No. 235, November 2014
Born to Bartok
Violinist James Ehnes delves into
Hungarian composer’s masterworks
By Rory Williams
Better Late Than Never
Joining an adult-enthusiast ensemble—an excerpt from ‘The Late Starters Orchestra’
By Ari L. Goldman
Smashing the Laws of Tradition
Cellist Maya Beiser pushes the boundaries of classical music by embracing classic rock
By David Knowles
The Heiresses Loved Strads
Anna and Huguette Clark owned eight Stradivaris, including a violin closeted in an abandoned New York City apartment for 20 years
By Rebecca Rego Barry
Comic Relief
How Jack Benny showed America that you can sound awful even on a Stradivari violin
By Jim Farber
Ivory & Agony
Players and bow makers scramble to adapt to new rules trying to turn the tide against elephant poaching—and possible extinction
By Patrick Sullivan
View from the First Chair
Concertmaster Noah Geller is bringing Philly soul to the Kansas City Symphony
News & Notes
Casey Crescenzo of the Dear Hunter scores a symphonic hit; jazz violinist John Blake Jr. is remembered; and more, plus Milestones, and 5 minutes with Johnny Gandelsman of Brooklyn Rider
Letter from Verbier
The magic of attending an amateur chamber-music workshop in the Swiss Alps
Letter from South Korea
Farm-hopping trip to South Korea sprouts unexpected benefits
Strings 101
6 ways to improve your violin and viola vibrato
Master Class
The game changer: Beethoven’s String Quartet in C major, Op. 59, No. 3
Practical Musician
7 simple ways to avoid training in vain
Strings Trade
A ban on grain alcohol is problematic for luthiers; the “Lipinski” Strad thief gets sentenced; and more
What’s in the Case
Jennifer Stumm needed a viola with a big personality—she found it in a ca. 1590 Gasparo da Salò
Your Instrument
What you should know before your next rehair
Ask the Expert
What are these mysterious extra holes on my violin?
New Products
Two updated violins from Eastman;
new string sets from Pirastro and D’Addario Kaplan
Reviews
Discs Ljova weaves joy and sorrow and dreams; and more In Print New biography on Beethoven focuses on the man behind the myth; and more
