Contemporary Violinists — Perlman, Mutter, Hilary Hahn

From the Master Generation to Today

After the master generation of the early 20th century such as Heifetz, a new generation of players emerged from the late 20th century into the 21st. In an age of recording, video, and streaming, they further diversified what it means to be a performer.

Perlman — Warm Humanity

Itzhak Perlman (1945-) is an Israeli-born violinist active in America, a leading violinist of our time:

• Stricken with polio at 4, he has performed ever since in a wheelchair or on crutches — a symbol of a musical life beyond disability
• A warm, rich tone and approachable humanity
• He played the theme of the film [Schindler’s List] (composed by John Williams) — known worldwide
• His instrument is the Stradivari “Soil” (1714) — once Menuhin’s instrument
• Loved also through television and teaching, he lowered the threshold of classical music

Mutter — the Queen of Today

Anne-Sophie Mutter (1963-) was born in Germany. She is called the queen of today:

• Discovered by Karajan at 13, debuting with the Berlin Philharmonic
• Broad from the classical to the contemporary, she actively commissions new works from contemporary composers (Penderecki, Previn, and others)
• A powerful, sensuous expression with a commanding stage presence
• Her instrument is the Stradivari “Lord Dunn-Raven,” etc.
• Also runs a foundation supporting young players

Mutter is both a “successor of tradition” and, as an advocate of contemporary music, built her own distinctive position.

Hilary Hahn — Intellect and Purity

Hilary Hahn (1979-) was born in America, one of the finest of our time:

• An intellectual, precise, transparent sound — playing of high “purity”
• With Bach’s solo works at the core of her career, she has explored them consistently from her debut album
• Active in contemporary music too — a project commissioning encore pieces from 27 composers
• Sharing her practice process on SNS and YouTube (#100daysofpractice) — a new relationship with fans
• Long uses a copy of a Guarneri del Gesù (made by Vuillaume)

Hahn is a 21st-century master who masters Bach (tradition) and contemporary music/SNS (innovation) alike. She is also a forerunner of the “streaming age” of the next article.

Joshua Bell — Multifaceted Activity

Joshua Bell (1967-) is a popular American violinist:

• Popular for his poised appearance and brilliant playing
• The Stradivari “Gibson” (1713) — an instrument with a curious history, once stolen
• In 2007, a social experiment playing in disguise in a Washington subway station — the story that most passersby did not notice the master and walked on became a talking point (how context defines the experience of art)
• Also in film music (“The Red Violin”) and crossover

Competition Culture

The gateway for contemporary violinists is the international competition:

• Tchaikovsky (Moscow), Queen Elisabeth (Brussels), Paganini (Genoa), Wieniawski (Poland), and others
• Winning is a ticket to a world debut, leading to masterwork loans and recording contracts
• High placements by Japanese players are increasing (next article)

Competitions form the core of the contemporary performer’s career as “a device for discovering young talent.”

Around the Loaning of Masterworks

The loan culture of masterworks seen in the second article is the infrastructure that supports today’s masters:

• Foundations, banks, and private collectors own Strads and del Gesùs and loan them to promising players
• The young receive a loan at their debut and move to a better instrument as their fame grows
• The aspect of “the instrument nurtures the performer”

The “sound” of today’s masters is a collaboration across time of the 300-year-old masterwork and modern technique and musicianship.

Crossover and Expansion

The contemporary violin expands beyond the frame of classical music:

• Jazz violin — the lineage of Stéphane Grappelli
• Electric violin — fusion with rock and pop
• Film music and game music — the strings’ emotional expression is prized
• Crossover artists — André Rieu, Vanessa-Mae, and others of popular appeal

The essence of the violin as “the instrument closest to the human voice” is sought across genres.

From This Article to the Next

We have traced the world’s leading contemporary violinists. The final article turns to Japanese violinists and the streaming age — the Japanese masters standing at the world’s front rank such as Akiko Suwanai, Midori and Ryu Goto, and Daishin Kashimoto; the educational culture of the Suzuki Method; and the new-generation violinists born of SNS, YouTube, and streaming — bringing this series to a close.