Stewart Pollens
 

Fine Musical Instrument Expert and restorer

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Publications by Stewart Pollens

Books


Stradivari. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.

With Henryk Kaston. François-Xavier Tourte: Bow Maker. New York: Machold Rare Violins, 2001.

With Carlo Chiesa, John Dilworth, Roger Hargrave, Duane Rosengard, and Eric Wen. Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu. London: Peter Biddulph, 1998.

With Roger Hargrave. Amati, Stradivari, and Guarneri: The Library of Congress Violins. London: Peter Biddulph, 1997.

The Early Pianoforte. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995; second printing 2009.

With Carlo Chiesa, John Dilworth, and Duane Rosengard. The Violin Masterpieces of Guarneri del Gesù: An Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the Maker’s Death. London: Peter Biddulph, 1994.

The Violin Forms of Antonio Stradivari. London: Peter Biddulph, 1992.

Forgotten Instruments. Katonah: The Katonah Gallery, 1980. 

"Stradivari" by Stewart Pollens, published by Cambridge University Press in 2010

Articles


 
"Dendrochronology: Tool of Truth of Deception." Michigan Violinmakers Association Newsletter (July, 2010). Forthcoming

"Casino Paganini." Journal of the Violin Society of America. Forthcoming.

"The Violin Masterpieces of Guarneri del Gesù: A Reminiscence of the Exhibition of 1994." Journal of the Violin Society of America. Forthcoming.

"The Restoration of a Fortepiano by Conrad Graf, ca. 1838, in the Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art." In Actes des Rencontres Internationales Harmoniques 2008. Forthcoming.

"The Care and Handling of Musical Instruments." In The Care and Handling of Art. New York and New Haven: Metropolitan Museum of Art and Yale University Press. Forthcoming.

"Violin Cleaning and Retouching." In The Conservation and Restoration of Stringed Instruments and Bows. Forthcoming.

"Some Misconceptions about the Baroque Violin." Performance Practice Review. Vol. 14 (2010): 1-13.

"Cristofori and Erard." Musique, Images, Instruments 11: Le pianoforte en France. Paris, 2009: 75-81.

"The Pianoforte in the Performance of Scarlatti's Sonatas." In Domenico Scarlatti in Spain: Proceedings of VIII Festival Internacional de Musica de Tecla Espanola Diego Fernandez 2006-2007. Garrucha, 2009: 301-311.

"Recipe for Success." [Chemical analysis of Stradivari's varnish.] The Strad vol. 120, no. 1429 (May, 2009): 34-38.

"A Proposal for the Conservation of the Rediscovered 1690 Cristofori Spinetta Ovale and a Few Remarks." In Restauro e conservazione degli strumenti musicali antichi: la spinetta ovale di Bartolomeo Cristofori. Florence, 2008: 133-136. 

"The Instruments and Music Depicted in Caravaggio's Apollo the Luteplayer." In Caravaggio. New York, London; 2007: 45-46.

"Animal Magic." [Source of the inlaid decoration of Stradivari's "Greffuhle" violin.] The Strad vol. 118, no. 1410 (October, 2007): 34-40.

"Michele Todini's Golden Harpsichord: Changing Perspectives." Music in Art: International Journal for Music Iconography, vol. 32, nos. 1-2 (Spring-Fall, 2007): 142-151.

"Beethoven's Pianos." Piano Today 1 (Fall, 2006), 7-8; 2 (Winter, 2007), 20-21; 3 (Spring, 2007): 24-25.

Review of Stefano Pio, Violin and Lute Makers of Venice 1640-1760 (Venice, 2004). Journal of the Violin Society of America: VSA Papers, vol. 20, no. 2 (Summer, 2006): 219-222.

"The Schumann/Brahms Conrad Graf Piano." The American Brahms Society Newsletter, vol. 24, no. 1 (Spring, 2006): 1-4.

"Salmon, Stefkins, Visconti, and Stradivari: An Unlikely Collaboration." In Viola da Gamba und Viola da Braccio: Symposium im Rahmen der 27. Tage Alter Musik in Herne 2002 (Munich, Salzburg; 2006): 57-68.

"A Viola da Gamba Temperament Preserved by Antonio Stradivari." Eighteenth-Century Music vol. 5, no. 1 (March, 2006): 125-132.

Review of Joel Speerstra, Bach and the Pedal Harpsichord: an Organist's Guide (Rochester, 2004). Eighteenth Century Music vol. 2, no. 2 (September, 2005): 337-340. 

"An Eye for Detail." [Biography of bow maker Henryk Kaston.] The Strad vol. 116, no. 1383 (July, 2005): 30-36.

"Venetian Debate." [Discussion of history of Venetian violin making.] The Strad vol. 116, no. 1379 (March, 2005): 7.

