Anne-Sophie Mutter: Put joy back into music lessons
NewsThe violinist has disparaged music teaching in German school for doing too much analysis and too little listening with pleasure.
‘In tennis, I don’t do an image analysis with my child to determine the angle at which I have to hold the racket when I serve. You just start playing. That’s how it should be with music,’ she tells the DPA.
‘Away with the analysis and towards the joy of music, to the joy of listening.’
There’s nothing wrong with musicianship. The vast majority of secondary students will not use calculus but the mental exercise that studying it provides for the mind allows other calculations to seem relatively simpler.
Music is an art form, however, and some artists are gifted with musical gifts, like Fr. Mutter. In America the music theorists have all but taken over the tertiary programs—perhaps partly so they can survive and partly to compensate for America’s lack of basic music-reading skills.
My uncle said it best:
“Music theorists love music like butchers love animals.”
Perhaps more singing is in order
I do not know if this is actually on-topic to either Gerry’s or Anne-Sophie’s point, but I never cease to be surprised and a bit saddened by the number of successful musicians I have met or worked with who are skilled and seemingly “musical” instrumentalists but who nonetheless do not seem to particularly like music, or be curious about music.
I am not in a position to blame how they were trained.
I am sure it would cause hoots and howls to suggest that the top music schools should actually require “music appreciation” classes for their best instrumentalists! And I am not suggesting the same music apprec course books and materials that they inflict on unwilling undergrads.
Your impression is not unusual. I’ve noticed the same. Quite a lot of professional musicians seem not to like music.
David, you are so right. I have been a pro musician all my life and it grieves me how many musicians aren’t interested in discovering different repertoire and in some cases how little they know about music!
To be fair we cannot expect all excellent English writers to be curious about English etymology, Old English literature, or Indo-European linguistics.
um… you’ll play better tennis if you learn how to hold the racket properly.
Those “proper” rules you learn as a 10 year old are only first steps towards finding your own way which might not be so “proper”. This applies to any creative endeavors (eg singing, composing, writing poetry, etc.)
Yeah… I agree with Mutter on music education should involve more ‘pleasure listening’. But just like musicians, all pro tennis players analyze every part of their stroke down to the tinniest details.
Everyone could pick up a racquet and play but that goes just as far as those who play piano with index fingers. Can’t believe Mutter (who seems to be a passionate tennis player) could make such a bad analogy
Can we stop 30 seconds to proofread the article headlines please? The low level of journalism on this site is simply astounding.
I’ve worked in the orchestra business for 40+ years and I agree that many musicians aren’t emotionally affected by music; perhaps they don’t really care for it. Somewhere along the way, I came to see these musicians’ regard for music like a plumber’s regard for plumbing. It’s what they learned to do as a profession, and they happen to be good at it.
Regarding the Mutter comment, I have thought that (at least in the US which is my experience) learning an instrument has become a scientific endeavor. Get these variables of execution right, and the music will follow. I don’t believe this is at all true, and it may account for the less than moving performances we hear nowadays. Mind you, it’s all very expert, but many if not most times, it fails to move.
I know that in the past, various instrumental methods and teachers stressed the building of technique through beautiful phrasing with the practice of melody, and (very important) the cultivation of a beautiful tone quality. But that is definitely OLD SCHOOL.
I don’t think she’s ever had to routinely worry about setting up beginner children. I’ll take advice from those in the trenches, not those in Ivory Towers.
Speaking as an instrumental teacher who often gets pupils who had studied with another teacher previously, my own impression is very different. Here in the UK, most instrumental teachers do not seem to do any analysis, and many pupils seem unable even to recognise why a particular aspect of a piece may be difficult or challenging. Personally, I think we need to integrate analysis and general musicianship far more into instrumental teaching, so that analysis of cadences, chords, harmony, phrase structure, texture, &c. are integral to the process of learning a piece or of cultivating sight-reading skills.
Enjoying exquisite playing too much is very distracting if you are playing along with it, glued to the saddle.
Music lessons have been an enriching experience, fueling my passion for creativity. Balancing education and time commitments can be challenging, but proposal writing services have been a valuable resource. With their support, I’ve learned to structure my ideas effectively, optimizing my study time. Music lessons offer a creative outlet and a chance to develop new skills.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article about Anne-Sophie Mutter and her ability to bring joy back into music lessons. It’s inspiring to see how she embraces a holistic approach to teaching, emphasizing not just technical proficiency but also the emotional connection and joy that music can bring.
The author beautifully highlights Mutter’s passion for music and her dedication to instilling that passion in her students. It’s a reminder that music is not just a skill to be mastered, but a means of self-expression and finding joy in the process.
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By nurturing our emotional health through resources like Calmerry and finding inspiration in the joy of music, we can lead more fulfilling lives. Let’s embrace the lessons from Anne-Sophie Mutter and remember that music and mental well-being go hand in hand on the journey to self-expression and happiness.
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