August 2025
We talk to South African cellist and composer Abel Selaocoe and mark the 150th anniversary of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s birth. There’s a look at a project to train young luthiers in Latin America, and we investigate the resources for players hit by injury. Plus bassist Joseph Conyers’ Life Lessons and a Beethoven Masterclass with Kristin Lee.
Read more in The Strad
July 2025
We examine the 1730 ‘Farina’ cello by Montagnana, and pay tribute to instrument expert Charles Beare, who died in April. There’s a look at adventurous US string quartets and an interview with British violinist–composer Adam Summerhayes. Plus a Dvořák Masterclass with Camden Shaw of the Dover Quartet.
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June 2025
We celebrate 50 years of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and the 90th birthday of composer Terry Riley. There’s a look at 18th-century instrumental innovations, while Tanja Tetzlaff hands on her Life Lessons. Plus Baiba Skride’s Sentimental Work and our annual Accessories brochure.
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May 2025
US violinist Philippe Quint discusses his new album and we examine the 1732 ‘Baron d’Erlanger’ violin by Guarneri ‘del Gesù’. There’s a look at string trios and the life of George Enescu, and Alina Ibragimova reveals her Sentimental Work. Plus a Mozart Masterclass with Tobias Feldmann.
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April 2025
We talk to violinist Arabella Steinbacher and investigate the work of Viennese luthier Franz Geissenhof and the makers of Markneukirchen. There’s a look at concert music written by film composers, and we ask top string players for the best advice they’ve ever had. Plus a Saint-Saëns Masterclass and Frank Peter Zimmermann’s Sentimental Work.
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March 2025
We talk to Canadian virtuoso James Ehnes and pay tribute to the work of British bow maker James Tubbs. There’s a retrospective of Zara Nelsova’s career and a Masterclass on the first of Schumann’s Five Pieces in Folk Style. Plus Julia Fischer’s Life Lessons and Fabio Biondi’s Sentimental Work.
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February 2025
We talk to the members of the Attacca Quartet, while Nigel Kennedy discusses his latest foray into composition. There’s a look at the work of Polish luthier Ladislaus Baczyński and the bows of Charles Nicolas Bazin. Plus David Finckel’s views on teaching chamber music and Glenn Dicterow’s Sentimental Work.
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January 2025
We celebrate the life of cellist Jacqueline du Pré on what would have been her 80th birthday. There’s a look at tonewoods from South Africa, how to rectify wolf tones, and Daniel Hope reveals his Life Lessons. Plus Paul Huang gives a Masterclass on Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.
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December 2024
We examine the early years of lutherie in Venice and talk to Chinese violinist Ning Feng about his latest projects. There’s a look back at the life of violinist Ivan Mane Jarnović and a Schubert Masterclass with violist William Coleman of the Kuss Quartet. Plus Harriet Krijgh’s Sentimental Work.
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November 2024
We talk to US violinist Rachel Barton Pine and explore the world of string groups in the US military. There’s a retrospective of Leonid Kogan and a Saint-Saëns Masterclass with Max Baillie. Plus interviews with US cellists Alisa Weilerstein and Astrid Schween.
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October 2024
The current members of the Takács Quartet discuss the group’s 50th anniversary and we ask whether it’s possible to teach yourself the violin. French violinist Régis Pasquier shares some stories from his long career and we examine the career of luthier Amedeo Simonazzi. Plus interviews with Alexander Baillie, Matthew Barley and Alexander Sitkovetsky.
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September 2024
Ray Chen talks about his latest projects and we examine a unique Montagnana with a top by Guarneri ‘del Gesù’. There’s a look at the work of the Scandinavian Cello School, Suzuki around the world, and the centenary of the Curtis Institute. Plus Daniel Müller-Schott’s Life Lessons.
