Never Too Late: My Musical Life Story

Book Description

"If I could learn to play the cello well, as I thought I could, I could show by my own example that we all have greater powers than we think; that whatever we want to learn or learn to do, we probably can learn; that our lives and our possibilities are not determined and fixed by what happened to us when we were little, or by what experts say we can or cannot do." Best known for his brilliant insight into the way children learn, John Holt was also an intrepid explorer of adult learning. At the age of forty, with no particular musical background, he took up the cello. His touching and hilarious account of his passionate second career demolished the myth that one must start an instrument (or a sport, or a language) in early childhood, and will inspire any reader who dreams of taking up a new skill. Reviews "Very often when I travel adults come to me and longingly say they want to play a musical instrument but are now too old. I always and with great delight refer them to John Holt's book Never Too Late. The beauty of Holt's book is that he himself set his own standards for music making. The reason for playing music is not to compare yourself to anyone but to bring forth what is inside of you." - Yo Yo Ma "A deep love of his instrument sparkles on the pages of his life story." - Christian Science Monitor "Taps the Walter Mitty dreamer is all of us." - Los Angeles Times

Customer Reviews:

Changed my Life.......2006-11-03

I loved this book. I've read it many times and I continue to be inspired by the wisdom Mr. Holt has left with us. I wish I would have read it when I first started playing an instrument (guitar) in my teens. Its perfect for an adult student but equally appropriate for younger students also.

John Holt (through this book)inspired me to learn/play Chess. .......2006-05-14

This book, to me, inspired me to pick up chess. I have never in my life learned to play chess because to me it was quite hard, but i gave it a go. I searched for a good cd rom as compared to finding a teacher or a book and in the end learned to play chess in about a month. It took me about a month to play because chess was something so new to me, but once i got the hang of it, everything was like childs play. John Holt proved to me that certain things can be overcomed-if one tries very hard. At times, it won't work but in others it will. The program that i buoght was" how to play chess with fritz and chesster-part 1".

On music, about playing an instrument. Mom's and Dad's should take them at an early age to music school. The other area is about pregnant ladies listening to alot of classical music as well as them having a positive environment while there babies are still in the womb. This will produce smarter, and intelligent babies. If mom's read alot of books while they are pregnant, this too benefits the child.

Holt's book is inspiring. This may inspire me to take flight cessna lessons some day soon. Oh yes, for me, chess has been my musical instrument you could say. For me, chess has enhanced my IQ. It is a great stress releaser....

This book is inspiring. Give it a try, in reading it, it could help you take up the French or Russian language or it could help you -motivate you to become an Anesthesiologist.

Musical Memoirs.......2006-01-14

This book contains the musical memoirs of John Holt, amateur cellist. Throughout his life, Holt was fascinated with the process of learning and of education. He taught classes in elementary schools, and he published a number of books including "How Children Fail." In this book, Holt presents many observations about his own struggles to learn music. Holt didn't come from a musical family and had practically no training in music as a young person. However, starting in his teenage years, he developed a great love of listening to music. Over the next few decades, he dallied with learning the guitar and flute, but it wasn't until he was 40 that he began studying music in earnest on the cello. Of all instruments to choose, the cello is not one to be taken up lightly, for it is notoriously difficult in its fingerings, bowings, and tone quality. Holt found that his musical studies were requiring more and more of his time, but he also found the time spent on working with his instrument to be so rewarding that he was willing to give up many of his other activities so as to have more time to practice and learn.

In this book, Holt presents a lifelong analysis of all the types of music he had been exposed to, and what they meant to him and his development in music. He takes us from learning songs with his aunt on summer vacation through how he figured out musical notation by fiddling around with piano keys, through intensive summer music camps he attended as an adult with his cello. At times, this seemingly exhaustive enumeration of musical experiences can drag a bit. On the other hand, each anecdote does eventually play an important role in the big picture as Holt unfolds his story.

