Inflight Reading

Written by Juergen L. Hemm
Published: September 11, 2008 at 10:11 AM [UTC]

This time, I choose Gidon Kremer's autobiographic "Zwischen Welten" (Between Worlds). As far as I know, it is only available in German. On top of being one of the best musicians/violinists around, Gidon Kremer is also a very gifted author.

"Zwischen Welten" describes his life while studying with David Oistrakh, what it is like to prepare and take part in international competitions as well as his eventual decision to leave the Soviet Union. He also gives us a peek at Gidon Kremer the man, his friends and love interests. Then again, we learn about his projects with several contemporary composers, well-known conductors and other instrumentalists.

A very enlightening and entertaining read - I am looking forward to the next installment of his autobiography as much as to his future recordings and concerts. Especially for an amateur violinist, it is very interesting to receive that kind of inside information about a professional's life.