"Conserve the Cannon." [Discussion of restoration of Paganini's Guarneri violin.] The Strad vol. 115, no. 1376 (December, 2004): 1271.

"Antonio Stradivari: Maker of Lutes in the French Style." Musique, Images, Instruments: Review française d' organologie et d' iconographie musicale (Paris, 2004): 28-46.

"The Hill  Bass Bar Collection." The Strad vol. 115, no. 1369 (May, 2004): 498-503.

Review of  Italian & French Violin Makers vol. 1, by Jost Thöne. The Strad vol. 115, no. 1369 (May, 2004): 548.

“Softly, Softly.”  [Interview with violin restorer and maker Horacio Pineiro.] The Strad vol. 114, no. 1353 (January, 2003): 44-49.

Review of  Italian Violin Making in Argentina, by Pablo Alejandro Saravi. The Strad vol. 114, no. 1361 (September, 2003): 1021.

Review of The Violin of David Oistrakh: Stradivari "Conte de Fontana" 1702, by Danilo Prefumo.  The Strad vol. 114, no. 1358 (June, 2003): 677.

"Antonio Stradivari and the Baroque Guitar." In The Cambridge Companion to the Guitar, edited by Victor Anand Coelho, 207-28. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. 

"The Gatti-Kraus Piano Action Ascribed to Bartolomeo Cristofori." The Galpin Society Journal vol. 55 (April, 2002): 269-78. 

"The Claviorgan by Lorenz Hauslaib, Nuremberg, 1598." In 600 Jahre Cembalobau in Osterreich, edited by Alfons Huber, 247-67. Tutzing: Hans Schneider, 2001.

“Messiah Redux.” Journal of the Violin Society of America vol. 17, no. 3 (2001): 159-79.

"The Messie: A Panel Discussion." Journal of the Violin Society of America vol. 17, no. 3 (2001): 181-222.

“‘Messiah’ on Trial." [Debate about the authenticity of "Messiah" violin.] The Strad vol. 112, no. 1336 (August, 2001): 854-58.

Fifteen catalog entries in The Still Lifes of Evaristo Baschenis: The Music of Silence, edited by Andrea Bayer, 62-65. Milan: Olivares, 2000.  

"5000 Instruments, One Conservator: Conservation Practices and Policy at the Metropolitan Museum of Art."  In Instruments pour demain: conservation & restauration des instruments de musique, 47-53. Champs-Sur-Marne: SFIIC, 2000.

"Christoph Gottlieb Schröter: Inventor or Fraud." Early Keyboard Journal vol.18 (2000): 139-53.

"A Pantalonclavichord by C. Kintzing of Neuwied, 1763." In De Clavicordio IV; Proceedings of the International Clavichord Symposium, Magnano, 8-11 September, 1999, edited by Bernard Brauchli, Susan Brauchli, and Alberto Galazzo, 203-13. Magnano: Musica Antica a Magnano, 2000.

"Le Messie." Journal of The Violin Society of America vol.16, no. 1 (1999): 77-101.

"The Man Behind the Bows: François-Xavier Tourte." The Strad, vol.110, no. 1308 (April, 1999): 402-9.

"Early Alterations Made to Ruckers, Couchet, and Grouwels Harpsichords in the Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art." In Kielinstrumente aus der werkstatt Ruckers: Schriften des Händel-Hauses in Halle 14, 137-70. Halle an der Saale: Händel-Haus, 1998.

"Flemish Harpsichords and Virginals in The Metropolitan Museum of Art." The Metropolitan Museum Journal 32 (1997): 85-110.

"Curtains for Cremona." [Profiles of the violin copyists Joseph Curtin and Gregg Alf.] The Strad vol. 106, no. 1267 (November, 1995): 1160-67.

"Parley with Francais." [Interview with Jacques Francais about the work of Guarneri del Gesu.] The Strad vol. 105, no. 1254 (October, 1994): 973-79.

"The Violin Forms of Antonio Stradivari." Journal of the Violin Society of America vol.13, no. 3 (1994): 87-120.

"Interview with Daniel Phillips." The Strad vol.  104, no. 1243 (November, 1993):1072.

"Chasing the Authentic Sound." [Interview with violinist Stephanie Chase about the use of period instruments and original text sources in the first recording of Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Romances on Classical Instruments.] The Strad vol. 104, no. 1243 (November, 1993): 1060-64.

“An Upright Pianoforte by Domenico Del Mela.” The Galpin Society Journal vol. 45 (1992): 22-28.

"Three Keyboard Instruments Signed by Cristofori's Assistant, Giovanni Ferrini." The Galpin Society Journal vol. 44 (1991): 77-93.

