Casals and the Art of Interpretation by David Blum

by David Blum

"This is an immensely valuable book and one which is clearly designed to appeal to all musicians--not just string players...Mr. Blum has captured in great detail the little things that so often make a great teacher. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the Art of Interpretation."--Music Teacher
"The volume belongs to an exceptional class of it is to be welcomed as a significant contribution. In his Forward, Antony Hopkins in a most eloquent way makes us fully aware of our possible great loss had the subject material forming this book not been preserved for posterity...throughout the book one remains not only an absorbed reader, but very much an active participant."--Violoncello Society Newsletter
"Now we have an authoritative guide to this great artist's approach to interpretation...a book which should be compulsory reading for every player, conductor and teacher."--Music Journal of the Incorporated Society of Musicians
"Blum has elegantly combined precise music terminology with meticulous music examples to present lucid and revealing details of interpretation that can be quickly and easily grasped. Only superlatives apply to this book, and all serious musicians would find immense pleasure and musical profit from reading this work. Highly recommended at all levels."--Choice

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Classical Music

Paperback

First published December 31, 1977

Reviews

[JackPlaysViola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has inspired me so much. It has taught me to look at music more than rhythms and dynamic markings and tempo markings and markings. It has taught me what intentions may lie behind the markings and how we can find gestures in music and how to bring out music. Actual music! I’ve felt my approach becoming mundane and restricted lately and after reading this book I have SO much curiosity in different music. Like how can I figure out the sound the composer wanted here? Without being relaxed and lazy about my approach and using worn out approaches that produce similar sounds like everyone else. I’m just feeling so inspired right now :)

[Joshua Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic addition to the library. Casals’ take on Bach alone is worth the price of admission.

[tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

lovely book that showcases casals' genius in its entirety :) a must read for all cellists!

[Sher · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a long time to read this rather short book (210 pages) because I read it in snippets until the last couple of chapters. Although I loved the whole book, the chapters on Bach in general and on Beethoven Symphony No. 6 were my favorites. This is a book for performing musicians, or perhaps for someone with a strong musical background that is interested in how a truly great musician thinks and feels and interprets a piece of music. Pablo Casals, 1876-1973, the subject of this book, is perhaps the greatest cellist to have ever lived. He was also a truly amazing conductor and among the greatest of musicians. I learned much from Casals as his protégé David Blum took us on a tour of rehearsals under the baton of Casals, and also drew from private lessons and conversations with the master. The only thing I didn’t like about the book was Blum’s use of the British names for notes, such as quavers, crochets, minims, etc. I just didn’t put forth the effort to keep them straight with the American equivalent.

I learned so much about making music from Casals, but I also learned that he was full of love. One of my favorite quotes comes at the end of the book, the very last page: Real understanding does not come from what we learn in books; it comes from what we learn from love – love of nature, of music, of man. For only what is learned in that way is truly understood.”

One more great quote: “I cannot believe that these marvels which surround us – the miracle which is life – can come from nothingness. How can something come from nothingness? The miracle must come from somewhere. It comes from God.”

[James Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pablo Casals was a Spanish Catalan cellist and conductor. He made many recordings throughout his career, of solo, chamber, and orchestral music, also as conductor, but Casals is perhaps best remembered for the recording of the Bach Cello Suites he made from 1936 to 1939. Casals and the Art of Interpretation is perhaps the best book about his art and music. In this engaging book Blum analyzes and explicates the principles of music interpretation as demonstrated by Casals in his playing, conducting and living. Whether it is the need to produce a singing tone in a classic composition by Richard Wagner or the importance of design in shaping the themes of a composition - every aspect of the music he was playing or conducting was of importance to him. Blum uses precise musical terminology combined with detailed musical examples in his lucid and revealing interpretation of Casals' art. The result is a text that I found readable and easily grasped and, while I admittedly have more than average training in music, the book should be understandable for most general readers. The highlight of the book for me was both the chapter on "Casals and Bach" and the final discussion of a rehearsal of Beethoven's "Pastoral Symphony". It is here that the heart of Pablo Casals is on display and the result is that I will never listen to these works the same way again.

[Tim Drummond · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and refreshing look at bringing music to life, from the perspective of one of the greatest performers and conductors of the modern world. Casals had an almost childlike wonder about him in regards to music, nature, and, it seems, to life, and that is marvelously encouraging to read, in the midst of all we learn about music, especially that of Bach and Beethoven, two masters to whom Casals proscribes a special place.

That being said, this book is not really written for the non-musician, or even the listening enthusiast. It is filled with music score excerpts and terminology related specifically to reading and performing music. So I really enjoyed it, but the non-performer would probably find it a bit pedantic.

[Randall Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

the cellist in me ranks this as a 3 because there is not a lot to use for teaching cello playing techniques unlike a lot of other cello books, however as a potential conductor, you will find a ton of stuff that's interesting. basically, the more you want to know about classical music orchestral performance the more you will appreciate this book. i'm a big casals fan so i knew i had to read this at some point.

[Tyler Holstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great reminder of all those little phrasing concepts I've learned over the years that have been erased by countless hours of drilling notes with a tuner and metronome. Good resource for all musicians, despite the central focus on string playing and special emphasis on cello repertoire. Plenty of score samples throughout to guide the reader, who may be unfamiliar with specific musical references.

[Timar Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of great insights for performance, conducting, and interpretation. Lots of great anecdotes about Casals that make for good stories to share.

The author makes it very clear that he is a big supporter of Casals' philosophy and beliefs and always speaks of him in the highest regard. So, if you are looking for a non biased description of Casals' style and interpretation philosophy, this is not it. None the less, a great read with an obviously passionate author.

[Qi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casals was truly an incredible cellist/ musician, his interpretations were in such a poetic way, it's like he was telling the world a love story everytime he picked up his cello or his baton.

"Real understanding does not come from what we learn in books; it comes from what we learn from love- love of nature, of music, of man. For only what is learned in that way is truly understood."--Pablo Casals

[Tyler Knowlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

1/2 of this book is what you should learn at a good school of music - phrasing, basic interpretation, being sensitive to what the music is saying, but a good 1/4 of it is stuff that I hadn't heard before about "the law of diminuendo" etc.

Definately worth reading for some truths about going past what is written on the page and trying to get at the soul of the music.

[Scott Gobeille · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bloom is ardent and this book is full of musical illustrations of his theme, which is that music should be played as Casals did, with passion and honest emotion, no exceptions. My only reservation is that my own approach to music, for better or worse, is more analytical so I find it difficult to share this kind of enthusiasm.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A liberating text to the aspiring conductor or soloist. Blum communicates Casal's approach to music in a highly illuminating way, not just giving us the pearls of wisdom, but examples of his manner of execution. This should be considered a must read to all students of music, no matter what level, and should be put back on the shelf with the intent for a return visit every so often.

[Ted Laderas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Casal's wisdom about performance and interpretation of music.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for any musician!