Cello Playing for Music Lovers: A Self-Teaching Method
Cello Playing for Music Lovers attempts to bring the complex and daunting task of learning to play the cello down to earth and approachable for adult beginners. Unlike the typical beginning cello book, CPML contain easy-to-read explanatory text matched with simple, short, playable examples that illustrate the point. . . . The target audience for the book is a typical adult non-musician who might feel intimidated by technical-looking cello methods and etude books, but who is already familiar with many of the melodies and fragments of classics that make up the book. The learner can relate the point in the text to the already-familiar example, and then perform the example. I don t know of another book for cellists with this mix of adult-beginner orientation, conversational style, widely-known examples from popular culture, a demonstration CD, and introductory discussions of concepts such as relaxation, dynamics, factors in choice of bowings and fingerings, modulations, and modes. The book addresses the primary issues for cello beginners: parts of the cello, posture, bow hold, hand position, rudiments of scales, notation, positions, etc, assuming no prior knowledge on the part of the student. It contains several fingering charts from 1st position to 4th position, including ½ position. The songs include Some Enchanted Evening, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, My Funny Valentine, Hava Nagila and Shenandoah. The classical excerpts are short extracts of a major theme, not necessarily in the same key as commonly performed. Examples include themes from Pomp and Circumstance, J.S. Bach s Arioso, and Tchaikovskys Song Without Words. The audio CD contains 97 tracks demonstrating the simple exercises, scales, and melodies notated in the book. All the songs and classical excerpts are melodies that adapt easily to cello. Just the things to have ready when Uncle Glenn and Aunt Helen visit and ask, So, play us something! . . . . The melodies as presented often (but not always) use open strings, lower positions, and (early in the book) no vibrato, as befitting the level of the student. Erik Friedlander plays them well, fingered as notated, and at tempos suitable for the student. However, on the last track of the CD, labeled Encore, Friedlander reprises nine of the melodies, letting loose with a large dynamic range and full vibrato on more professional-style fingerings. Yep, those simple tunes sound so absolutely gorgeous on cello. Dr. Jiji does not pretend to be an expert, only a veteran, so she also relates personal stories of setbacks to which the reader might relate. One thing that I ve never seen in a cello book: At several places, the author suggests names of tunes at an appropriate level that the student should try to figure out on his/her own. She provides the key and the starting note. I have to think an early beginner that has figured out tunes by ear on the cello will have increased confidence in his or her ability to hear and learn (Didn t Pablo Casals start out that way on his gourd cello?). Dr. Diliana Momtchilova, who reviewed the book, received her doctorate from the Juilliard School, and serves on the faculty at Mannes Music College so presumably she knows her stuff. I certainly did not find anything in the content controversial or likely to lead a beginning student astray. . . The way I see it, the more a student knows outside of lessons, the more the teacher can cover other things during the lesson. For less than the price of one lesson, CPML covers the basic cello-facts through 4th position, and can be a source of inspiration for individual enjoyment and exploration. But perhaps the best use of the book would by teachers. My teacher, who has quite a few adult students, has looked through it, was favorably impressed, and expects to borrow it at my next lesson. I wonder if I'll get it back. --Chiddler, Cellists by Night, Internet Cello Society ForumVera Jiji gives detailed explanations of how to approach the musical examples in the book, virtually compiling the ministrations of a teacher. She thus enables the beginning cellist to get started on the instrument without a teacher, if necessary. Cello Playing for Music Lovers is not just a great manual for students but also for teachers of adult beginners who seek a more wide-ranging source. --Diliana Momtchilova, DMA, Juilliard SchoolIt's terrific and long overdue advice for this target group and I think what you've done is marvelous with many truly inspiring sections. Your general emphasis on physical relaxation and enjoyment of the process seems right on the mark for me. My experience with amateurs has always been that they want so much to show you that they're a good intelligent student that they are as tight as a drum, fearful of making a mistake or misinterpreting. . . It would be good to encourage people at any age to investigate simply to improve their quality of life! --Rolf Gjelsten, cellist, the New Zealand String Quartet