Sigma Alpha Iota

BOOK REVIEW Rose Biography Unflinching in Look at Cellist S teven Honigberg, a student of Leonard Rose, has written the first biography of one of the world's greatest cellists: Leonard Rose: America's Golden Age and Its First Cellist. Anyone who purchases the book may request a free bonus CD of Rose performing two cello concerti never released commercially: Alan Shulman's Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra (1948) and Peter Mennin's Cello Concerto (1956). Quite an amazing offer. Divided into 25 chapters, this 501-page volume contains eight appendices, which include details about performances in Rose's Leonard Rose: America's Golden Age symphonic and chamber music career as well and Its First Cellist as solo appearances* with major orchestras, by Steven Honigberg. Beckham his discography, and several musical review Publications Group, April 2010, 501 pages. fragments. Appendix H lists all of the music Rose edited for International Music memoir, which Rose dictated at the end of his Company, including the three volumes of life — even though painful memories made it orchestral excerpts with his fingerings, still a difficult. In one way, I am inclined to think some valuable resource for any cello section player. recollections should have been left unpublished. Unfortunately, there is no appendix listing the For a while after the death of his first wife, his dates and locations of all his many Community children and he were estranged. In the long run, Concert recitals. I am not certain how beneficial it is learning the Rose felt strongly about them and is quoted sad details of Rose's psychological problems and in the book: "I think Community Concerts did family challenges. a great deal for music in this country because it It might have been better for the book to brought music to a widespread audience before focus only on his inspiring contributions to the days when phonograph records were readily cello playing and pedagogy. On the other hand, available." I heard two of these memorable performances the author piques the reader's interest with the opening chapter's lead describing the strained in my hometown — the first in 1952 (his second relationship in one of these disturbing situations, season with Columbia Artists Management) and which acquaint us with Rose on an intimate the other in 1959, after which he accepted me as level. Indeed it is possible his dysfunctional one of his summer students at Meadowmount relationship with his father spurred Rose to School of Music in upstate New York. A unique achieve greater heights in his career. privilege. I can clearly visualize my first lesson with him I definitely recommend reading the book; throughout are musical gems. Within the text are over a half century ago; he began with the bow arm. According to the biographer, "His unique mini-biographies of legendary musicians, such as mechanics —the natural motion of the hand, Heifetz, Toscanini, and Mitropoulos. Many of the arm, and fingers coordinated in unison to make facts therein aren't integral to Rose's life, yet these effortless circular bow changes — was Rose's tangential histories and anecdotes are fascinating. most advanced breakthrough for the cello." However, their placement within chapters (rather Years later, I immediately recognized his than in footnotes or endnotes) breaks the book's "bow" signature at a young cellist's recital, so storyline, and although the author makes some I wrote to Mr. Rose: "As soon as the bow hairs Rose connections in these sections, the narrative touched the strings, I knew the cellist had to remains somewhat choppy at times. And to be one of your students. He had what we (your eliminate the few repetitious facts, this selfstudents) fondly call the Rose bow arm. What a published book, which wove so many sources in mark of achievement for a teacher to stamp on its composition, needs additional proofreading his students!" before the next printing. Over three summers, Leonard Rose spent 24 hours of his life with me as a pupil. At my As one of his sources, Honigberg used Rose's final lesson with Rose, I was his first student that day. He asked, "Do you mind if I 'warm up' my fingers?" Then he played the entire Schumann Concerto. This unforgettable private concert still inspires me. Years later, he autographed the record jacket of the recording of this piece: "For Jayne — My old friend & student — Leonard Rose." For the cover of his book, Honigberg chose the photo on the same LP because Rose's intense stare intrigued him. I never understood why the photographer cropped that image and didn't include the entire head of Rose, a figure larger than life! The book mentions "... he played his heart out at every new venue, whether at a college campus, in a high-school auditorium, gymnasium, library, or community house, constantly honing his skills as soloist." Frequently, after these concerts, there were receptions. I was honored to host two small ones. Through the years, some students with poor training came to study with Rose. In a letter to a respected cello teacher, he lamented, "I have spent a good part of my life undoing someone else's messes." He himself knew how to practice — and he practiced a lot. When asked why, he told Pinchas Zukerman, "It's the only way I know how to play properly." He recognized extraordinary talent and in his memoir said, "I am convinced that Yo-Yo Ma will go down in history as one of the greatest cellists of all time." In bestowing his entire library of musical scores to Rose, his renowned cello teacher Felix Salmond also recognized the genius of Leonard Rose. *In December 1959, I listened to the radio broadcast of Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic in the Brahms Double Concerto with Isaac Stern and Leonard Rose. Only later did I learn Rose's A-string broke onstage, and in a tutti passage, he replaced it quickly with a string from Laszlo Varga, principal cellist. As usual, Rose didn't miss a note. Jayne I. Hanlin is an initiate of Alpha Omicron and current member of the St. Louis Alumnae chapter. Mrs. Hanlin, a sister of famed pianist Malcolm Frager, is the co-author of Learning Latin Through Mythology (Cambridge University Press, 1991). sai-national.org SPRING 2011 PAN PIPES 21

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