BOOKS

Doreen Carwithen

Dorothy Howell

Ethel Smyth

Rebecca Clarke

Quartet: How Four Women Changed the Musical World Leah Broad

480PP ISBN 9780571366101 FABER & FABER £20

The Quartet of Leah Broad’s title is not a female chamber ensemble but a cobbled-together group of British women composers who had relatively little in common, as far as I can see: Ethel Smyth (1858–1944), Rebecca Clarke (1886–1979), Dorothy Howell (1898–1982) and Doreen Carwithen (1922–2003).

Normally when reviewing a book, I fill about a quarter of an A4 sheet with notes; if I tell you that on this occasion I filled almost a whole sheet, you will gather that this tome has caused me some disquiet. Two major irritations come from Broad’s clumsy interleaving of the four lives and her use of ‘Ethel’, ‘Rebecca’, ‘Dorothy’ and ‘Doreen’ for her subjects. Henry Wood even gets referred to as ‘Henry’ most of the time. Would Ms Broad expect me to call her ‘Leah’ in this review?

To be positive, I think she gets Ethel Smyth right to a great extent and the book can be recommended as a latter-day view of this great composer and battler for women’s rights. She is also very good on the last phase of Rebecca Clarke’s life, when she found happiness with the pianist and composer James Friskin.

She does not persuade me that Howell was more than very small beer as a creative artist, although no doubt an admirable human being. And about Carwithen, whom I knew as Mary Alwyn, there is a consistent undercurrent suggesting that her talent was repressed by the great love of her life, William Alwyn. In truth, the first time I met the Alwyns he was at pains to stress that Mary was also a fine composer; and she willingly gave her energies to propagating his music, before and after his death.

Broad seems uncertain of her target audience. Do we need to have ‘libretto’, ‘in nomine’, ‘boatswain’, Gilbert and Sullivan, The Dream of Gerontius, Tallis and Bechstein explained to us? She writes of ‘a choral Mass’. The paragraph about Elgar on page 134 is grotesque. She writes of ‘a pianist called Kathleen Long’ and ‘a conductor called Dan Godfrey’ – both were well known – and has America entering the Great War in 1918, also mixing up the V1 and V2 in World War II.

The writing is often poor. The words disinterest, wracked, lollop and becalmed are misused. We get ‘hinges around’, ‘pedestalised’, ‘ostracisation’, ‘educationalist’ and ‘workshopped’. Mills and Boon-style drivel abounds. We first meet Howell, aged seven, kneeling ‘on the cool flagstone floor of St Francis’s Catholic Church’ – I spent hours of my childhood kneeling on Roman Catholic church floors and it was dashed uncomfortable.

Instead of what she obviously thinks is ‘fine writing’, she could have told us more about the musicians who performed her subjects’ music. She even describes people without naming them. In 1920 Clarke miraculously plays her Viola Sonata on her own in New York (in reality the distinguished Scots pianist Winifred Christie partnered her). No mention is made of Clarke’s only recording – a fine Mozart ‘Kegelstatt’ Trio with Long and Frederick Thurston – or of Aubrey Brain, for whom the horn part in Smyth’s superb 1927 Double Concerto was specifically designed.

Try as I may, I cannot see Howell, Carwithen or even Clarke as world changers, despite their various virtues. Ethel Smyth is a different matter and, praise be, she has now emerged from the dip in interest that usually follows a composer’s death (Chopin is the sole exception I can think of ). The book is nicely produced and illustrated, with an index and a select discography of the four women’s music.

TULLY POTTER

The Living Art of Violin Playing: Progressive Form Maureen Taranto-Pyatt, Peter Stickel

340PP ISBN 9780253066602

INDIANA UNIVERSITY PRESS $80

The Living Art of Violin Playing is a detailed account of what its author, violinist Maureen Taranto-Pyatt, terms Progressive Form: ‘a system that can be used both as a reference for individual issues or as a guide to a revamping of technique’. Developed over the course of many years of study and self-reflection, and honed over years of working with others, this system was born from the desire of the adult violinist to regain ‘magical movement’ – the youthful ease and naturalness with which she first approached the instrument.

Having studied with Victor Romanul and Max Hobart, Taranto-Pyatt also acknowledges the deep influence of the works of Carl Flesch, Yehudi Menuhin and, perhaps most strongly, Ivan Galamian. Her thesis is supported not only by deep knowledge of anatomy and physiology, but also of the technical barriers that can creep in, and indeed become entrenched in the course of a life in music. The fact that the author is a poet as well as a musician resonates throughout the book, with a continual stream of lively metaphors and vivid descriptions shedding light on the complex business of organising the human anatomy around what can be at times the most awkward of instruments.

