We are Classical

The violin’s “Golden Age” period lasted for roughly a hundred years. It can be traced back to the time of Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840) until the moment society started shifting into the age of technology, which has influenced the aesthetic way artists express themselves.

Gil Shaham, hailed by the New York Times as 'One of today's preeminent violinists' spoke to primephonic after his recent performance at Barcelona’s L’Auditori. There was much to discuss, from Yehudi Menuhin and Alban Berg to Shaham’s 1699Stradivarius and the contrasting worlds of live and studio performances.

It’s Sunday afternoon in the Concertgebouw, one of Europe’s most magnificent concert halls, and members of its resident orchestra, theRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestraare milling around the artist canteen, preparing to perform a programme of Bach for a young audience. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the sounds of babbling voices and warm-up arpeggios float through the air. primephonic’s Sarah Jeffery joins five of the musicians during their pre-concert coffee, to chat about concert preparation: