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Bobbie
Registered User
Posts: 642
(9/6/01 12:25:24 pm)
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Gerhard
Mantel
Cello Technique : Principles and Forms of Movement
by Gerhard
Mantel
Is this a good book? Any reccomendations?
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Kelzane
Registered User
Posts: 18
(9/6/01 1:40:06 pm)
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Re: Found it
very academic
I am a beginning cello student (two years in November) so take my
comments with that in mind; especially since it is clear from other
comments that you have been playing a while (and teaching)
I
did not like it. It was very dry and academic (in the pejorative use
of the word) and not particularly helpful. I also wonder how well it
was translated from the German (the writing felt awkward and stiff
to me) That said, I think someone who had been playing for longer
would find it more valuable but even then, to me, its utility seemed
suspect. It does not claim to be a "methods" book, and in fact
states that it is not, but I was unsure about what the author was
truly going after and I know that at least for me, at the time I
read it, it was not helpful. I think it might be a bit more helpful
for teachers and or folks who had been playing longer. It felt like
the book spent lots of time providing "pseudo" physics
justifications for why certain things should be done in certain ways
but since I was so new to cello I had no idea how
accepted/standardized those cello principles/techniques were much
less if they were the correct from a scientific/physics
viewpoint.
If you want to take a look at it for a while I
would loan it to you if you promised to send it back.
I would
love to hear if more experienced cellists found the book more useful
or if very scientific-cello minds found it to be
enlightening.
my email address is
glenn.northern@ppfa.org.
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JanJan2
Registered User
Posts: 239
(9/6/01 1:53:49 pm)
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Re: Gerhard
Mantel
I too found it dry and tedious. But I'm not much into sciences, and
many of his discussions on the physics of sound or playing left me
befuddled. It simply wasn't what I was looking for at the time I
purchased it.
If you want my copy, I'd gladly send it to you.
E-mail me your address if you're interested.
Janet |
Bobbie
Registered User
Posts: 643
(9/6/01 1:54:33 pm)
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Re: Found it
very academic
Thanks. I found some more information on the Pro board,
too.
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bridge
Registered
User
Posts: 180
(9/6/01 2:14:28
pm)
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Re: Gerhard
Mantel
Physics books are dry too, but you learn something. That's what I
felt about this book. I also found it was *mostly* for more advanced
techniques. It's worth having in your library, but not a must have
if you are a beginner/intermediate like me.
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DWThomas
Registered User
Posts: 407
(9/6/01 2:51:59 pm)
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Re: Gerhard
Mantel
I remember a paperback, blue cover, orangey-red type? Is that the
one? (I'm at work and can't look.) I bought it about two years ago,
on impulse (it was staring at me in a Borders).
I started to
read it and stalled out after a couple of chapters. I confess I had
feelings that I was holding a byproduct of "a publish-or-perish"
program. There were a great many words, but many seemed to be only
eloquently and somewhat laboriously stating the obvious. Some of
that could of course be a stiff, stilted translation that possibly
should not be blamed on Herr Mantel.
It is certainly possible
that studying such obsessive observations on microscopic physical
details of playing might inspire one to spot something amiss in
their technique. I found I was getting too drowsy to go
practice!
Anyhow, I was a beginner then, and now I'm older
and wiser [insert snicker] so maybe I should get it out again.
Hmm, I could take it with me to Maine next week in case I
get rained in ...
YMMV,
Dave
Dave's
Bakery & Asylum |
JanJan2
Registered User
Posts: 241
(9/6/01 2:57:56 pm)
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Maine? As in
Camden?
Are you staying at the Nathaniel Hosmer Inn by any chance? Just
curious.
Janet Edited by: JanJan2
at: 9/6/01 2:59:23 pm
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DWThomas
Registered User
Posts: 409
(9/6/01 3:11:02 pm)
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Re: Maine? As in
Camden?
Wow - are we on live here?
If that's the one you told me
about, it was pretty much booked -- maybe next time. But we're doing
two days in the "White House at #1 Church Street" in Belfast (Sun
& Mon night) and three at the Belmont Inn in Camden.
I
now have about 50 bookmarks for places between Bath and Bar Harbor.
Some are just plain ridiculously expensive, but some look pretty
reasonable.
We plan two relaxing days up (with no set route)
and maybe three back via CT coast -- assuming no hurricanes. (Two
generations of Thomas family have a long history -- back to ca. 1947
-- of drawing tropical disturbances to their proximity when
vacationing. Be forewarned! 
)
Hopefully both inns will have the good taste NOT to serve
hazlenut coffee for breakfast as the only choice (like we
encountered in Old Saybrook last year!)
And no churchbells
ringing the hour EVERY hour...
And a comfortable
bed...
Honest -- we're not *that* demanding!
Dave
Dave's
Bakery & Asylum Edited by: DWThomas
at: 9/6/01 3:14:02 pm
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ekifri
Registered User
Posts: 236
(9/6/01 5:01:59 pm)
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Re: Gerhard
Mantel
I have it and like it. Even in english, though, it reads as though
it's in german ;-)
It IS dry and academic, but, He looks into
the physics behind technique with enough depth to leave me thinking
about things that perhaps I hadn't noticed or considered
before.
It is definitely NOT a method book, nor would it be
useful to the beginner, but it stimulates thought and
experimentation.
-eva
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MsCheryl
.gif)
Registered
User
Posts: 274
(9/6/01 6:32:21
pm)
Reply
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Re: Maine? As in
Camden?
Dave,
Have a wonderful time. We spend a week in Islesboro
(out of Lincolnville) every summer and love the area. I really like
Belfast, which, despite recent development due to the invasion of
MBNA, has not lost it's "Maine village" atmosphere, unlike Camden.
If you have time you might like to take the ferry to Islesboro and
wander around for the day (biking is nice there, if you have bikes
or can get them). I highly recommend the "Dark Harbor
Shop"
where we go every afternoon at 3:30 for our daily ice cream cone (on
the northern end). Have fun - and while in Belfast definitely visit
the Co-op!
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Robin
Boomer
Registered
User
Posts: 3
(9/6/01 7:41:30
pm)
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Re: Gerhard
Mantel
I am currently reading Mantel's "Cello Technique" and find it
fascinating and very helpful. Yes, it's academic but I appreciate
the perspcetive and welcome new ways to think about the cello. I
think it's of particular use to teachers.
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DWThomas
Registered User
Posts: 410
(9/6/01 10:05:36 pm)
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Thanks for the
tips
I've added notes to my travel folder...
I saw a lot of
places listed on the web that I'd love to check out -- probably
should've made it two weeks. There's even some painter's studio
sorts of places -- assuming I'm still employed next year, I should
consider a week of that! (Since my spouse doesn't get as much
vacation.)
If I'm not employed, I can settle into an austere
lifestyle, retiring on rice and catfood. That's one reason for
obtaining a better cello soon!
Dave
Dave's
Bakery & Asylum
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