Lezersrecensie
Charming memoires of personal en musical struggles
Counterpoint is a personal memoir by Philip Kennicott.
Following his mother's death, he decides that, for once in his life, he wants to accomplish something significant. He resolves to learn and understand Bach's Goldberg Variations. He takes the reader back to his childhood, revealing that his mother wasn't very kind and was traumatized herself. He started playing the piano at an early age but constantly had to contend with his mother, as well as his own perfectionism and defeatism.
It becomes clear that he reached a high amateur level and almost became a professional pianist. The grief, as suggested by the subtitle, also seems to involve the recognition that a professional career as a musician was not in the cards for him.
Interwoven with these personal memories are facts about Bach and reflections on his music. He handles the known facts about Bach’s life fairly discreetly, trying to avoid conjecture. And when he does speculate, he almost always acknowledges it.
He also recounts his struggle as a skilled amateur, facing the limits of his abilities. The feeling of never getting it quite right, no matter how many hours of practice are put in, is something that any dedicated amateur can relate to, regardless of skill level. This alone makes the book a recommendation for anyone who makes music, regardless of their level. Coupled with this, he reflects on what it means to truly "know" a piece of music. This is very interesting and provokes thought in the reader.
The personal reflections, especially in the first 100 to 150 pages, are somewhat drawn out and could have been edited down in places.
It’s difficult to determine the target audience for this book. Although it isn’t a technical analysis of the Goldberg Variations, it does contain many musical terms. A familiarity with classical music, and particularly with Bach’s music, helps in reading this book. It also helps if you have some knowledge of music theory, though this is by no means essential.
The openness Kennicott displays in this very personal story makes it a charming book.
4 stars.
Following his mother's death, he decides that, for once in his life, he wants to accomplish something significant. He resolves to learn and understand Bach's Goldberg Variations. He takes the reader back to his childhood, revealing that his mother wasn't very kind and was traumatized herself. He started playing the piano at an early age but constantly had to contend with his mother, as well as his own perfectionism and defeatism.
It becomes clear that he reached a high amateur level and almost became a professional pianist. The grief, as suggested by the subtitle, also seems to involve the recognition that a professional career as a musician was not in the cards for him.
Interwoven with these personal memories are facts about Bach and reflections on his music. He handles the known facts about Bach’s life fairly discreetly, trying to avoid conjecture. And when he does speculate, he almost always acknowledges it.
He also recounts his struggle as a skilled amateur, facing the limits of his abilities. The feeling of never getting it quite right, no matter how many hours of practice are put in, is something that any dedicated amateur can relate to, regardless of skill level. This alone makes the book a recommendation for anyone who makes music, regardless of their level. Coupled with this, he reflects on what it means to truly "know" a piece of music. This is very interesting and provokes thought in the reader.
The personal reflections, especially in the first 100 to 150 pages, are somewhat drawn out and could have been edited down in places.
It’s difficult to determine the target audience for this book. Although it isn’t a technical analysis of the Goldberg Variations, it does contain many musical terms. A familiarity with classical music, and particularly with Bach’s music, helps in reading this book. It also helps if you have some knowledge of music theory, though this is by no means essential.
The openness Kennicott displays in this very personal story makes it a charming book.
4 stars.
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