What an honor it is to be named as one of the five finalists for WFMT’s 2011 artist of the year! You can listen to the segment which will include a special broadcast of a track from the upcoming HEARTbeats album today (Friday, December 30) starting at 4:00pm CT. The station asked me to write an introduction for the track so I thought it would be nice to include it here as well.
Career Development
Why Gotterdammerung?
One of the reasons, I believe, that I was interested in the cello from a very young age is the fact that the cello is an ensemble instrument; we play with others. Later, when I wanted to be a professional musician it was because I loved the music so much; it uplifted my spirit, it inspired my imagination, and it was solace to the heart. I have always thought of this first. The fact that I have enjoyed being one of the select, few solo cellists in the last 40 years is certainly a gift. But, that’s a byproduct and not a goal, whether I became “famous” died out in my mind at about age 11.
So when the opportunity comes around to take part in a section, I’m always happy to take advantage. It doesn’t happen as often and under the right circumstances as much as I would like but one recent occasion came around to participate in the LA Opera’s production of the Ring Cycle. I happened to be free and this would offer the chance to play alongside my wife and so many other wonderful colleagues.
Early Influences, Part 2
When we left off in Part 1, I had just traveled to Cleveland to play for George Szell and a short while thereafter, I was offered a position in the Cleveland Orchestra. Well, a few weeks into my first season Szell was frustrated with my ensemble sense and knowledge of the music.
“Your father was such a good musician- what happened to you?” He continued, “ You don’t know the music, you are staring at your part, as if seeing it for the first time, you don’t know how to play with the conductor or your colleagues and the other choirs of the orchestra!”
I, of course, at 18 was in tears. But I recognized that he was right. And the greatest journey of my education began.
Early Influences, Part 1
In thinking over those highpoints or turning points of ones life it is difficult, without some distance and perspective, to weigh the importance, both positive and negative, of life’s happenings. I would have to start with the choice that my parents made when we moved to Dallas from New York City in 55 or 56.
The main cello teacher in town was a woman and my parents felt after the close association with Ruby Wenzel in Westchester N.Y. that I needed a male teacher. So, slightly nervous that this would not be a good move they contacted Lev Aronson, principal of the Dallas symphony, a brilliant pupil of Piatigorsky in Berlin before the war.
Well, he was totally captivating and I am so pleased that there is a life story of Lev just recently published: “The lost cellos of Lev Aronson” by Frances Brent. He was, for a young boy finding his own way with music, a mesmerizing influence. That I very quickly shared with him the overpowering world of music in a way that I somehow couldn’t with my parents was our secret. Lessons lasting over two hours sometimes were the norm and when one of my parents would collect me they somehow sensed not to intrude on our lessons or what we were doing.