In this interview I did with Itzhak Perlman for The Strad’s Violin Heroes supplement in 2009, he remembered and analysed the violinists who had influenced him growing up, starting with – who else? – Jascha Heifetz. Like many people, I’m sure, as a child I listened obsessively to Perlman LPs, especially his Bruch G minor Concerto and his encore pieces, and I’m sure my love of the violin, as well as the ideal of sound and style I hold in my ear, are directly thanks to him. In t

Josef Gingold was born on 28 October, 1909. In celebration of the birth of a universally beloved and respected pedagogue, here is an interview I did with Joshua Bell, one of his most famous students, for The Strad Violin Heroes special edition. He goes on to discuss another violin hero, Jascha Heifetz ‘For me the most direct influence and by far the greatest hero was my teacher Josef Gingold. He was one of the most sincere and beautiful music makers that I’ve ever heard. His

While we're on the subject of Leopold Auer, it's not possible to mention his roll-call of students without referencing this wonderful song by the Gershwins, sung by the Funnyboners: Auer even gets a reference: We really think you ought to know That we were born right in the middle Of darkest Russia. When we were three years old or so, We all began to play the fiddle In darkest Russia. When we began, Our notes were sour Until a man (Professor Auer) Set out to show us, one and

Research has begun on my list of top 20 violinists for Sinfini Music. Now I’m not a big fan of definitive lists of anything, as I once wrote in this blog when I was at The Strad. But I’m not pretending that this is a definitive list of the best violinists ever, because that would be untrue and stupid. It is, however, a list of players I consider special, whose playing has touched me in some way. And it does give a lovely chance to sit down and listen to some of the players I