.3 IN D MINOR OP.108In his explorations of the first movement, Hagai Shaham discusses the German composer’s clear performance instructions, intimate Romantic style and self-critical nature

Playing with expressionIdeas to help you experiment, and to find new sounds and means of expression on your instrument

RECORDINGSBEETHOVEN String Quartet in C sharp minor op.131 LIGETI

CONCERTSPeter Quantrill watches some fine performances from

From the ARCHIVEOne year into the Second World War, The Strad laments the limited prospects for British musicians, despite the indisputable need for music in such troubled times

IN THE NEXT ISSUE1734 ‘Willemotte’ Stradivari Sam Zygmuntowicz examines

AMANDA FORSYTHFor the Canadian cellist, Richard Strauss'sDon Quixoteis a rollercoaster ride through all the composer’s Romantic works, as well as a huge physical challenge'