Customer Reviews

The Mastery of Music: Ten Pathways to True Artistry

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
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Green has taken a diary kind of style to expose the inner workings of great musicians to the readers. It is fraught with quotations of great musicians he's interviewed and the "inside" details of soloists and orchestra musicians alike. However, although it's fascinating and funny at times, it lacks the public appeal that he might've intended it to have. He chose to expound on facts and details that he's familiar and au fait with but chose not to further research on topics or ideas he's covered that he probably knows not much about. Because of that, the tone of the book is very personal and you'd feel like reading his own diary in which he touches on his upbringing and personal experience and also musicians he has come to know very well. But when it mentions something that is outside of his own personal zone, you can tell it's inserted just for the sake of completeness. This book is recommended for musicians who have attained a certain level of maturity and are interested in knowing what other great musicians have to say and enjoy splashes of Green's personal view of the world of music.

This book is fantastic!!!!

Regardless of if you were one of the millions to read The Inner Game of Music you should drop everything and pick up this book.

As a non-musician music lover, this book gave me a rare and interesting look about what inspires and motivates the greats of our time. It is just amazing to hear Dave Brubeck talk about creativity or what Joshua Bell thinks about as he plays the violin. This book lets you inside the minds of these greats and lets you catch a glance at their genius and then allows you to be inspired by their inspirations. This book not only lets you peak "behind the curtain" of the musical legends but takes you in to their living rooms, childhoods and thoughts !

This book is a wonderful book that any reader would love. I'm 12 and I loved it. The author keeps you interested throughout the whole book and it's very educational. The way this book is laid out is really cool. He devotes one chapter to discipline, one to passion, one to fun, one to concentration, etc. and then in that chapter tells you how to acquire that trait in your playing.

As it says in the introduction, you'll find yourself highlighting paragraphs you liked or found interesting as you go along, and you'll find phrases like that on almost every page.

I really really loved this book and I think if you're interested in classical music you should definitely get this book.

A tremendous resource for both musicians and for those who want to understand what makes a musical artist 'great'. Well organized, clearly written, but never superficial or simplistic. Inspired me to purchase Green's other book, Inner Game of Music.

With his popular "The Inner Game of Music" Barry Green had created a niche for himself on many a musician's book case, now he returns to explore what makes a musician using his vast array of friends in the field. Each concept he analyzes with a specific type of musician in mind and he brings in his contacts to speak from their point of view on the subject. For example the chapter that discusses the balance of ego and humility uses singers as the main focus of his exploration and story telling. The chapters can stand alone as their own concepts that you can zero in on or you can read through the whole book to take in the fuller picture of what the ingredients of musical artistry are, either way you won't be disappointed.

Some of the chapters could have been edited for length but overall I found myself engrossed in the many humorous and touching anecdotes. Sections of the book may be hard to comprehend without knowledge of musical vocabulary, but on the whole it should be accessible to anyone. While the "Mastery of Music" is a stand-alone piece Mr. Green does make references at points to his first book and it could be a good investment to go and pick up "The Inner Game" if you have the funds.

Barry Green links the development of musical sensitivity and skill with the development of character. Each chapter focuses on a human quality that serves the musician in his or her craft as well as in life. The ten pathways are communication, courage, discipline, fun, passion, tolerance, concentration, confidence, ego/humility, and creativity. Each of the pathways is linked with a particular instrument or set of instruments that demonstrates the quality, with quotes from musicians he has interviewed to support the value of these traits in the musician's career and life.

The ten pathways are explored from a musician's perspective, but as a dancer I found a great deal of inspiration for bringing musicality and character into my dancing. The chapter on communication brilliantly explains the concept of entrainment. The chapter on concentration delves into the research and experience of flow and peak experience in music, which could just as easily describe the same phenomenon in dance or any other sport or art. The chapter on passion in particular, which uses the example of "the most passionate of instruments", the cello, beautifully captures the feeling of being in love that true artists experience with their craft.

While some of the chapters do not integrate the pathway with the musical instrument as well as others - the example of the trumpet was not very well-developed into the chapter on confidence, and the fun through the trombone, tuba, and double bass did not seem to fit with the rest of the book - the connections Green makes and his ability to give character to some of the instruments is fascinating to read even for non-musicians. His finale on inspiration delightfully explains and provides examples of how the motivation of the individual ultimately determines the artistry they will communicate to their audience.

Barry Green very clearly communicates in the prologue his goal for the book: "The mastery of the music doesn't stop with the mastery of musical technique. The musicians we think of as true masters of their art are the ones whose artistry we admire, and that goes way beyond technique, into a place that even the word `excellence' can barely touch, that almost indescribable realm of human depth which we refer to by such terms as `character' and `soul'... It's not about what you do or how you play but about who you are. It's about the qualities in the soul of the musicians that contribute to true artistry."

Barry Green's "The Mastery of Music" is a very well written and inspiring book. I have been teaching and performing as a violist for over 35 years and found Barry's book full of simple teaching ideas and ways to raise one's own performing to a higher artistic level. His earlier book, "The Inner Game of Music" is likewise chockfull of easy to apply teaching and playing ideas. Soon to be published in Feb. is his new book about creativity and bringing music to life. I highly recommend "The Mastery of Music" to all!

Nancy Kredel, Fairfax, VA

This book shows how to meld into any size of group. It shows the difference in conductors and how they come to their work. This area of music is not often talked about. It allows the musician to comes to terms with themselves and their ability to connect through music.

I've read this book on loan from my local library and kept checking and re-checking it so often, I sought a copy for myself. It wasn't easy to find, since it's out of print, thus I'm pleased I was able to obtain it as a used book, though the condition is like new.
It contains valuable hints for practice that I've passed on to other musicians in my band.
Highly recommended.

I am an not a professional musician but I found the information in this book very helpful for me. I will keep it in my personal library to review from time to time through out the rest of my life. It is very inspiring and practical.