I played for Starker twice in masterclasses back in the early Seventies. The experience was not nearly so terrifying as one might have expected. He had a brilliant way of addressing simultaneously both specific details of the particular work under consideration, and more generally applicable principles of technique and interpretation.
I also played for him in the 70's. He was helpful and he was an excellent teacher from a technical standpoint. He wanted for people to pay attention and he wanted things done his way. On the other hand, he wasn't someone that you questioned; unless you earned his respect, he was the teacher, you were the student, and you did things his way. He cared a lot about technique, and things like hand positions, bow hold, and technical aspects of cello playing got a lot of attention. I never heard him get angry or raise his voice or say anything hurtful to anyone, even if some of the players were not very advanced. On the other hand, he did not praise students much. He had a reputation as a very tough studio teacher and that he would drop students who did not progress quickly.
At around 6:21 could anyone understand what Janos Starker is trying to say? I heard that he says 'first half of the bow is ?, and the 2nd half is by the forearm'.
@@viennally3228 That sounds like "entire arm". The same word "entire" Starker used here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-xco3RC4Dqlg.html and the Spanish translator translated it as "brazo entero" > "entire arm".
