'The Violin': Tribute to Menuhin<\/p>\n
The Violin
\n By Yehudi Menuhin
\n Flammarion, Paris, 1996
\n 301 pages<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): To classical music lovers around the world, the
\nname Yehudi Menuhin is perhaps synonymous with the violin.
\nMenuhin, arguably the greatest violinist of this century, has
\nreceived various decorations and honors in recognition of his
\nlife's work, and is also known for his illustrious humanitarian
\nwork.<\/p>\n
It is thus fitting that a man of his legend has chosen to
\ncelebrate his 80th birthday with the launching of his own book
\nappropriately titled The Violin (translated from its original
\nFrench title La Legende du Violon) -- a magisterial book on the
\ncraft that he has honed, perfected and represented for over 70
\nyears.<\/p>\n
In this panoramic and strikingly beautiful book, Menuhin
\npaints a compelling portrait of this enigmatic instrument,
\ndetailing its origins, evolution, and meaning to the larger
\nworld, and paying tribute to its creators, composers, teachers,
\nand artists. He introduces us to the abounding richness of the
\nviolin's voice, whose appearance in ethnic music from the East
\nand the West, popular and folk music, classical and jazz, has
\nestablished its repertoire upon the interdependence of many
\nmusical genres.<\/p>\n
Supporting this magnificent journey across centuries,
\ncultures, and languages are lavish images of the violin in fine
\nart and precious documentary photography, much of which is
\nautobiographical. In the chapter on The Violin Player, several
\npaintings of Marc Chagall (1887-1985) adorn the pages, attesting
\nto the violin's central role in the open-air festivities of
\nvillage communities around Europe. Whether in Russia, Romania,
\nNorway, France, or Scotland, the violin was depicted very much as
\nan instrument of the people, with violinists shown roaming the
\nbyways of the hamlet, and getting the guests to dance, drink and
\nsocialize in a spirit of collective joy.<\/p>\n
Menuhin's personal affinity with the populist origin of the
\nviolin is displayed by his discussion of three cultivated
\nviolinists who are " ... close to my heart because they ...
\nalways remain half folk musicians, true to the nature of their
\ninstrument and preserving their vital links that united them to
\ntheir people - to their land and to their dance." They are the
\nBasque composer and virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1904), the
\nself-taught Norwegian violinist of genius Ole Bull (1810-1880)
\nand Joseph Joachim (1831-1907), who has re-defined Hungarian
\nmusic.<\/p>\n
It was not until the end of the 17th century that the violin
\nstarted to enter the serious classical repertoire, with composers
\nsuch as Vivaldi writing concerti especially for the violin.
\nIndeed, it has taken the solo standing violinist a long time to
\ngain social status, emerging from pure "entertainer" into a
\nfully-fledged literate musician who interprets great virtuoso
\nworks for large seated audiences.<\/p>\n
Menuhin also speaks reverentially of his most influential
\nteacher, Georges Enesco, the Romanian nobleman who was "the
\nincarnation of music itself". Having "lost his heart and soul" to
\nthis man when he first heard him play, Menuhin describes him
\nalmost as if he were God. While I am certainly no apologist for
\nartists, whose passion and admiration are often untranslatable to
\nthe layman, inspiration is an integral part to the
\ninternalization process.<\/p>\n
Sentimentalism<\/p>\n
Menuhin writes in a highly personalized style, and though his
\nprose is lucid and generally accessible to a wide audience, he
\ndoes have a propensity towards sentimentalism. What's more, the
\nbook has an almost Zen-like quality in its general outlook and
\ndelivery. However, this isn't necessarily bad.<\/p>\n
After all, passion is somewhat expected from those writing
\nabout a form of art which they "... cannot feel but that they
\nhold a means to expression which transcends matter and measure."
\nThe famous ballerina Merle Park once wrote in the same
\nsubjective, yet profoundly poetic vein in her part-
\nautobiographical guidebook to modern ballet.<\/p>\n
In fact, it is the very personalized nature of this book that
\nrenders it all the more meaningful.<\/p>\n
When Menuhin speaks of giant composers such as Stravinsky,
\nBartok, Elgar, and Shostakovitch, he talks about their passions,
\nobsessions and visions. When he speaks of his contemporaries such
\nas Fritz Kreisler, Ginette Neveu and David Oistrakh, he concedes
\nwhole-heartedly to the sheer magnificence of their God-given
\ntalents. When he speaks of his partners and accompanists, he is
\nfull of love and adoration, and fully acknowledges their
\nindispensability. When he speaks of great conductors such as
\nHerbert von Karajan, Sir Thomas Beecham and Bruno Walter, he
\ntells stories of what makes them tick.<\/p>\n
That Menuhin doesn't come off sounding as if he is floating in
\na picture-perfect, imaginary world of his own is an achievement
\nin its own right. He doesn't gloss over issues and he can be
\ndiscerningly critical when he needs to be. Yet there is no
\nmockery, pontification, or self-complacency. His authority over
\nthe subject is a natural product of a lifetime of bringing out
\nthe best - and much more - of what an instrument can offer. It
\nis the kind of 'given' that makes one look at his photographs -
\nwhether as a small prodigy in 1929, or as an old and seasoned
\nvirtuoso practising in a Gypsy caravan in 1983 - as symbolic of
\nthat authority, a presence without which the book would have been
\ndevoid of soul.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the increasing use of illustrations in many books on
\nthe performing arts today is reflective of several widely
\naccepted phenomena, the most important being that a musical work
\nof art, like a multifaceted gem, always casts a multitude of
\nreflections of other art works of its time. The creation and
\nevolution of an instrument, also borne out of the artist's
\nreaction to the intellectual currents of his age, strongly
\nmirrors the visual images of its creator's times. Thus,
\nparticularly illuminating in The Violin is Menuhin's ability to
\ntrace the violin's origin back to the time the bow was invented.<\/p>\n
On the walls of The Grotto of the Trois Freres in Ariege, a
\nprimitive image of a half-man, half-beast character holds before
\nhis face a convex object resembling a small bow. According to
\nMenuhin, the 15,000-year-old image suggests that what is
\nabsorbing his attention is "the vibration of the string -- the
\nsound that it is producing, the oscillations it is making in the
\nsilence".<\/p>\n
Menuhin believes that the refined Guarnerius or Stradivarius
\nwe know today has evolved from the vibration produced by a
\npizzicato, or a plucked note, of this very first stringed
\ninstrument. This form of bow, known today as the "musical" bow,
\nis apparently still found and widely used among many African
\ntribes.<\/p>\n
Menuhin's fascination with the world at large -- exemplified
\nby his frequent travels and immortalized in a chapter called
\nViolins of the World -- is perhaps his strongest contribution to
\nhis art. Whether he speaks of the Indian sarangi, the Chinese
\nfour-stringed violin, the Berber rebab, or the Bulgarian gadulka,
\nhis belief in the eternal interchange between cultures and
\ncivilizations is evident throughout.<\/p>\n
This approach effectively negates the prevalent myth that the
\nviolin is the exclusive preserve of the western classical music
\ntradition.<\/p>\n
In his later years, his cross-cultural projects with the
\nlegendary classical Indian musician Ravi Shankar and the jazz
\npianist Stephane Grappelli serve only to underline his long-held
\nview that music is only worth something if the two great musical
\ntraditions -- improvisation and interpretation -- can intertwine
\nand borrow from each other.<\/p>\n
In addition to being an authoritative guidebook to the
\ninstrument, The Violin is as much a work of art as is the subject
\nit represents.<\/p>\n
-- Laksmi Pamuntjak-Djohan<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-violin-tribute-to-menuhin-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }