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Master Musician
Out with a new memoir and with a role in a new movie,
violinist Isaac Stern continues to take center stage.
CURT SCHLEIER
Special to the Jewish News
E
ntering Isaac Stern's
New York City
duplex, a visitor is
greeted by Old
World elegance and charm.
The furniture bespeaks an era
of Carnegie and Mellon, and
belies the cacophony of sirens
that blast outside. The walls
are bedecked with awards, cari-
catures, signed photos —
mementos of a 60-plus-year
career as one of the finest vio-
linists of the 20th century.
—c
Stern, too, has considerable
Old World charm and ele-
gance. "Can we fix you a
drink," he asks. "Or we can
open a bottle of champagne."
There's just one problem.
Stern is on the phone, calling
from his car on some Connecticut
highway. He'd been delayed at his
country home. He will call back in
five minutes, he says. "We can start
the interview from the car."
The occasion for the interview is
publication of Stern's moving, honest
and heartfelt memoir, My First 79
Years (Alfred A. Knopf; $27.50),
written in collaboration with author
Chaim Potok. Later, when voices are
reconnected, he wants to know, Can
you hear? Good. I didn't want to
hold the phone while I drive."
Drive? "No I don't have a driver,"
he explains. "I love to drive. I'm fast
— but safe."
Discussion of his career begins at
its end. As Stern's legions of fans
know, the maestro hasn't performed
in about a year. He had a problem
gripping his bow and had to retire. It
turns out his retirement might be, as
he puts it, "a temporary respite."
His problem, at first misdiagnosed
as arthritis, is carpal tunnel syn-
drome. He's had surgery, and is in
the midst of a strenuous course of
rehabilitation.
The odds on his return are
improving. A week earlier, they were
50-50, he guesses; this week it's 65-
Curt Schleier is a New Jersey-based
freelance writer.
10/29
Control high
blood pressure
Double Concerto. The
movie speaks to an
issue close to Stern's
heart: the necessity to
fight cutbacks in arts
education.
Where will the
next generation of
great musicians —
the Perlmans and
Sterns — come
from?
"There will be
many Asians and
many Europeans
from various coun-
tries," Stern says. "A
— Isaac Stern good musician
becomes a person in
society. The idea
that all the great violinists and
35 that he will resume at least a lim-
pianists are Jewish is a late 19th-cen-
ited schedule of mostly chamber
tury and 20th-century idea. And it
music — probably with his regular
came out at a time where playing an
partners, Yo-Yo Ma, Jaime Laredo
instrument was the only passport to
and Emanuel Ax.
He certainly wants to return to the
get out of the ghetto.
Ask if classical music has a place
spotlight. "I'm a stage person. I love to
in an MTV world, and Stern's voice
go on stage. But I won't go back if I
can't live up to my standards. I have a
takes on an angry edge. The prob-
lems of classical music are no differ-
full life without it. I love teaching. I
ent than the problems of general
love talking about music. I have a
education we have today," he says.
very active life, which I share with a
He goes on to talk about how
number of people.
teachers should be better trained,
Stern has not only always been a
better respected and better paid.
great performer of music but an
"They should be peo-
advocate for it, too.
ple who know how to
He remains the
teach and respect the
principal reason
value of young peo-
Carnegie Hall isn't
ple."
an apartment build-
And, no, classical
ing, and he still
music "will not suffer
serves as its presi-
— at least not any
dent. He also gives
more than great poet-
master classes
ry and Shakespeare.
around the world.
Kids must be taught
In Music of the
how to think — not
Heart, a film opening
just how to push a
in theaters today,
button," Stern says.
Stern joins Itzhak
"We also have to pass
Perlman and Meryl
on a love of the arts.
Streep in a scene
If we don't give that
where the actress,
to young people,
portraying East
we're just animals.
Harlem violin
By now, having suc-
instructor Roberta
cessfully eluded
Guaspari, joins the
Isaac Stern's new memoir
Connecticut and New
virtuosos in six min-
was co-written with
York troopers, Stern is
utes of the Bach
author Chaim Potok.
"Kids must
be taught
how to
think
not just how
to push a
button. "
))
"