In Search of Alberto Guerrero. by John Beckwith. Waterloo, Ont.: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2006

In Search of Alberto Guerrero. By John Beckwith. Waterloo, Ont.: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2006. 159 p. $34.95 ISBN 0-88920-496-9 lthough Alberto Guerrero (1 886- aimed at formation of the pupil's 1959) is not well-known to the intellectual habits." Conductor Boyd Ageneral public in Canada today, Neel regarded him as "extremely a number of classical musicians, cultured," and composer R. Murray particularly pianists, might recognize the Schafer stated, "I adored this man for the name as that of Glenn Gould's teacher. breadth of his knowledge and In this capacity, Guerrero has not understanding." received much in the way of flattering press. Gould himself was dismissive of Pianist William Aide felt that his teacher's influence and abilities, and Guerrero was "revered.. as the unsung this view has been widely and progenitor of our nation's musical unquestioningly repeated in the culture." "But," he added, "it was all literature. (A significant exception is done privately. There were no public Kevin Bazzana's Wondrous Strange: conducting or administrative posts.. The Life and Art of Glenn Gould.) Now, There are no recordings of what must thanks to this engaging new biography have been astonishing recitals." by John Beckwith-himself a former Continuing in the same vein, Beckwith Guerrero pupil-the situation has been explains that "Guerrero's influence, felt rectified. in so many spheres, was based on one- on-one contacts, with pupils, with The book is a chronological account consulting individuals, with colleagues." of Guerrero's life based on extensive For this reason, perhaps, Guerrero research in both Chile and Canada, and remains largely an unknown figure, on personal interviews and despite the fact that the list of his correspondence with family, friends and students and colleagues reads like a students. Without exception, the record who's who of Canadian musicians. points to a man of exceptional musical and pedagogical ability. Moreover, Beckwith convincingly demonstrates Guerrero was admired not only for his that a book-length study was overdue, professional attainments, but also for his but In Search of Alberto Guerrero is warm and caring personality, and the more than a biography. Alongside the depth of his culture. objective research, Beckwith provides personal recollections that make for a A celebrated musician in Chile, richer, more complex picture. The Guerrero's broad interests-which reader will have no trouble separating included languages, philosophy, fact from opinion, as the author is painting, food and wine-also painstakingly clear on the distinction profoundly impressed students and between the two. In fact, his caveats colleagues after his arrival in Canada in almost impair the narrative flow at August 1918. Pianist Malcolm Troup times, especially early in the book. recalled that "often the lesson time Beckwith does underline areas where would be occupied with conversation further research is needed, and he also about literature, painting, or philosophy, recognizes the limitations of his inquiry. While Guerrero's accomplish- entitled "The Discrepancy between ments are documented in detail, Performance and Technique," dated Beckwith also does his best to deal October 1950, and reprinted in Appendix with some of the puzzling aspects of 1. Guerrero's life. Why, despite an excellent career, did he leave Chile About the "central enigma" of for good, maintaining no contact or Guerrero's life-the decision to leave interest in his native land? Why was Chile-Beckwith speculates that the he so unconcerned with fame or hardship and economic uncertainty of documenting his artistic activities, life as a touring concert performer, keeping very few of his writings and especially one with a young family to compositions, and virtually no provide for, caused him to reconsider. recordings of his piano playing? Secondly, the development of a new Unfortunately, there are no clear professional interest-the formulation answers, as Beckwith notes at several of an original approach to teaching points in the narrative. that would "discard all formal methods"-was occupying his creative energies, and Toronto For instance, not a single copy was provided him with an excellent located of La armonia moderna, a opportunity to pursue this new treatise on harmony Guerrero published passion. Still, Guerrero's apparent in Santiago in 1915. Nor is there any loss of interest in family and friends record of a treatise on piano performance in Chile remains a mystery. that Guerrero discussed with a colleague in Santiago in 1918; in fact, it is not There is also the inexplicable lack of certain the work was actually completed recorded music from this concert artist and published. Guerrero claimed to who performed hundreds of recitals over explain in this treatise that "a reasonably his career. Despite many pioneering and well gifted person needs no more than acclaimed broadcast recitals beginning four or five years of well-directed study in the mid-twenties in major centres such to be able to handle the technical as Toronto, Montreal, New York and demands of the most difficult works." Philadelphia, Beckwith was unable to (Not to be outdone, Gould echoed his discover any surviving transcription teacher decades later when he famously recordings from this period, or of the declared, "everything there is to know CBC network broadcast performances about playing the piano can be taught in that Guerrero made during the 1940s. half an hour."') Two quite different works do survive: New Approach to the Nor is there any indication why Piano, a method for teaching beginners, Guerrero avoided recording in the CO-writtenwith Myrtle Rose in 1935-36, studio, despite his reputation as a pianist that featured original compositions and of the first order. There are only two how to teach them; and a short article surviving recordings: a "shoddy LP from Turnabout" and a 78-rpm disc recorded as a birthday present for his daughter, I Cited in Geoffiey Payzant, Glenn Gould: Music MClisande. They do not provide good and Mind, rev. ed. (Toronto: Key Porter Books, examples of his art. Beckwith does 1992), 94. 28 suggest that "Guerrero's example and of Gould. It includes new and unusual inspiration are manifest" in recordings repertoire (Scriabin, Ravel, Schoenberg, made by his students, including Gould, Bach's Goldberg Variations, the Aide, and Ray Dudley. Elizabethan virginalists), keyboard technique and posture at the instrument, There is also the question of practice techniques ("finger tapping" and Guerrero's early musical training. memorization away from the Beckwith concludes that the "common instrument), great attention to clarity and understanding" is that Guerrero "was an voice-leading, and the interest in autodidact apart from the lessons with broadcast recitals. his mother and older brother," adding that "the claim is in many respects All in all, Beckwith paints a extraordinary." Later, in a section compelling portrait of a vital and devoted to Gould, Beckwith states: "If a remarkable musician. The book is highly comparison is made between teacher and readable and filled with details of pupil, investigation suggests that the interest. It reestablishes Guerrero's claim of self-education is far more valid reputation as one of the country's finest of Guerrero than of Gould." and most influential artists of his day. In Search of Alberto Guerrero is an In fact, some of the most interesting outstanding addition to Canadian music reading in the book comes in Chapter 5, history. where Beckwith examines Guerrero's approach to the piano and demonstrates the extent of his influence on Gould, David Rogosin both technically and musically. The list Mount Allison University of Guerrero traits reads like a description .

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