Reviews

WIGMORE HALL

The Bach Cello Suites: A Companion

Steven Isserlis

228PP ISBN 9870571366248 FABER MUSIC £12.99

When Steven Isserlis’s recording of the complete Bach Cello Suites came out in 2007 I was intrigued to read his theory of a link between their keys and the life of Christ, starting with the Nativity (no.1 in G major) and ending with the Resurrection (no.6 in D major). The research and further thought he has given this in the intervening years have resulted in a slightly amended but even more convincing argument put forth here, which is just one of the many reasons why this book is a must for anyone who plays or listens seriously to these works.

Isserlis wears his knowledge lightly, indeed too lightly at times when the humorous asides which remind one of his children’s books start to get annoying. But there is no denying that it’s all there – all the scholarship and latest theories he can lay his hands on, plus the unbeatable inside understanding of someone who knows the music in incredible depth. In 50 pages near the end of the book he takes us through each movement of each Suite – ‘Thirty-Six Moments of Perfection’ - the ultimate programme notes, personal, informative and never dry.

The overriding impression as one reads this book is of Isserlis talking to you enthusiastically about the Suites, bursting with anecdotes and fascinating information. We are introduced early on to the sources used when making editions of the Suites (there is no autograph manuscript) and the headaches that the differences between them have caused editors (and will for evermore). A potted history and guide to the individual dances – Allemande, Courante etc – follows.

Personal and informative: Steven Isserlis

After ‘Fourteen Frequently Asked Questions’ taken from postperformance conversations, which include absorbing musings on performing on a modern versus a Baroque cello, Isserlis balances these with ‘14 Rules for the Player’, which are as close to a cello lesson on the Suites as the book gets, and are simply gold dust. Rest assured, Isserlis is not laying down the law – Rule 1 is ‘There are NO rules for playing this music’ – but his insights, such as ‘rubato in tempo’, lightening the bow just before the bar-line, and always being conscious of which beat of the bar you’re on, will be invaluable to any player working on the Suites.

JANET BANKS

Violins and Hope: From the Holocaust to Symphony Hall

Daniel Levin

164PP ISBN 9781938086861 GEORGE E. THOMPSON PUBLISHING $40

The unspeakable horrors and atrocities of the Holocaust, which left six million Jews murdered for no reason other than that they were born, need to be spoken of. Spoken, shouted from the rooftops – and sometimes sung. It may not be too well known that some concentration camps had music played for the amusement of Nazi officers by some talented interred Jews on various instruments, and in particular on the violin. A number of these players survived on account of their musical skill. After the camps were liberated, some of these musicians went on to good professional careers. Others could not bear to play music any more after the horrific associations that music and the camps had for them.

And what about their instruments? Did any violins survive? Were they of good quality? Would they have any meaning for us today, and could they sing again? Enter Amnon Weinstein, the distinguished Israeli luthier whose early training was with his father, Moshe, and who went on to study with Pietro Sgarabotto, Giuseppe Ornati and Ferdinando Garimberti.

He had lost many relatives in the Holocaust and for a long time was at a loss as to how to process the tragedy. Eventually he found his calling: to collect, restore and draw attention to these violins, and to promote public performances on some of them. The project is called ‘Violins of Hope’.

Many of these violins were inexpensive instruments but this was beside the point. Getting these violins to sing the best they could meant that Hitler had not completely succeeded in eradicating all Jews and Jewish culture. The Berlin Philharmonic once gave a remarkable concert with members of the violin section playing on these instruments.

Violins and Hope is a beautifully produced book. Large and heavy, with fine binding, thick paper and many gorgeous photographs, it may be called a coffee-table book in the best sense: one that anyone would be proud to display. Most of the story is told in the first quarter of the book, the rest being devoted principally to displaying and briefly commenting on the photographs. This makes more sense when we learn that author Daniel Levin is a professional photographer. Nonetheless, I would have preferred a more content-driven book. In fact, there is one such book, by James Grymes, which Levin himself highly recommends. Reading both books will certainly give a more complete picture of this subject.

Levin’s book is basically the story of a photographer who made a pilgrimage to Amnon Weinstein to learn about the latter’s project first-hand. One wishes that he had asked Weinstein about some basic violin terminology that might have avoided some awkward expressions, such as calling the belly a ‘face piece’ and either plate a ‘deck’. These quibbles aside, it is a lovely book on a most important subject. May these hopeful violins sing for ever.

RAPHAEL KLAYMAN

DANIEL LEVIN

Stringtastic Beginners Mark Wilson, Paul Wood

VIOLIN: 40PP ISBN 9780571542239 £8.50 VIOLA: 40PP ISBN 9780571542247 £8.50 CELLO: 40PP ISBN 9780571542255 £8.50 DOUBLE BASS: 40PP ISBN 9780571542263 £8.50 TEACHER’S ACCOMPANIMENT: 64PP ISBN 9780571542271 £11.99

FABER MUSIC

Stringtastic Beginners is a set of 40 small compositions designed to take the young string player from open strings to using fingered notes from the D major scale. The volumes are designed to be flexible so that they work for the individual and also for any combination of strings including a string orchestra. The players can be accompanied on the piano (teacher’s accompaniment), or backing tracks can be downloaded.

Amnon Weinstein and some of the ‘Violins of Hope’

The volumes are well organised with the first nine tunes introducing the players to all the rhythmic elements that follow. When all 40 tunes are learnt, it is possible for the players to return to the beginning and, for the first 20 tunes, to learn a duet part called the ‘Scaletastic’ part. It is good to note that Wilson and Wood adapt the writing for lower string parts, advising, for example, the position needed for the double bass.

There is no doubt that these volumes provide a welcome addition to the repertoire for young string players, especially in the group setting, but there are aspects that should have been given more thought and care.

There are lyrics provided, ‘helping to develop a strong sense of pitch and rhythm’, but in several cases the words cut across slurring. This looks wrong on the printed page, could confuse pupils and teachers and, rather than help or reinforce the slurring technique, makes it counter-intuitive instead.

The authors have missed a valuable opportunity, in that no technical advice is given. The books have two cartoon pets, Spot the Cat and Dotty Dog, who appear on each page.

Occasionally they say something in speech bubbles like: ‘Play me 4 bars before I sing.’ It would have been lovely and very useful to see nuggets of advice from these two characters, such as reminders about posture. They could also be employed to supply bits of information: a description of what a fanfare is, for instance. This would help spark a young musician’s imagination in other ways, and also support less experienced teachers using these volumes.

ALEX LAING