As a struggling amateur musician, I found Holt's story to be quite inspiring. Since Holt was neither a trained musician nor a music educator, he was able to offer an uncommon perspective on music practice and learning. I was struck by his insistence that musicians at all levels should include in their daily practice pieces that are much too hard for them, rather than just sticking to material that is appropriate for their current level. He also stresses the need for playing real music, and not just exercises or pedagogical pieces (although he does note that sometimes these, too, are useful). He stresses the importance of playing pieces in their entirety as well as working on individual trouble spots. Holt makes it clear that musicians of all levels should be playing music that speaks to them (rather than to their teachers). Through his example, he shows that it doesn't matter what age you are when you first begin to study music-if you are serious about your practice, you will progress and find immense enjoyment as you play.

Not Happy.......2005-08-02

This book really did not meet my expectations. The author, an educator actually gave very little insight into his learning of the cello as an older adult. Much of the book is biographical and is disappointing because the author really is not much of a musician. He really had very little musical background. It is confusing because one moment he is talking of his proficiency playing difficult pieces and the next it is clear that he is having trouble with the basics of reading music or understanding music theory.

...a bit boring..........2005-07-28

Found it a bit difficult to keep on reading this one. Really just an everyday memoir with few interesting highlights. The context in which the story is told is rather dated, there are few music-related gems to be found and it is hard to empathize with the author's whining.

What I Know 'Bout What I Know: The Musical Life of An Itinerant Banjo Player

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For the Bluegrass Fan . . .
Great Insight Into the Mind of a Quintessential Banjo Player

What I Know 'Bout What I Know: The Musical Life of An Itinerant Banjo Player
Butch Robins
Manufacturer: 1st Books Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1410767094

Customer Reviews:

For the Bluegrass Fan . . ........2006-08-16

Butch Robins is a great banjo player. His writing style may be somewhat unorthodox, but he shares a wealth of information about what he knows - bluegrass and the people (including himself) who helped to shape it.

In this book you will find some tidbits about some of the "stars" of bluegrass music that you are not likely to find anywhere else. Robins also attempts to put to rest some myths about the father of bluegrass through personal observations made during his tenure with the Blue Grass Boys.

The avid fan of bluegrass will want to read this. Be warned, however, that the English language takes a beating and misspellings are rampant. (Jesse McReynolds' name is mentioned often throughout the book and is spelled correctly only a couple of times.) This work could have - should have - been edited a bit more rigorously. Also, be warned that Butch has no reservations about using words that some might consider offensive - hey, we're all adults here - right!?!?!

If the book had been edited a little better, I could have given it five stars just for the information it contains. But with these problems a weak "four star" rating is about all I can muster. Folks who are hungry for anything bluegrass shouldn't let it stand in their way though - buy it!

Great Insight Into the Mind of a Quintessential Banjo Player.......2004-11-20

I bought this book because at one time I barely knew Butch Robins and wanted to see what he had to say. I came away with a profound respect for him and a much greater understanding of the music he devoted his life to. And, Oh Yeah, I learned a lot about Bill Monroe, bluegrass music, and the hard life of a musician on the road.
Butch Robins is an exceptionally bright, driven, flawed human being who has managed to come to a peaceful resolution of his interesting (in the Chinese curse sense) life and this book is the product of that journey. I remember him as a talented and creative musician from whom music effortlessly flowed. He is that, of course, but is also a minor hero of mine after reading how he dealt with his demons.
I will be the first to admit that Butch is no Marcel Proust, but his writing is compelling and his (at times) stream of concsciousness approach to his biography grabbed me emotionally and helped me understand why I love the music so much.
If you are interested in one man's view on Bill Monroe, this is the best version of Monroe's character I have ever read. You have to read the whole book to get the complete picture as Butch is of several minds on the subject to say the least.
I will enjoy this book again after I examine my own feelings on growing up in the 60s and 70s, my love of bluegrass music, and the effects the honesty in this book.

MIke Keyes
mikeyes@charter.net

Ludwig Van Beethoven: Musical Genius (Great Life Stories)

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Ludwig Van Beethoven: Musical Genius (Great Life Stories)
Brendan January
Manufacturer: Franklin Watts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0531119092

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Musician. Lexicographer. Raconteur. Polymath. Zappatista.

