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Critic's Corner
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ISAAC STERN; My First 79 Years Reviewed by:
Patricia Ann Jones I found the origin of this moving memoir fascinating. Imagine two giants in their respective fields, one literary, the other a concert violinist, weaving a masterpiece of lyrical prose. Prose so touching, it reads like music. The celebrated writer Chaim Potok, author of many best-selling books, including "The Chosen" and "My Name is Asher Lev," conveys here in the most sympathetic and articulate way the power of Stern's mind, his wit, and his spirit. The two men spent a year talking and sharing their perceptions, and the result is a book in which Stern's voice comes through with complete conviction and persuasiveness. "It is astonishing to what degree performing artists are clasped to the bosoms of people everywhere. And if you don't exploit that generosity wrongly, it becomes a tremendous personal, private wealth. I'm very grateful to be a musician. Sometimes, when I'm on stage, I feel this wonderful sense of joy at being able to play. I feel blessed. It's extraordinary to have spent a lifetime making people enjoy themselves, and gaining a collective warmth and friendships that have lasted over decades. To be wanted and useful is the ultimate fulfillment for any artist. That's the greatest satisfaction an artist can have." These words of Stern's stir the senses. His dedication to his art and his ability to speak so eloquently of a life spent on the world stage almost make us forget the price one pays for fame and fortune. Stern begins his memoir with his own birth. He speaks of his ardent support of Israel, his ideas and beliefs about art, life, love, and the world we live in. Stern's father, Solomon, was born in Kiev, Russia. His mother, Clara, was born in Kremeniecz on the Russian and Polish border. During the turbulent years (1918-1920) following the Bolshevik Revolution, Kremeniecz changed hands about every two weeks. Stern was born there on July 21, 1920, during the Polish two-week period. Shortly after the failed Bolshevik invasion of Poland, his father obtained a Polish passport and a Visa to the United States. His passport showed his profession to be artist-painter, and his domicile Kreminiecz. After months of travel through Siberia and across the Pacific with their ten- month-old son Isaac, the family arrived in San Francisco. Clara's older brother had settled in California years before. When Isaac was eight years old, his friend began taking violin lessons. This event spurred Isaac to badger his parents for violin lessons. He says he was not a prodigy, but the young student out grew violin teachers as fast as most children out grow their shoes. The stories of his first teachers and benefactors give depth and understanding of what it takes to become a major player in the world of classical music. By the age of 15, Stern was playing concerts on various stages in California. Then, Sol Hurok arranged Stern's first major concert in 1943 at Carnegie Hall. His first reviews were good, but not outstanding. However, one year later on January 12, 1944, he returned to Carnegie Hall and this time the reviews were raves. He was said to be, ". . . one of the world's master fiddle players." This second concert in New York catapulted his career onto the world stage. Stern said, "It was my musical coming-of-age, my professional bar mitzvah. I was 24 years old." Years later, he returned the favor to the famed concert hall by saving it from the wrecking ball. During WWII, his talents were utilized by the USO. He played often at the Stage Door Canteens in New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. He also played at various military bases and hospitals during the war here in the States and overseas. After the war, Stern resumed his concert tours around the world. His energy was boundless. He often played over 100 concerts per year and even found time to participate in motion pictures. Family life proved difficult and it was here that Stern paid for his fame and fortune. He was married three times. His second wife, Vera, gave him three lovely children: Shira, Michael, and David. This long-lived marriage was dysfunctional at its best. Stern traveled more than nine months in any given year and spent such short periods of time with his family one could not expect a normal family life to endure. The surprise of his old age was Linda Reynolds who became his third wife in 1996. ". . . suddenly I found out something that I really did not believe possible: that in my 70s, I could fall head-over-heels in love." The book covers not only the early days of the State of Israel but up to present time. Stern became devoted to his many Jewish friends and spent great blocks of time playing concerts and teaching in Israel. Readers will find the historical passages intriguing as they follow Stern through Israel, Europe and the far East. Historically and musically, he gives readers a history lesson spanning 65 years. My personal amazement came from the knowledge of Stern's musician friendships. These included stellar lights like Leonard Bernstein, Pablo Casals, Vladimir Horowitz, Gregor Piatigorsky, Fritz Kreisler, and others. Also, it was Isaac Stern who first heard a young disabled Jewish boy play the violin. His name was Itzhak Perlman. Stern saw to it that Perlman had his chance at the golden ring of fame. Another prodigy assisted by Stern was Yo Yo Ma. These stories fascinate and show the largess of Stern's gifts to young musicians. Stern's goals included sharing his ideas and what he'd learned about what is possible in music, share all that with younger performers and particularly with young teachers: how to search inside for what is achievable in music. In closing he says, "And when the time comes, as it inevitably must, I will be happy to be on stage playing and have my life end with a fiddler's version of dying with one's boots on. Then I will consider my life to have been worthwhile, with a legacy I am proud to leave." I can only say, Bravo, Bravo, to both Isaac Stern and Chaim Potok for leaving this remarkable life story for future generations of musicians and music lovers throughout the world. ### To discuss this review with the author, Patricia A. Jones, visit her in our message boards. |
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