Page 64 - The Strad (February 2020)

‘I’VE ALWAYS SAID THAT I COULDN’T BEAR TO HAVE ANY

DETERIORATION IN MY PLAYING, AND RIGHT NOW I AM
PLAYING THE BEST I’VE EVER PLAYED. I WANT TO GO OUT
AT THE VERY TOP OF MY ABILITY’ – TASMIN LITTLE (54)

o retire or not to retire is a very personal ‘Unfortunately, he stopped playing long before
issue, and the decision may fall beyond I told him to, because keeping his fantastic
Tour control. John Georgiadis – who level was costing him too much e›ort,’ says
led the London Symphony Orchestra in Giuranna. ‘But now he is not with us any
the 1960s and 70s and the Gabrieli more, so I don’t know who is going to tell
Quartet for four years from 1986 – retired me, “Bruno, you’ve passed your best!” Now
from professional playing in the early I look at the faces of the people playing
2000s after unexpectedly losing his nerve. with me, and if they smile, I think it’s OK.
‘I was doing a session, sitting in the leader’s -ħ£'V Y
Z1 8'£-9,-2+ '='8@ If they start looking worried, I’ll start to
seat and feeling quite comfortable, when 23;'
6£!@ 8-+,; 23>Z wonder.’ Indeed, however hard you practise,
I turned the page and it said “solo”,’ says the and however self-aware you believe yourself to
80-year-old. ‘It was only a few short notes, but be, Georgiadis recommends that you don’t rely only
I froze and I had to leave the studio. It shook me to my on yourself to check the results: ‘If you don’t have
core because I’d never felt anything like that before. Suddenly, somebody close to you that will tell you, then you should be
it was as though the whole world had been taken from under asking further around,’ he says. ‘Œere’s always somebody who
my feet. After that, thank God I discovered beta blockers. Œey will tell you the truth, if you are brave enough to approach them.
got rid of that great terror, that panic, and they helped me to Otherwise stick on a recording of yourself. If it’s painful to
play for a few more years.’ But in 2007 he retired o‘cially from behold, then for God’s sake get o› the stage!’
his then-position as concertmaster of the Oxford Philomusica. In order to avoid the problem altogether, Little vowed long
Other musicians decide to retire for fear of falling standards: ago that she would retire when she was at the top of her game.
violinist Arabella Steinbacher, now 38, already •nds it hard to After September this year she intends never to take her violin out
listen back to her own recordings and performances. She would of its case again. Although when we spoke she had been forced to
be horri•ed at the idea of people hearing her if she knew her take 6–8 weeks o› – for the •rst time in 33 years – as a result of a
abilities were failing. ‘You really have to be honest with yourself,’ temporary •nger injury, she will be back in action by mid-
she says. ‘It’s important to know when it’s time to step back. As February and has managed to rearrange more than half of her
soon as I realise that my physical condition is not there any more, cancelled concerts. She intends to come back at full force. ‘I’ve
I don’t think that I will want to put myself through the stress of always said that I couldn’t bear to have any deterioration in my
performing on stage.’ Mönkemeyer, meanwhile, is curious about playing, and right now – •nger injury aside – I feel I’m playing
how his enthusiasm will fare over time. Now aged 41, he has the best I’ve ever played. I want to go out at the very top of my
already started to notice how playing so many similar concerts ability.’ She is currently celebrating her •nal year of performance
means that it can be a challenge to stay fresh and inspired. ‘Some as a series of grand •nales all over the world – including a •nal
musicians have a clear vision of a piece and they practise it to London recital at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 5 June. Œis will
perfection,’ he says, ‘but sometimes they practise the same details be her 200th professional performance in London, at the •rst
for so many years that the original idea becomes a weird London venue that she ever played in, aged eight. ‘Every time
caricature. Œen there are others who always try to •nd a I’ve walked on stage since I came to this decision, there’s
di›erent approach, so that the same music sounds been an added poignancy as I’ve thought, “Œis is
energetic, magical and new. To do that you need the last time I’m going to play here,” or, “Œis is
lots of humility, because you almost have to the last time I’m going to play this piece,”’
reinvent yourself and destroy what you have she says, ‘so it’s just got to be the best I’ve
done before. Either we learn to deal with that ever done it. I’m relishing every note that LITTLE PHOTO CAMILLA GREENWELL. STEINBACHER PHOTO SAMMY HART
over the years, or we try to hold on to this I play right now, and I can’t even begin to
moment of fading glory.’ say how much I am enjoying this
Doubting his own powers of self-criticism countdown to the end.’
in every respect, Giuranna actually made a Concerning those musicians who do
8!#'££! ;'-2#!$,'8V
pact with his long-time colleague the violinist Y 3< 8'!££@ ,!=' ;3 #' continue forever, she says, ‘How can
Franco Gulli that they would let each other ,32'9; >-;, @3<89'£(Z I possibly judge them? My heart goes out to
know if their playing was becoming unbearable. them, because they must play, but it can
62 THE STRAD
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