Perfect Pitch: A Life Story
Nicolas Slonimsky
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0193151553

Book Description

A man of untiring energy and humor, Nicolas Slonimsky has led a long and accomplished musical life, and today in his nineties he is a vital presence in American music. In 1985, an extensive New Yorker profile described him as "a man of countless daffy stunts and almost as many authentic
achievements." Indeed, Slonimsky pursued four distinct careers, each with its own degree of success: as a pianist, as a composer, as an pioneering conductor who championed modern American composers, among them Ives, Varese and Cowell, who long afterwards came to be acknowledged as giants of the new
century. It was in his fourth career, as a musical lexicographer, that he achieved world-wide recognition, particularly as editor of the highly respected Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, a reference work renowned for its highly imaginative, lively, and gem-like entries.
He is also a master raconteur. In Perfect Pitch, his fast-paced and often hilarious autobiography, he recounts in fascinating detail a life that spans the whole of 20th-century music, ranging from his childhood in St. Petersburg, where he studied piano with his illustrious aunt, Isabelle
Vengerova, to his years as secretary and "piano pounder" to Serge Koussevitzky, to his present career as musical lexicographer. He describes the extraordinary accomplishments of members of his family; Russia before, during, and after the Revolution; his successful appearances as conductor in Paris,
Berlin, and New York, and his fall from grace at the Hollywood Bowl; the whimsical pleasures of lexicographical detective work; unexpected fame and fortune as a game show contestant; and much, much more. Along the way, the reader meets famous personalities as seen through Slonimsky's eye, names such
as Igor Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Eugene Ormandy, Leonard Bernstein, John Cage, and Frank Zappa. Also included is the correspondence from Henry Cowell in prison, providing a stirring commentary on the persecution of this remarkable American musician.
Crowded with illuminating anecdotes, Perfect Pitch captures a life packed with odd and arcane developments, related in a style full of wit, spice, and irreverence.

Customer Reviews:

Musician. Lexicographer. Raconteur. Polymath. Zappatista........2002-10-26

I might well have called this "While I Slept" (with apologies to Art Buchwald). For, despite the facts that [a] Nicolas Slonimsky lived for more than 101 years (from 27 April 1894 to 25 December 1995), [b] because of this longevity, my life overlapped his by some 55 years, and [c] Slonimsky played a major role in a good part of the music I love (that of Charles Ives), he is a quite "new" discovery for me.

Born a Jew in St. Petersburg but baptized in the Orthodox church, Slonimsky was just one of many overachievers in his family. (As one example, his maternal aunt, Isabelle Vengerova, who - like him - was to emigrate to the United States, taught piano not only to Slonimsky but to Dmitri Tiomkin, the famous Hollywood composer, while both were still in Russia, and then to the likes of Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Lukas Foss and Gary Graffman, when she lived in New York and served for many years on the faculty of the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia.)

The 1917 Revolution led to Slonimsky's 1918 emigration from the Soviet Union, but not before he became known to a number of St. Petersburg composers and musicians of fame, not the least of whom was Alexander Glazunov, the director of the music conservatory there. His migratoy path while wending his way eventually to the U.S. is a story all in itself, with "pit stops" in Kiev, Karkhov, Yalta, Constantinople, Sofia, and, eventually, Paris, where he met Koussevitsky, Stravinsky and Prokofiev, assisting all three of them in various (and humorous) ways.

Arriving first in the U.S. at Rochester (NY), where he had been invited to coach the newly-instituted American Opera Company at the Eastman School of Music, Slonimsky had his initial conducting experiences (not a total success, but one which nonetheless demonstrated that he had a unique ability to "decouple" his two arms, permitting him to conduct in two different meters at the same time [something that would stand him in good stead when he later conducted the music of Ives]). From there, he went to Boston, as Koussevitsky's assistant (also not without its humor). It was in Boston that he met his wife-to-be, Dorothy Adlow (another Russian Jewish immigrant who became famous in her own right as the only Jewish editor on the staff of the Christian Science Monitor), and formed his own small chamber orchestra - made up largely of musicians from the Boston Symphony - for the performance of "new, modern" music. It was here, in 1928, that he first met Henry Cowell, which was to factor importantly in his early championing of Charles Ives and his music.

