2006 Edition 2 (Issue 144) - Sasmt-savmo.org.za

someone who wants to change their technique. Many
people think they can’t learn to play the guitar because
they have small hands. Alexander Technique definitely
helps here, but so does using correct basic principles regarding
posture and holding the guitar correctly.
The book is definitely not suitable for beginners. The
music notation is far too advanced, and includes no explanation
of basic concepts of notation or note reading
at all — even on the ‘easy pages’. It does not progress in
a logical fashion, but jumps randomly between topics
that are simple to understand and others that are highly
technical, with fairly advanced rhythms, tuning methods
etc. (Not everyone has a tuning fork on hand, or
understands the physics of sound.) For beginners especially,
the Alexander Technique ideas would need to be
presented in conjunction with suitable music. The presentation
of scales is very confusing for someone who is
doing music for the first time. What is a scale? What is
a fret? Arpeggios within the octave and dominant seventh
arpeggios!? I don’t really agree with Mr. Inglis that
almost everyone has a basic concept of Western major
scales! Some of the teaching ideas in the book are
very strange and confused. The author assumes a good
It is not too often that you
find an instruction book in
which the author has really
managed to envelop
the spirit of its intent. Seymour
Bernstein’s With Your
Own Two Hands is such a
book. This internationally
known pianist, teacher, and composer guides the modern
pianist out of a wealth of experience to the heart of
music and music making. As the subtitle declares, the
reader is directed towards self-discovery through music.
In the preface the author expresses the wish that
every musician must acknowledge that “I am what my
talent is.” Most importantly, the author urges musicians
to be contributors — not only of artistic values, but of
human values as well. The book is therefore in many
ways an endeavour to help both the amateur and the
professional to merge the personal and musical self and
as a result realise his or her full potential. He writes in
an informal style and the many narrative accounts on
a personal level make the book even more accessible.
His commitment to a life in music is inspirational and
should motivate students and professional musicians to
journey with perseverance and enjoyment.
In the first of three parts, Bernstein confronts the
most fundamental problems every student of music
must deal with at some time or another. His advice on
knowledge of music by the reader, and then explains a
very elementary musical idea in the next sentence. One
would need to buy a basic rudiments of guitar music
book to get anywhere with it, and have lessons with an
Alexander teacher. (Not very appealing for the regular
teacher to lose his pupils to an AT specialist unless the
teacher is willing to spend time learning this approach.
Most teachers are too busy to start again and are set in
their ways in any case!) Perhaps workshops could be run
to introduce the concept to teachers.
The book seems a bit gimmicky to me with all the
dance pictures — rather over the top and irritating to
be honest. The pictures showing hand positions were
mostly with the guitar lying flat!! — not a good subliminal
image for a new guitarist! The book has possibly not
been edited yet, since it is full of errors.
Jenny Bonsignore (a professional member of the SASMT) has
been teaching music for 25 years, including piano, recorder and
voice. For the past 14 years she has taught class music with guitar
as one of the instruments: “…folk and classical at a very elementary
level. Most learners have never held a guitar before — I teach
them to hold it correctly.”
Bernstein, S. 1981. With your own Two Hands: Self-discovery through Music.
New York: Schirmer. ISBN 0-7935-5712-7. Distributed by Hal Leonard.
www.halleonard.com.
Waldo Weyer
the issues involved in practising is offered with great
candour. Students and teachers alike will find the five
profiles on the different kinds of pupils and their habits
of practising enlightening. Flowing from this, Bernstein
discusses issues concerning the relationship between
teacher and pupil with penetrating discernment. The
art of practising is also looked upon from the all important
perspective of concentration. A vast array of ideas
is given to assist a musician in the quest for a sincere
involvement with music. Bernstein concludes this first
part with an insightful section on feeling. His explanation
of physical adaptability to sound is compulsory
reading for any instrumentalist.
The second part stresses with wonderful simplicity
some of the key factors that will assure musical playing
and physical comfort at the piano. The disciplines
covered in these chapters include: tempo, rhythm, and
pulse, the importance of listening, as well as a variety
of technical problems, including the relaxation myth.
It is, however, the final section of this part, concerning
choreography, which I found most applicable to my
own teaching and playing. The chosen examples from
the music literature are most apt. Even more so are the
articulate descriptions of the variety of movements that
are needed to convert the symbols of musical notation
into physical actions (or muscular responses) and that
will ultimately result in a musical and expressive rendering
of the composition.
Suid-Afrikaanse Musiek Onderwyser |144 | November 2006