Sad, but True

Maxim Vengerov is hanging up his fiddle, according to the Times of London, to focus on conducting. Actually, the decision isn't irreversible, thank goodness. I can well understand how a master such as Vengerov would want to get out of the rut of playing the same pieces again and again, and recharge his creativity. I'm sure when he returns to the violin, as no doubt he will, he will bring new insights and freshness to his playing.