Skipping (temporarily) the Ives - Slonimsky connection, in 1933 Slonimsky was invited to be the conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, an assignment that ended in disaster when he programmed too much modern music for the tastes of the audience, not the least of which was Edgar Varèse's "Ionisation."

Later in life - in fact, largely for the balance of what was to turn out to be an exceedingly long and rich life - Slonimsky turned his attention and activities toward writing on musical matters, mostly as a musical biographer and lexicographer for various music encyclopedias such as Theodore Baker's "Biographical Dictionary of Musicians." His bulldog determination for "accuracy at whatever cost" knew no bounds, even going so far as to check historical newspaper accounts of the weather on the date of Mozart's funeral, to put the lie to claims that friends did not attend Mozart's funeral because of snow: the snow, not the funeral, was in fact canceled.

Among Slonimsky's other writings were treatises on music theory, including some rather abstruse writings on the theory of harmony that represented true inventions on his part. In one of the strangest juxtapositions - and truly one of the most hilarious chapters of the book - Slonimsky crossed paths, in 1981, with none other than Frank Zappa, who took a personal interest in Slonimsky's theories and actually applied portions of them to his compositions.

But it was the Ives connection which brought my attention to Slonimsky in the first place, on account of the anecdotes that Jan Swafford, in his "Charles Ives: A Life With Music," related regarding Slonimsky's early championing of Ives's music, decades before others (incuding Bernstein) did. In what for me is the "gravitational center" of the book, a chapter entitled "Three Places in New England," Slonimsky, with the greatest of warmth and a wealth of detail, describes his initial meeting of Ives (through the auspices of Cowell) and his concertizing in both the U.S. and Europe, including Ives works on the programs. Certainly a highlight largely lost to history was Slonimsky conducting the Berlin Philharmonic, on 5 March 1932, in a program of works by Ives, Ruggles and Varèse, to both critical and popular acclaim, as well as enthusiastic acceptance by the Berlin orchestra musicians for whom this music would have been impossibly difficult had it not been for Slonimsky's conducting expertise. Ives and Slonimsky were to remain lifelong friends, and Ives, despite his infirmaties later in life, and often with the greatest of physical difficulties, would correspond with Slonimsky. One can only wish that some recording or another of a Slonimsky performance of an Ives work would have survived, but apparently - and regrettably - this is an idle wish.

There is a sequel - of sorts - to this autobiography, called (with Slonimksy's tongue placed firmly in his cheek) "The First Hundred Years." Not an update that adds another five years to "Perfect Pitch," this one is a compendium of excerpts of some of his best writings (including excerpts from "Perfect Pitch"). There is no better way to gauge the length, breadth and depth of Slonimsky's interests and expertise on matters musical than this "sequel." But do read "Perfect Pitch" first. If you can stop laughing long enough to complete it.

Bob Zeidler

Nirvana Tribute: The Life and Death of Kurt Cobain the Full Story

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It wasn't suicide
condemning kurt cobain is not a tribute to nirvana.
Cobain
I believe i am kurts biggest fan
I'm not like them (but I can pretend)

Nirvana Tribute: The Life and Death of Kurt Cobain the Full Story
Suzi Black
Manufacturer: Omnibus Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0711942447

Customer Reviews:

It wasn't suicide.......2004-01-23

Kurt did not commit suicide. Spread the word, because people need to know the truth. Go to justiceforkurt.com and I promise you will change your mind for good.

