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FINE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT EXPERT AND RESTORER
STEWART POLLENS
Books and Articles
Publications by Stewart Pollens
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Books
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A History of Stringed Keyboard Instruments. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022.
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Bartolomeo Cristofori and the Invention of the Piano. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017.
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The Manual of Musical Instrument Conservation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2015.
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Stradivari. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.
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With Victor Anand Coelho, Peter Manuel, Christopher J. Smith, The Cambridge Companion to the Guitar. Edited by Victor Anand Coelho. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.
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With Henryk Kaston. François-Xavier Tourte: Bow Maker. New York: Machold Rare Violins, 2001.
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With Carlo Chiesa, John Dilworth, Roger Hargrave, Duane Rosengard, and Eric Wen. Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu. London: Peter Biddulph, 1998.
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With Roger Hargrave. Amati, Stradivari, and Guarneri: The Library of Congress Violins. London: Peter Biddulph, 1997.
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The Early Pianoforte. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995; second printing 2009.
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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.
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The Violin Forms of Antonio Stradivari. London: Peter Biddulph, 1992.
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Forgotten Instruments. Katonah: The Katonah Gallery, 1980.
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Articles
"Dendrochronology and Violins: Some Caveats." The Galpin Society Journal 75 (March 2022): 85-91.
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"George Bernard Shaw and Early Music." The Galpin Society Journal 75 (March 2022): 174-180.
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"The Three Pianos of Bartolomeo Cristofori." Il Cembalo a Martelli da Bartolomeo Cristofori a Giovanni Ferrini . Edited by Michael Latcham and Giovanni Paolo Di Stefano. Bologna: Pendragon: 2019: 21-41.
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"The Piano of the Future." In Clefs pour le piano. Edited by Ziad Kreidy. Chateau-Gontier: Aedam Musicae, 2018: 397-412.
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"Making Purfling as Stradivari Did." In Friedemann Hellwig Festschrift: Hinter den Tonen: Musikinstrumente als Forschungsgebiet. Nuremberg: Germanisches Nationalmuseum, 2018: 122-124.
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"Musical Instruments." in The Care and Handling of Art Objects: Practices in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Edited by Marjorie Shelley. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, intranet publication, 2018: 49-56.
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"Dendrochronology: Tool of Truth or Deception." In Diagnostic and Imaging of Musical Instruments: Selected Proceedings of the 1st and 2nd International Workshop entitled 'Diagnostics and Preservation of Musical Instruments,' DISMEC, Ravenna, 2010. Nardini, 2016: 91-100.
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"Soler's Tuning and His Acordante." In Nuevas perspectivas sobre la "musica para tecla de Antonio Soler. Garrucha, 2016: 17-38.
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"In Focus: The 1751 'Brodsky' Guadagnini Violin." The Strad, vol. 127, no. 1517 (September 2016): 67-69.
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"The Hole Truth." [Critique of MIT study of f-hole acoustics.] The Strad, vol. 126, no. 1500 (April 2015): 29.
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Review of American Luthier: Carleen Hutchins the Art and Science of the Violin, by Quincy Whitney. The Strad , vol. 126, no. 1515 (July 2016): 93.
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"The Restoration of a Fortepiano by Conrad Graf, ca. 1838 in the Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art." In Chopin et son temps: Actes des Rencontres Internationales Harmoniques, Lausanne, 2010. Berne, 2016: 216-226.
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"Transitional Violin Setup." Journal of the Violin Society of America: VSA Papers vol. 24, no. 2 (Fall 2014): 37-50.
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"Historical Metrology in the Service of Organology: Some Caveats." In Unisonus: Musikinstrumente erforschen, bewahren, sammeln. Vienna, 2014: 510-537.
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"The Appliance of Science." [What science can and cannot tell us about the violin.] The Strad, vol. 124, no. 1485 (January 2014): 54-58.
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Review of Librem Segreti de Buttegha: A Book of Workshop Secrets, by Andrew Dipper. The Strad, vol. 124, no. 1481 (September 2013): 116.
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Review of Before the Chinrest, by Stanley Ritchey. Performance Practice Review 18/1 (2013). Article 6.
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"Introduction" to Biographical Notice of Nicolo Paganini, by Francois-Joseph Fetis (Mineola: Dover Publications, 2013): ix-xiii.
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"Introduction" to Anthony Stradivari: The Celebrated Violin Maker, by Francois-Joseph Fetis (Mineola: Dover Publications, 2013): v-xvii.
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"Bartolomeo Cristofori in Florence." The Galpin Society Journal 66 (March 2013): 7-42.
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"Form and Function." [Description of Stradivari's violin forms.] Strings vol. 27, no. 8 (March 2013): 51-53.
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"Introduction" to The Guadagnini Family of Violin Makers, by Ernest N. Doring (Mineola: Dover Publications, 2012): 5-8.
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"House of Cards." [Casino Paganini bankruptcy court documents.] The Strad vol. 122, no. 1460 (December 2011): 46-54.
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"Some Thoughts on the Tuning of the Early Three-String Violin." The Galpin Society Journal 64 (March 2011): 61-66.
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"Remembering Henryk Kaston: The Last Renaissance Man." Strings, vol. 25, no. 6 (January, 2011): 58.
"Cleaning and Retouching of Violin Varnish, with a Discussion of Colour Theory." In The Conservation, Restoration, and Repair of Stringed Instruments and their Bows vol. 1 (IPCI-Canada; Montreal, 2010):664-694.
"Dendrochronology: Tool of Truth or Deception." Michigan Violinmakers Association Newsletter 79 (April 2010) 5-8.
"Some Misconceptions about the Baroque Violin." Performance Practice Review 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." [The 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." [The 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 Violin and Lute Makers of Venice 1640-1760 (Venice, 2004), by Stefano Pio. 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 Bach and the Pedal Harpsichord: an Organist's Guide, by Joel Speerstra (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 the history of Venetian violin making.] The Strad vol. 116, no. 1379 (March 2005): 7.
"Conserve the Cannon." [Discussion of the controversial 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): 589-594.
Review of Piano Information Guide, by Robert Palmieri. The Musical Times vol. 131, no. 1766 (April 1990): 203-204.
Review of The Piano [The New Grove Musical Instrument Series], by Philip R. Belt. The Musical Times vol. 131, no. 1764 (February 1990): 93-94.
"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): 207-211.
"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 diMusicologia, 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): 685-687.
"Cremonese Reincarnation." [Documentation of Samuel Zygmuntowicz copying the 1733 "Kreisler" Guarneri del Gesù.] The Strad vol. 98, no.1171 (November 1987): 835-845.
"Prodigious Celebration." [Review of the 1987 Capolavori di Antonio Stradivari exhibition in Cremona.] The Strad vol. 98, no. 1172 (December 1987): 957-961.
Review of The Herbert Axelrod Stradivari Quartet, by Jacques Francais. The Strad vol. 98, no. 1155 (July 1986): 201-202.
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): 103-121.
"Travelling Apprenticeship." [An account of Rembert Wurlitzer'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): 559-564.
“Fine Tuning.” [Interview with Jascha Heifetz’s lifelong luthier, Benjamin Koodlach.] The Strad vol. 96, no. 1150 (February 1986): 781-782.
“Morel Responsibility.” [Interview with violin restorer René Morel.] The Strad vol. 97, no. 1154 (June 1986): 102-104.
"Extracts from a Computer Database of Pianos." CIMCIM Newsletter 12 (1985): 35-42.
"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): 487-490.
"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.
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