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August 2024
We talk to Baroque violinist Rachel Podger and examine a bow that might possibly have come from Stradivari’s workshop. There’s a focus on the new generation of double bass players and a look back at the career of cello pedagogue Christopher Bunting. Plus Tasmin Little’s Life Lessons and Simone Lamsma’s Sentimental Work.
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July 2024
We examine the 1733 ‘Salabue, Martzy’ violin by Carlo Bergonzi, and violinist Daniel Rowland reflects on his multifaceted career. There’s a look at the life of bassist Serge Koussevitzky and the results of an investigation into the bass-bar. Plus Sarah Chang’s Life Lessons and the first of a two-part Schubert Masterclass.
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Buy Carlo Bergonzi 'Salabue, Martzy' violin 1733 poster here
June 2024
Cellist Laura van der Heijden discusses her new album of concertos and we celebrate three decades of the Henschel Quartet. There’s a look at piano trios and a guide to good customer relations in a violin shop. Plus Jennifer Koh’s Life Lessons and our annual Accessories guide.
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Folded Poster Tailored Bundle
FOLDED VERSIONS
Choose any two or more of The Strad's folded posters and pay just £9.99 for each.
(Now including our most recently released poster, ‘Rovelli’ Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ violin 1742)
Watch a video of some of the selection here
Antonio Stradivari ‘Boissier, Sarasate’ violin 1713 poster
Made during Antonio's Stradivari's so-called 'golden period', the 1713 'Boissier, Sarasate' is in an excellent state of preservation. Housed in the museum of the Madrid Royal Conservatoire, it has rarely been played since it was left to the music school by its last owner, the Spanish virtuoso Pablo Sarasate. This poster includes full outlines and measurements taken from a state-of-the-art 3D scan of the instrument.
'The surface retains a very good amount of varnish. It is remarkable that it has not been ‘protected’ with a layer of French polish, making it ever more outstanding and appreciated in today’s shop standards. The colour of the varnish is a light reddish-brown over Stradivari’s wonderful golden ground.' – Roberto Jardón Rico in the January 2024 issue of The StradOur posters are shipped separately from other products. One tube can hold up to 10 posters. Save on postage costs by purchasing up to 10 posters per tube today.
***Don't miss our NEW Folded Poster Tailored Bundle. Choose any two or more of The Strad’s folded posters and pay just £9.99 for each. Watch a video of the selection here***
Antonio Stradivari ‘Boissier, Sarasate’ Violin 1713 poster – FOLDED VERSION
FOLDED VERSION
Made during Antonio's Stradivari's so-called 'golden period', the 1713 'Boissier, Sarasate' is in an excellent state of preservation. Housed in the museum of the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid, it has rarely been played since it was left to the conservatoire by its last owner, the Spanish virtuoso Pablo Sarasate. This poster includes full outlines and measurements taken from a state-of-the-art 3D scan of the instrument.
'The surface retains a very good amount of varnish. It is remarkable that it has not been ‘protected’ with a layer of French polish, making it ever more outstanding and appreciated in today’s shop standards. The colour of the varnish is a light reddish-brown over Stradivari’s wonderful golden ground.' – Roberto Jardón Rico in the January 2024 issue of The Strad
***Don't miss our NEW Folded Poster Tailored Bundle. Choose any two or more of The Strad’s folded posters and pay just £9.99 for each. Watch a video of the selection here***
Domenico Montagnana ‘Farina’ cello 1730 – FOLDED VERSION
FOLDED VERSION
Domenico Montagnana was possibly the greatest cello maker in history, and the 1730 'Farina' was made during the period when he was at the height of his powers. Unlike most Montagnana cellos, it has never been cut down and retains its original proportions. Now owned by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the instrument has a very powerful sound with a wide array of colours. Previous owners have included May Mukle, one of the first successful female cello soloists.
'The abundant famous Venetian varnish is of a rich, dark red colour, with a fascinating array of textures and patinas. In the areas where the varnish has worn off, a beautiful golden amber ground is revealed. As with most uncut Montagnana cellos, the outline is wide in the upper bouts and corners, and deeply swept in at the C-bouts, with big, broad lower bouts.' - John Waddle and Steve Sirr in the July 2025 edition of The Strad.