Those coming to the book with the author’s first intent in mind – i.e. to tackle a specific technique that is holding back their musical progress, or preventing them from realising their musical intentions – will typically find first a clear description of the movement required accompanied by either a visual image or creative visualisation. Those coming to it as a resource with which to spend a good deal of time, looking to develop technique methodically, will find much food for thought. It will require, as the author acknowledges in the preface, ‘serious study’. Both types of reader will undoubtedly gain greater kinaesthetic understanding of their own bodies in relation to violin playing and, further, stand to gain powerful insight into issues that could be holding them back.

Demonstrating symmetry in hand formation

GAIL TAIBBI

The book is a very handsome volume, printed on high-quality paper in an elegant serif font, which indicates seriousness. The one feature which is a little out of step is the black-and-white photos that illustrate the author’s points throughout. These usefully complement the written text, illuminating the lucid explanations with physical examples: however they are sometimes a little dark, and small, to see with complete clarity what is going on.

In search of balance, harmony and the liberation to be gained by eliminating unnecessary tension, the author also acknowledges the psychological, even spiritual issues, that may underlie problems with tension or poor body alignment more generally. This only serves to reinforce the impression that this book has been written with great empathy, the product of years of self-scrutiny and the desire to share with others the results of deep thought, reflection and wisdom.

PHILIPPA BUNTING

Violin Junior Ros Stephen

LESSON BOOK 1: 76PP

ISBN 9783795714925 €15

CONCERT BOOK 1: 36PP

ISBN 9783795715229 €15

THEORY BOOK 1: 60PP

 ISBN 9783795715250 €14 

THEORY BOOK 2: 60PP

 ISBN 9783795715267 €14

 LESSON BOOK 2: 84PP

 ISBN 9783795715243 €15 

CONCERT BOOK 2: 92PP

 ISBN 9783795715236 €15 

SCHOTT MUSIC

Violin Junior is a new set of method books by Ros Stephen, author of the popular Globetrotters series. Aimed at the younger learner, the books offer a thorough introduction to violin playing which is both child-friendly and also meticulously rigorous. Two levels of the series are currently available, taking the student from complete beginner through all the keys and techniques normally expected by around Grade 2; a further three levels are promised. As one would expect from a 21stcentury series, a wealth of supplementary online material is offered, including demo and playalong audio tracks, along with a comprehensive series of minitutorial-style videos that highlight and explain the main teaching points of each section. As well as a ‘lesson book’ (for which piano and violin accompaniment books are available separately), each level has separate theory and concert books.

The volumes themselves are very well produced. The staves are large and easy to read, and the pages are full of tasteful colour drawings, which illustrate techniques and complement the written tips through the use of imagery, as well as adding a sprinkle of fun. And much as I’m not normally a big fan of cartoon characters, I must admit to having developed rather a weakness for Fiocco the Frog, with his garish pink jacket, endearing facial expressions and main character vibes, not to mention his pals, who include Marvin the Mouse (don’t squash him!) and some great dragons and other assorted creatures.

Ros Stephen

The lesson books are carefully structured – every piece has an obvious main teaching purpose and builds on previously covered techniques. Book 1 follows the usual model of introducing fingered notes one at a time, which may not suit all teachers but is nevertheless consistent with the general principle of introducing only one new technique at a time. The musical language used is reasonably varied, though the majority of tunes lean towards a calm and pleasant style rather than anything more upbeat. Many of the tunes are presented as songs with words, which occasionally makes the pages feel a little busy. Throughout the books, as well as learning short accompanied pieces, the students are offered a variety of engaging activities, such as improvisation, transposition and composition exercises, as well as a smattering of micro studies focusing on specific techniques. The overall result is a very well-balanced mixture of serious technique and fun creativity.

The majority of the pieces in the lesson books are beautifully short, with the concert book offering longer pieces to provide extension and consolidation material as well as performance possibilities. The piano accompaniments are very accessible, if not terribly harmonically adventurous, and violin accompaniments are also included. While there are not many of what my students would call ‘bangers’, some of the author’s original compositions come close, especially my personal favourites Bus Stop Jig and Disco Beats.

The theory books for each level are full of violin-centric interactive exercises and games, and although there are clear links with the material covered in the lesson books, they can be worked through at the child’s own pace rather than in strict synchronisation with the lesson books. Audio content is included, as are downloadable solutions to some of the tasks, and even a selection of manuscript paper in different font sizes.

This well-thought-out, holistic series is precisely what self-described ‘non-musical’ parents have been demanding for years. The books are systematic and full of comprehensible and relevant information, and the online videos provide clear, calm instructions that will empower non-string-playing parents to help their young players at home. I imagine that it will become a favourite resource for many teachers and parents in the years to come, and I look forward to seeing the rest of the series as it becomes available.

CELIA COBB

CELIA COBB