Letters to young(er) musicians
An occasional rattle bag of response to musicians who write to me Letter to a young musician from the USA 24 4 25 What a…
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Robert Saxton Miniatures in the Studio
aw outtakes of a first group miniatures written for me by Robert Saxton. The miniatures are part of Robert and my constant letter-writing and conversation,…
May Day!
What else …?
Heinrich Utrecht – Sonata (Rost Codex)
An extraordinary early piece of violin music by Heinrich Utrecht (?-1633) active at Celle, in Lower Saxony at the time of his death in 1633.…
Bononcini, Thomas Smith, Jon Boson, go home to Chiswick House
First chance to see – actual footage of the Thos. Smith/Jon Boson violin in the room which we are sure it was made for, in…
Scordatura Stradivari
A sneak peek of what I was doing last week- filming on two Strads and an Amati. A simple scordatura on the ‘Viotti’ Stradivari. NB…
Some Bach on Joachim’s violin
My favourite Bach fugue, on a remarkable violin. For five years, it was my privilege to work on a wonderful violin which had been played…
Nicola Cosimi on a violin by a British maker he admired
The violinist Nicola Cosimi was brought to London by the Duke of Bedford, the euphoniously named Wriothesley Russell. When he returned to Italy, he exported…
A day filming in Chiswick House & Hogarth House
A Welcome to Sweden – from Dag Wirén
A glorious lento from Dag Wirén, which came flooding back to me, as I watched the sunset over The Sound last night here in Sweden…
In memoriam Ilhan Usmanbas(1921-2025).
I got to know this wonderful composer in 2003, when I toured his sonata in Türkiye (with Aaron Shorr) and worked with him. It turned…
‘Futhork for Jan Groth’ for Lund Contemporary
Making the selection of my ‘Futhork for Jan Groth’ which I will play next week at Lund Contemporary. The video is of ‘Secg’ – the…
What’s on my practice desk?
On the overnight practice desk – Rolf Martinsson – ‘Landscape’, which I am playing at Lund Contemporary next week. Here’s the film of my first…
A glimpse from the Studio – David Matthews and a great viola
Part of an inspiring day finishing my recording of volume three of David Matthews Solo Works for Toccata. LOFI Camera Mic – you will have…
Things I like to play, and you might like to listen to
A list of music which I love to play, building day by day, by composers of all eras and ages! Have fun, as this builds.…
First sight of ‘A Chapel’
More from my “a chapel “project in Sweden last week. Robert Saxton wrote a radiant lament for this glorious space in Malmö
Delight for the Morning
Correspondence with a Norwegian composer about Slaatter today, so here is Anders Heyerdahl’s wonderful early transcriptions to lighten your morning.
Knowledge Exchange Violin – the next stage – Autumn 2024
Knowledge Exchange Violin is now back and running, in earnest! Note – I am posting updates on this post in reverse order, so older posts…
Questions and answers – a new post
As I begin a new set of collaborations with younger composers in the USA, Sweden and the UK, I have decided to make some of…
The Violin as Body, an introduction
(Do follow the highlighted hyperlinks for supporting materials and music) The violin is eminently practical and portable. As well as being functional, it shares many…
Three violas, one musician, one composer, one curator.
Three violas, one musician, one composer, one curator. Peter Sheppard Skærved, with Bradley Strauchen-Scherer and Michael Alec Rose In the Metropolitan Museum’s extraordinary collection…
A Day at the Newark Violin-Making School
Ready to watch now, The first of our extended documents of Knowledge Exchange Violin at the Newark Violin School – with inspired contribution from student makers,…
Jim Aitchison Quintet , in the Studio – first listen.
On July 19th, my quartet, plus pianist Roderick Chadwick, went into the studio to record Jim Aitchison’s wonderful 2nd Quartet, which we premiered in Cornwall…
New work from Robert Saxton July 21
Anonymous glorious
Anonymous 17th century wonders, on a glorious 16th century violin, with illustrations from a 17th century edition of Boiardo (Orlando Innamorato), for the morning