'When making recordings, the sound engineer has to turn down my microphone because it sounds up to eight decibels louder than any other cello' - Ilya Finkelshteyn, principal cellist, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
Find out how more than 30 luthiers collaborated to build a copy of the c.1730 ‘Farina’ in the November 2023 Strad magazine article, "COPYING A MONTAGNANA CELLO – Robin Aitchison reports from the annual Oberlin Violin Makers Workshop"
***Don't miss our Folded Poster Tailored Bundle. Choose any two or more of The Strad’s folded posters and pay just £9.99 for each. Watch a video of some of the selection here***
Montagnana c.1720–Guarneri ‘del Gesù’ c.1742 ‘Paderewski, Wendling’ violin – FOLDED VERSION
FOLDED VERSION
This is a unique instrument with a body by Montagnana and a top plate by Guarneri 'del Gesù'. Artists such as Vilde Frang, Isabelle Faust and Augustin Dumay have unanimously praised the violin's sound, recognising its unmistakably ‘del Gesù’ character, with dark basses, great projection and a particularly warm and open E string.
'The large Venetian model combined with the distinctive ‘del Gesù’ front arching, well-preserved thickness and f-holes, offers a particularly attractive and inspiring reference model.' - Balthazar Soulier in the January 2025 issue.
***Don't miss our NEW Folded Poster Tailored Bundle. Choose any two or more of The Strad’s folded posters and pay just £9.99 for each. Watch a video of the selection here***
Carlo Bergonzi ‘Salabue, Martzy’ violin 1733 poster – FOLDED VERSION
FOLDED VERSION
This stunning instrument, still in immaculate condition, bears all the hallmarks of the luthier Carlo Bergonzi, who moved into Antonio Stradivari's workshop following the latter's death. The famed instrument collector Count Cozio di Salabue called it 'my largest and most beautiful Bergonzi'. It was later used as the principal performing instrument of Hungarian virtuoso Johanna Martzy (1924–79).
'The f-holes of the ‘Salabue, Martzy’ are bold and distinctive. In concept, they derive from a Stradivari model but the stems are more angled and the wings are broader' - Jason Price in the July 2024 edition of The Strad.
***Don't miss our NEW Folded Poster Tailored Bundle. Choose any two or more of The Strad’s folded posters and pay just £9.99 for each. Watch a video of the selection here***
Carlo Bergonzi ‘Salabue, Martzy’ violin 1733 poster
This stunning instrument, still in immaculate condition, bears all the hallmarks of the luthier Carlo Bergonzi, who moved into Antonio Stradivari's workshop following the latter's death. The famed instrument collector Count Cozio di Salabue called it 'my largest and most beautiful Bergonzi'. It was later used as the principal performing instrument of Hungarian virtuoso Johanna Martzy (1924–79).
'The f-holes of the ‘Salabue, Martzy’ are bold and distinctive. In concept, they derive from a Stradivari model but the stems are more angled and the wings are broader' - Jason Price in the July 2024 edition of The Strad.
Our rolled posters are shipped separately from other products. One tube can hold up to 10 posters. Save on postage costs by purchasing up to 10 posters per tube today.
***Don't miss our NEW Folded Poster Tailored Bundle. Choose any two or more of The Strad’s folded posters and pay just £9.99 for each. Watch a video of the selection here***
The Strad Calendar 2024: The Fulton Collection
American collector David L. Fulton amassed one of the 20th century’s finest collections of stringed instruments. This year’s calendar pays tribute to some of these priceless treasures, including Yehudi Menuhin’s celebrated ‘Lord Wilton’ Guarneri, the Carlo Bergonzi once played by Fritz Kreisler, and four instruments by Antonio Stradivari.
