What are you reading now?

[Richard Tarleton]

Sheer delight to sit in the sunshine this afternoon, albeit wooly jumper and scarf, and steep myself in Beethoven for a Late Age, The Journey of a String Quartet by Edward Dusinberre, first violinist of the Takacs Quartet since 1993. I'm not a musician but as a thesp for 15 years, earlier in life, I was taught the technique of Laban notation by Yat Malmgren/Christopher Fettes at the RADA and learnt to adapt the group of 'intentions' to ensemble work; the nuances of performance have similar principles in group coordination and had no difficulty grasping Dusinberre's lucid exposition of tackling and discussing the choice of group alternatives in Beethoven's Str Qt, Op18, no 1. He is also candid about the necessary creative tension between individual and group expression - again I could empathise as the same demands were made in repertory theatre, even more so in a long West End run. A fascinating insight even in the first 50 pages. I came indoors to rummage my bookshelves for copies of Arnold Steinhardt's, Indivisible by Four (1988), a memoir of his longevity with the versatile Guarneri Quartet - vivid memories of their Wigmore Hall recitals - and the Takacs, too! - and must add that I had to import Steinhardt's memoir from the river people a few years ago. Also traced my copy of Married to the Amadeus, Life with a String Quartet, (1988) and their outstanding performances and recordings after internment during WW2. Must now select Beethoven recordings from each group for a late-night listening session following a deeply satisfying Spring day.

I've just finished Beethoven for a Later Age - wonderful book. As you say a fascinating insight into the dynamics of a string quartet - it joins two other great string quartet biogs (both written by first violins) on my shelves - Rostislav Dubinsky's terrifying Stormy Applause and the Steinhardt/Guarneri which you mention Stanley. Dusinberre says on p. 231 "A first violinist's narrative cannot be fully trusted and as with all aspects of this story, my colleagues might tell it in a different way."

A delightful, humorous, self-deprecatory literary stylist. I loved this, talking about recording Op.127:

Towards the end of the session Andrew [Keener, producer] zeroed in on a few moments of bad ensemble and intonation that had eluded us so far, using tact and a few tricks to help us play to a higher level. "The way that E flat floats through the air is a bit flat" was a skilful way to avoid blaming a player: the note had doubtless been perfectly in tune when it left my violin, only to be tainted by impurities en route"

But - -

The turn of the century was a questionable time to consider recording yet another cycle of Beethoven quartets to add to the wonderful interpretations by the Amadeus, Hungarian, Budapest, Alban Berg, Cleveland, Tokyo, Guarneri, Julliard and Emerson quartets, to name but a few.

Erm - couldn't he have slipped the Italians into that list? Why didn't he?

Married to the Amadeus, written by Muriel Nissel, I found a turgid read, with little or no musical insight along the way - a family reminiscence, little more. She has a talent for stating the bleedin' obvious - take this, on p. 64:

Instruments in a quartet must to some degree match each other. If one has a tone that is much superior to the others, the balance can fall apart

As they say, who knew?

[pastoralguy]

Iirc, the 'Married to the Amadeus' book ends with a list of the quartets earnings which, to me, seemed a tad inappropriate.

[Richard Tarleton]

Iirc, the 'Married to the Amadeus' book ends with a list of the quartets earnings which, to me, seemed a tad inappropriate.

It's Appendix 3 of 5 (their discography is, er, 4 ). Without ploughing through it again I seem to remember she took care of the Quartet's accounts, so this was a subject of particular interest to her. She did have a very successful professional life of her own outside music...

[pastoralguy]

I went to a talk given by the members of the Takacs Quartet at an Edinburgh Festival 'Encounters' session a couple of years ago. I remember their viola player, Geraldine Walther, saying that, as a recording session went on, 'it felt as if my viola was getting bigger and bigger!'

The leader did mention he was writing a book but, after stupidly reading a poor review on Amazon, I decided not to investigate further.

However, I think I'll try to get it asap.

[Richard Tarleton]

I went to a talk given by the members of the Takacs Quartet at an Edinburgh Festival 'Encounters' session a couple of years ago. I remember their viola player, Geraldine Walther, saying that, as a recording session went on, 'it felt as if my viola was getting bigger and bigger!'

The leader did mention he was writing a book but, after stupidly reading a poor review on Amazon, I decided not to investigate further.

However, I think I'll try to get it asap.

It's not so much a narrative, in the way the Borodin or Guarneri books are - rather, a series of chapters based around particular quartets and their composition and performing histories in Beethoven's time, as a way of shedding light on the dynamics of the Takács Quartet at particular stages of their career, and particular aspects of their life - rehearsing, performing, recording, absorbing new members (Dusinberre himself, Tapping, Walter), loss (the death of Gábor Ormai) - and meditations on the works themselves. A delightful and insightful read. I'm revisiting the quartets concerned (Op 18 no 1, Op 59 nos 2 and 3, Ops 127, 130, 131 and 132) in the light of what ED says about them. I found the final chapter, on the alternative endings to 130 and what it said to him about the Quartet, particularly affecting. Some Amazon reviews are written by idiots.

