A book by David Blum
Introduction by Paul Tortelier
Forward by Anthony Hopkins
This valuable book was published in paperback form by the University of California Press in 1980. Despite this ageing of some 40 years, its topicality is as relevant today as when first published.
Pablo Casals (1876-1973) was regarded as one of the greatest cello players and composers of the twentieth century. He refused to be classed as a “cellist” as he described himself as a “musician”. He was also an active protester against oppressive governments (those that misuse their power and mistreat citizens), including that of the Spanish tyrant Francisco Franco (1892–1975) from which he had fled.
Anthony Hopkins starts the forward by stating that “to become a legend in one’s lifetime…The phrase has become a cliché, debased by the ease with which the media of today can create legends for a public ever hungry for new idols of worship. Yet such legendary figures do exist and have existed, figures whose stature is more enduring than that of the television interviewer, the newspaper columnist or the pop star. The true creators, writers, painters, sculptors and composers are ultimately judged by the value posterity places upon their work; thus, the Work is in the long run more important than the Maker.”
Further to this, in the introduction to the book, Paul Tortelier notes, using the words from T.S. Eliot: ”the communication of the dead is tongued with fire beyond the language of the living”
David Blum was a conductor born in 1935. Blum was mainly associated with the Esterhazy Orchestra, based in New York, whose name implies an interest associated with Bach, Haydn and Mozart. Casals was very interested in Blum’s work becoming Honorary President of the Esterhazy Orchestra in1961. Blum died in 1989.
The latter period covered by Casals life’s work was one in which I grew up – how times have changed! Casals wrote, “I will say only elemental things, nothing complicated – as everything ought to be, beginning with life. But you must know that the simplest things are the ones that count”. The world, then, was, in many ways, a far simpler place to understand. Commercially, life was booming, as there was a need for the world economy to expand due to population expansion. This meant there arose a need for a greater number of people to become educated for participation in the economic boom that took place. It was an age where opportunity for much social mobility attracted those who aspired to greater opportunity in education leading to greater financial reward. The sophistication and complications that it has finally brought about with its maturation in the 21st century could never have been anticipated in Casals time. To confirm this, with almost naïve-sounding contrast, Casals wrote:
“I have an idea…a plan for the education of children…It is so simple, yet we have never thought of it…as soon as the child can understand the meaning of a word, he should be told that this word represents a miracle. When we speak of the eye, we should explain what a miracle it is to be able to see. We should explain what a miracle it is to be able to speak. What a marvel are our hands! When the wonder of each word has been made clear, then every child should be taught to realize: ‘I am a miracle – and he is also a miracle. I am a unique being; there never has been a person like me since the beginning of the world – nor will there be until our world comes to an end. And he, too, is unique and will be until our world will end. Therefore, I cannot kill him – and he cannot kill me’. Only in this way can we do away with the impulse for wars. At school they teach that that two plus two equals four. That is not what life is all about”… Real understanding does not come from what we learn in books; it comes from love – love of nature, of man. For what is learned in that way is truly understood…”As a humanist, I cannot accept the final words used in this very moving statement, however Casals continued: “…I cannot believe these marvels which surround us – the miracle which is life – can come from nothingness? The miracle must come from somewhere. It comes from God” Quoted in the heading of the final chapter, Epilogue, of this book is the following: “In music, in the sea, in a flower, in a leaf, in an act of kindness…I see what people call God in all these things.
In terms of interpretation, the basis of this book, Casals commits himself to extremely practical conclusions which only experience and talent could arouse. These ideas are discussed by Blum taking us through real examples of Casals interpretation of dynamics and phrases as well as analysis of the emphasis on notation within the phrase – so interesting. How sad that modern technique and bowing problems lead us away from the music and truth.
In conclusion, piecing together a logical thread that feels true from my experience, including that of a life’s work in music and coping with a happy family life as well as all the unwelcome but accepted impositions that life brings, the Work teaches us that the Maker is the same human being as was pointed out by Anthony Hopkins. We cannot explain the folly of politicians who take us to war, nor can we explain the arrogance of educators who impose their theories on us as if the experience of the individual is irrelevant and needs extreme suppression to make the accepted story line untrue and ultimately floored. The Work that commercialism pumps into the Maker in order for it to fit in with the commercialism that society exploits in favour of the few is at the expense of the many thus destroying the true practical potential of all humanity.
Wars, migration, mental health, gender identity, and climate change, as well as poverty to name but a few are the tortuous outcomes of an unhappy impractical world.
We need to seek the love and naturalness, the basis of our indestructible humanity once again.
Music has got the same problem as the rest of the issues tormenting us all. Abstract music, relaying corrupted and impractical feelings ensures the elitist nature of music and not only its move away from nature, but its inevitable decline; it portrays the same lie that society is propagating.
Technical complexity of music is not necessarily about the awesome dexterity of the performer, a cult in the performers favour; technical dexterity should be used to make the feelings behind the music strong and communicative not to overpower the audience into awe-struck submission by a lie lacking in genuine feeling, the truth.
How we overcome these problems is up to society, every person on the planet, solving them altogether without the extreme individualism that numbs us all into acquiescence.
We all need time to reflect on life, to realise our talents by becoming socially and objectively excited by nature which is reality. A guaranteed practical and creative role for all people is the only way out of the general crisis.
Ron Tendler October 2019