The Lives of Isaac Stern

April 24, 2020

This year marks the centennial of Isaac Stern (1920-2001), one of the great American violinists of the 20th century, a man known as much for his role in saving Carnegie Hall as for his music making there and around the world. Schoenbaum (The Violin: A Social History of the World's Most Versatile Instrument) combed through Stern's papers at the Library of Congress to create a rich portrait encompassing four areas of his life: immigrant, musician, public citizen, and chairman of the board. Stern was born in Krzemieniec, Poland (now Ukraine), in 1920, and soon after, his family immigrated to the United States. He received his earliest musical instruction from his mother and later studied with Louis Persinger and Naoum Blinder. In 1951, Stern became the first American violinist to tour the Soviet Union, and in 1979, he and pianist David Golub appeared throughout the People's Republic of China. He maintained close ties with Israel, having initially performed there in 1949. Stern was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Kennedy Center Honors, the National Medal of Arts, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. VERDICT Music lovers will enjoy this celebration of a musical and cultural treasure. [See Prepub Alert, 12/9/20.]--Carolyn M. Mulac, Chicago

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2020
The amateur violinist author of the enjoyable social history The Violin (2012), informs, amuses, and now and then thrills in this application of that book's manners to a particular player. Isaac Stern (1920-2001) was the most famous American violinist of his time (his contemporary San Franciscan, Yehudi Menuhin, gave up competition for that title by taking British citizenship). Schoenbaum traces four roles that Stern played during his life, those of proud immigrant, professional star musician, public citizen, and Chairman of the Board ?the last an acknowledgment that, unlike Frank Sinatra, Stern really played such a role in organizations and campaigns he was involved in, most famously the effort to save, preserve, and develop Carnegie Hall. As in The Violin, Schoenbaum presents his subject through a series of anecdotes rather than a chronological narrative. The stories are substantial and relevant, packed with the names of great musicians, especially violinists, and great musical events, which often overlap with historical milestones, such as the founding of modern Israel. Segues between stories are sometimes tenuous yet bravely executed.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)