~Alma, 15

Rest in peace dear Kurt, I'll always love you.

condemning kurt cobain is not a tribute to nirvana........2003-09-05

i have no idea what kind of nirvana tribute suzi black hoped to accomplish by writing this book. i have just finished reading the book, and i'm angry and hurt by all the unfounded, condemning, moral judgements she made about kurt cobain's suicide.

the book itself is an unimpressive repetition of everything we all know and have read elsewhere about kurt -- and some of it is misquoted and wrongly stated in this book. it's just a lame attempt to cash in on the huge market created by kurt's death. but it's all passable until the very end where she jumps into the jury seat and begins to judge and degrade kurt for his choice of suicide, citing the usual moral cliche nonsense that we hear from those who've never been truly depressed or desperate enough to contemplate ending their lives. nobody has the right to judge anyone until they've walked in their shoes for a mile. this bit of wisdom is totally lost on the author of this book. she is way out of line writing such harsh and inaccurate judgements on a man off of whoes death she's making money. there are far better books out there written on kurt. save your money on this one. i have a world of love and respect for kurt cobain, and i will always cherish and honor him. that's why i'm going to throw this book in the garbage can and write a letter to miss black requesting that she keep her uninsightful and condescending opinions to herself. how dare she judge a man who was in so much pain as to want to die.

R.I.P. dear kurt. we will love you forever.

Cobain.......2002-03-15

Kurt Cobain is a god in the music world, and he is also my god, i love him and i hate that he is no longer around i will always miss him.

kurt cobain is the man

I believe i am kurts biggest fan.......2001-05-10

Ive read it as well as countless amounts of other material yes it is a good book but kurt didn't kill himself and it has other incorrect information as well. If your going to write a book get the facts strait

I'm not like them (but I can pretend).......2000-04-07

This was a very informative yet depressing book...many times -- most of the time actually -- I cried. And I don't cry a lot. I am a HUGE Kurt and Nirvana fan (as well as a Courtney Hater) and I thought I knew a lot about Kurt but I didn't and I learned a lot more through this book.

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Great book!
It's a riot from start to end.

Secret Life of Eva Hathaway
Janice Weber
Manufacturer: Dutton Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0917657322

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2007-02-06

I absolutely loved this book. It's laugh out loud funny! I've probably read it 6 times over the years and bought copies for all my friends.

It's a riot from start to end........1999-10-30

Where extra-marital affairs are a no-no, Weber gives a fresh and funny point-of-view of a lovable character torn between a steamy love affair and a secure marriage.

Story of a Musical Life: An Autobiography

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Story of a Musical Life: An Autobiography
George F. Root
Manufacturer: Ams Pr Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0404072054

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Story of a Musical Life: An Autobiography.
George F. Root
Manufacturer: Publisher Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UYJ2DC

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Tell Me a Story, Sing Me a Song...
William A. Owens
Manufacturer: Univ of Texas Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Story of a Musical Life: An Autobiography.
George F. Root
Manufacturer: Publisher Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UG3JAC

Book Description

This is a spirited retelling of the true story of Manuel Cordova-Rios, who as a young man was abducted by a tribe of Indians while on a rubber-cutting expedition in the Amazon jungle in 1907. This first-person account relates Cordova-Rios' terrifying capture, his encounters with Shumu, the tribal chief, and his life among the Huni Kui, an isolated tribe possessing sophisticated knowledge of the curative powers of jungle plants and the habits and natures of the many animals that lived with them in the lush tropical jungle. Under Shumu's tutelage, Cordova-Rios underwent a shamanic initiation, participating in dreaming sessions induced by the psychotropic plant ayahuasca. In these group trances, the young Peruvian man received from the chief and other members of the Huni Kui their astounding store of knowledge and tribal lore of the jungle environment. Cordova succeeded him as the tribe's chief on Shumu's death. After living among the Huni Kui for several years, Cordova-Rios eventually returned to his life in the outside world.

Customer Reviews:

A true story but it reads like an Indiana Jones adventure.......2007-01-15

I read this book over a decade ago. I just can't believe no one has reviewed it. I just remember that it was really good. I'll try my best review it. It takes place in the Peruvian Amazon region during the rubber boom. Manuel is a young teen living in a dull town and anxious to join his uncle in the rubber tapping business. He goes against his mother's wishes. When sailing down the Amazon they are attacked by hostile Indians who resent the encroachment. Manuel is captured and very slowly integrated into the tribe. He assimilates their customs, including using hallucinogenic drugs for visions. He is eventually bestowed the honor of becoming the apprentice to the shaman, healer.

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