author
Olga Racster
A violinist turned journalist and music critic, she wrote lively, accessible books that opened up the world of string instruments and performers for general readers. Her life took her from Russia to Brussels, Paris, London, and eventually South Africa, giving her writing an unusually international perspective.
1 Audiobook
Chats on Violoncellos
by Olga Racster
About the author
Born in Russia, Olga Racster was trained as a violinist in Brussels and Paris before moving into journalism and music criticism. Sources describe her as later working in London as a writer on music, and then going to South Africa in 1910, where she became the dramatic and music critic for The Cape Times under the pen name "Treble Violl."
She is best remembered today for books on musical life and string instruments, including Chats on Violins and Chats on Violoncellos. Her work was written for curious general readers rather than specialists, which helps explain why it still surfaces in reprints and digital archives.
Some sources also connect her with the name Baroness de Wagstaffe. While the available biographical details are limited, the broad outline is clear: Racster brought together performance experience, criticism, and a gift for explaining music in a friendly way.