Monsters and Angels—Surviving a Career in Music

American Music Teacher, Dec, 2004 by Paul Reed

Monsters and Angels--Surviving a Career in Music, by Seymour Bernstein. Distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W. Bluemound Rd., P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2002. 507 pp., $22.95.

Seymour Bernstein has produced another inspiring, educational and entertaining book. Monsters and Angels is an autobiography, which I found to be so interesting I did not want to stop reading. One feels compelled to keep going.

The book is divided into four parts, with an epilogue and an essay,

Each part of the book is made up of numerous short sections. Part I, "Leave Taking," begins with Bernstein's self-imposed final public performance and then goes into some of his personal background and philosophical beliefs. Part II, "Monsters and Angels," relates some positive and negative experiences with some of his teachers. Part III, "The Army," tells of his being sent to Korea and his experiences of continuing to perform concerts while in the service of his country. Part IV, "The Battle Continues," gives the account of Bernstein's post-army life as a civilian struggling to survive as a multifaceted musician. The "Epilogue: The Double Bar" is a summation of his thoughts on being a musician. The final section of the book, "Essay: The Music Critic," is a chapter dealing with Bernstein's experiences and perceptions of the music critic.

This is a very well-written book; the language flows easily--as if at some point he had read it out loud. It has a message to be read by all teachers and mature students concerning the realities of a "career" in music. One message for young, eager and ambitious pianists is they should take advantage of every opportunity to perform in front of people.

Here are three ideas, which I quote from the book:

1. "Let jealous and power-hungry teachers, managers, and colleagues say and do what they wish. They will never kill music's fire, which in spite of things will always burn brightly in the hearts and minds of devoted musicians.

2. Should children continue to be deprived of music in grade school, and should conservatories of music and music departments in college not educate their students properly and humanely, then students of all ages must restrict their music education to the private sector alone.

3. Joy comes from making the most of whatever talent we possess, and by establishing an inviolate relationship with one's work and with the personal attachments one is privileged to enjoy."

Many people are still reading Seymour Bernstein's first book, With Your Own Two Hands, and enjoying it thoroughly. Monster and Angels--Surviving a Career in Music is a follow-up and continuation. Reviewed by Paul Reed, NCTM, Wichita, Kansas.