[pastoralguy]

It's not so much a narrative, in the way the Borodin or Guarneri books are - rather, a series of chapters based around particular quartets and their composition and performing histories in Beethoven's time, as a way of shedding light on the dynamics of the Takács Quartet at particular stages of their career, and particular aspects of their life - rehearsing, performing, recording, absorbing new members (Dusinberre himself, Tapping, Walter), loss (the death of Gábor Ormai) - and meditations on the works themselves. A delightful and insightful read. I'm revisiting the quartets concerned (Op 18 no 1, Op 59 nos 2 and 3, Ops 127, 130, 131 and 132) in the light of what ED says about them. I found the final chapter, on the alternative endings to 130 and what it said to him about the Quartet, particularly affecting. Some Amazon reviews are written by idiots.

Thanks for that.

[Petrushka]

Still continuing with Churchill's History of the Second World War. 50 years since I last read it (at the age of 11/12!) in 1966 and greatly enjoying it. As it's in 6 volumes divided into two parts each it's ideal for devoting the entire year to reading it one month per part. It worked well in 1966 and is working well now. Currently reading Volume 3 part 1.

[richardfinegold]

For Whom The Bell Tolls, by Hemingway. I hadn't read any Hemingway for decades and never particularly cared for him but I have been reading a lot of Histories of The Spanish Civil war recently so I thought I would give this a try.

[Richard Tarleton]

I went through a Hemingway phase as a teenager, but once you've read or heard some good parodies it's harder to read the original with a straight face. As Louis Menand says in the New Yorker,

Hemingway parodies, of course, are a buyer’s market. They are like zucchini in August: you cannot give them away. Gross selects E. B. White’s ingenious “Across the Street and Into the Grill”; but that piece came out, in The New Yorker, in 1950, the year Hemingway published “Across the River and Into the Trees,” when he had nearly reached the point of self-parody anyway.

I do have a Spanish translation of The Old Man and the Sea (El viejo y el mar) which works well. The last Hemingway I read - a couple of years ago - was The Dangerous Summer, written not long before his death, which documents the season he spent following Ordoñez and Dominguín round the bullrings. We spent a night in Pamplona (not during San Fermín ) in a small hotel just round the corner from the bust of Hemingway.

Here's John Ivens' film The Spanish Earth, about the siege of Madrid, with commentary written and narrated by EH, in case you haven't come across it before!

[vinteuil]

.

... not particularly drawn to Hemingway - but for anyone interested in Paris, this is delicious :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0099909405

Tho' personally I prefer :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/086547236X

[richardfinegold]

Hemingway was definitely a stylist. He wrote tersely and has a way of bringing you right into the story. Whether or not the message he attempts to communicate is worthwhile is another matter

[Pulcinella]

Is anyone reading the books on the 2016 Man Booker shortlist?
I get them as a job lot for £35 from The Book People, and usually plough through them, though last year I gave up on a couple (including the winner).
Three down and enjoyed so far this year, but I have just given up on the fourth, Do not say we have nothing; might try again later, as I'm just not in the mood for reading about oppression in China at present.
I confess to being a fairly superficial (and quick) reader, so a book has to grab my attention pretty early on to keep me involved.
Would be interested to hear the thoughts of others about this year's contenders.

[Conchis]

Is anyone reading the books on the 2016 Man Booker shortlist?
I get them as a job lot for £35 from The Book People, and usually plough through them, though last year I gave up on a couple (including the winner).
Three down and enjoyed so far this year, but I have just given up on the fourth, Do not say we have nothing; might try again later, as I'm just not in the mood for reading about oppression in China at present.
I confess to being a fairly superficial (and quick) reader, so a book has to grab my attention pretty early on to keep me involved.
Would be interested to hear the thoughts of others about this year's contenders.

From Hidden Laughter, by Simon Gray:

- Her last book has been nominated for the Booker, would you believe?

-No! D'you think it'll win?

- Not a chane.

- Why?

-It's nowhere near bad enough.


Not a fan of the MBP. But am currently working my way through Paul Auster's oeuvre, having discovered him a few months ago - New York Trilogy, Book Of Illusions, Music of Chance, and about to put Moon Palace to bed today.

[CGR]

"Is anyone reading the books on the 2016 Man Booker shortlist?"

Used to but gave up on that lark years ago. And now it has gone fully international, I won't bother going back.

[Richard Tarleton]

And now it has gone fully international

Julian Barnes was complaining about this yesterday - saying there are plenty of literary prizes in the USA that aren't open to the likes of him....