"Michele Todini's Golden Harpsichord: An Examination of the Machine of Galatea and Polyphemus." Metropolitan Museum Journal vol. 25 (1990): 33-47.

"Curt Sachs and Musical Instrument Restoration." The Musical Times vol. 130, no.1760 (October, 1989): 589-94.

Review of Piano Information Guide, by Robert Palmieri. The Musical Times vol. 131, no. 1766 (April, 1990): 203-4.

Review of The Piano [The New Grove Musical Instrument Series], by Philip R. Belt. The Musical Times vol. 131, no. 1764 (February, 1990): 93-4.

"Early Nineteenth-Century German Language Works on Piano Maintenance." Early Keyboard Journal vol. 8 (1990): 91-109.

Review of The Violin Makers of the United States, by Thomas James Wenberg. The Strad vol. 99, no. 1183 (November, 1988): 930.

Review of  Count Ignazio Alessandro Cozio di Salabue, translated and edited by David Woodrow and Andrew Dipper. The Strad vol. 99, no. 1179 (July, 1988): 573.

"Young Master." (Profile of the bow maker and restorer Yung Chin.) The Strad vol. 99, no. 1175 (March, 1988): 207-11.

"The House that Jack Built." [Profile of the violin dealer Jacques Français and a discussion of his system of violin identification.] The Strad vol. 99, no. 1183 (November, 1988): 879-89.

"Historic Lute and Violin Varnish Formulas: 1500-1800." Journal of the Violin Society of America vol. 8, no. 2 (1987): 31-40.

"The Bonafinis Spinet." In Atti del XIV Congreso della Societa Internazionale di
Musicologia, Study Session: Cembali, e cembali che fanno il piano e il forte, edited by Eva Badura-Skoda, Bologna: International Musicological Society,1987: 286-287.

"The Bonafinis Spinet: An Early Harpsichord Converted into a Tangent Piano." Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society vol. 13 (1987): 5-22.

"Violins on View." [Preview of the 1987 Stradivari exhibition in Cremona.] The Strad vol. 98, no. 1169 (September 1987): 685-87.

"Cremonese Reincarnation." [Documentation of Samuel Zygmuntowicz copying the 1733 "Kreisler" Guarneri del Gesù.] The Strad vol. 98, no.1171 (November, 1987): 835-45.

"Prodigious Celebration." [Review of the 1987 Capolavori di Antonio Stradivari
exhibition in Cremona.] The Strad vol. 98, no. 1172 (December, 1987): 957-61.

Review of The Herbert Axelrod Stradivari Quartet by Jacques Francais. The Strad vol. 98, no. 1155 (July, 1986): 201-2.

Review of  From Violin Making to Music: The Life and Works of Simone Fernando Sacconi, edited by Franco Feroldi. The Strad vol. 97, no. 1154 (June, 1986): 131.

"Gottfried Silbermann's Pianos." The Organ Yearbook vol. 17 (1986): 103-21.

"Travelling Apprenticeship." [An account of Rembert Wurltizer's early years and travels through England and the Continent as revealed by letters to his family.] The Strad vol. 97, no.1160 (December, 1986): 559-64.

“Fine Tuning.” [An interview with Jascha Heifetz’s lifelong luthier, Benjamin Koodlach.] The Strad vol. 96, no. 1150 (February, 1986): 781-2.

“Morel Responsibility.” [Interview with violin restorer René Morel.] The Strad vol. 97, no. 1154 (June, 1986): 102-4.

"First Class." [Profile of the violin maker David Burgess.] The Strad vol. 97, no. 1159 (November, 1986): 487-90.

"Knotty Problems." [Profile of the violin bow maker William Salchow.] The Strad vol. 46, no.1147 (November, 1985): 487-90.

"The Early Portuguese Piano." Early Music vol. 13, no. 1 (February, 1985): 18-27.

"The Pianos of Bartolomeo Cristofori." Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society vol. 10 (1984): 32-68.
 


 

 Stewart Pollens and Henryk KAston

Stewart Pollens and Henryk Kaston at Tourte book signing,  Machold Rare Violins, New York, 2001
 

 

With Midori in May, 2010

 

 

Preparing to sign his book "Stradivari" at the Hay Festival in Wales, June 2010

 

 

Giving a lecture on Stradivari at the Hay Festival in Wales, June 2010

 

 

Cleaning a Ruckers virginal

Consolidating and cleaning case of a
Ruckers virginal

         
 

Frecker fortepiano

Fortepiano by William Frecker,
London, 1799 undergoing restoration

 

Conference on Cristofori

Conference on Cristofori spinet
restoration, Florence, 2002

 



Carving a violin scroll

Carving a violin scroll



Violin restoration

Violin restoration


 

Cristofori piano copy

Cristofori piano copy by Stewart Pollens, 1976