LOST SECRETS OF MASTER MUSICIANS

Nonfiction


Seeking perfection

LOST SECRETS OF MASTER MUSICIANS

A Window Into Genius

By David Jacobson

449 pp. SFIM Books

Reviewed by Alan Goodman

This is a most curious book. Indeed, the author, David Jacobson, is the founder and the director of a music school, the San Francisco Institute of Music. His life, as described in some careful detail, has been spent in a vigorous and determined pursuit of violin perfection. The ultimate goal? Becoming a soloist, playing like past masters such as Heifetz, Millstein and Horowitz. 

Mr. Jacobson, a man who has obviously given thorough consideration for the several basic disciplines of music, appears to hold much of the current state of music in various degrees of contempt.  The writing is clear, straightforward, and engaging. The book presents unvarnished opinion on the subject of classical music – the state of performance, pedagogy, the role of soloists, orchestral playing, auditioning, the necessity for conductors, technical thoughts for playing the violin, suggestions for phrasing.

This opinion for the past, present, and future of classical music is presented within of a life narrative, from ambitious violin student to the present. In Jacobson's own introductory words:

To clear oneself both physically and mentally, it is necessary to eliminate antagonism.

This narrative explicates by implication, and provides a forum for demonstrating that the serious study of music can teach us how to make paradigm shifts that open new possibilities, unlocking latent potentialities. As a consequence of this process we will be able to explore what the concept of talent or genius implies …

This books attempts to examine fundamental beliefs that inhibit our ability to be creative.

From this introduction – and from the title – one expects to entertain arguments without “antagonism,” and to have the curtain of performing “secrets” pulled aside that the most famous, and celebrated artists of history relied upon to achieve their artistic legerdemain. And we are not to wait long to learn of Mr. Jacobson's most basic villain – “talent.” 

Speaking as a critic of an early teacher of his, Ivan Galamian, an internationally renowned pedagogue:

In this [Galamian's] system, students, if they play well at all, do so in spite of what they are taught, and never as well as they could had they been given a more correct set of fundamental premises. This shallow, mechanical approach continues unchecked because in the field of music, professional teachers instruct students isolated from critical review or oversight. The main reason for this lack of institutional oversight and research is that the possession, or lack, of 'talent' is viewed as a primary causative factor in the success or failure of a student.

I take it from this, failure of the student to play extremely well is the teacher's fault, the school's fault. Talent has little – if anything – to do with artistic success.

Well, okay. Endless practice and excellent teaching are certainly important ingredients for the ambitious student. But to argue that talent is not a deciding factor between those who play well and those who achieve greatness, a level of beautiful artistry, is to deny history, reality, and the ample evidence to the contrary. 

There a section dealing with technical points on holding the violin, bowing, and such that I am unqualified to comment on. Pictures, diagrams, and explanations look impressive. Another section deals with phrasing as one of the basic “secrets” of the masters of the past. This section is quite good, and accurate as a guide to constructing your musical phrases for better flow and sensitive nuance. 

However, the information – as good as it is – is definitely, absolutely, positively, not a “secret.” This information is taught by aware instrumental teachers, and happily received by alert students. Granted, these “secrets” are not taught as much as they should be. But there is nothing about the information that is not common knowledge among accomplished musicians.

Mr. Jacobson doesn't lack for controversial opinion. Here he conjures up interesting possibilities regarding the superfluousness of the orchestral conductor:

Badly trained or amateur musicians may continue to need the help of a beat depicter, but musicians schooled in the manner we have described in this book will have little need for such direction. Eventually the conductor's onstage presence will become a silly and quaint anachronism, an expediency … To break the cult of the conductor, all that is necessary is to remove him from the stage.”

After playing in three majors orchestras, under the scrutiny of many difficult conductors – as well as fine ones –  I submit that Mr. Jacobson reveals an ignorance for the practicalities of the beast. Imagine, if you will, one-hundred-and-ten musicians spread across a large stage, not even able to see one another, let alone hear across that distance, preparing to perform Mahler's Eighth Symphony – a gargantuan work of intricate tempo changes and subtle choral shadings. 

And no conductor to coordinate the event.

Even the more modest Beethoven symphony will be virtually impossible to get together without endless – and usually unavailable practice time. The money needed for such endless preparation is too much virtual reality to see the light of day.  

Despite many misgivings for the validity of opinion in the book, I would recommend the read to those involved in the classical music orbit – particularly violinists. Mr. Jacobson is a good writer, a better writer I suspect than he is a violinist. Dare I say this ability to write without untold hours of practice and lessons implies a “talent” for writing?

And  – if not in agreement with much of what is said herein – one comes away having been goaded into thinking further on the subject(s). After all, isn't that the best reward offered by a book?