Anfänge

"In retrospect, one wonders why no one had come up with this book idea before. The Frankfurt musicologist Marion Saxer finds out that there are hardly any reports on the subject of 'early instrumental lessons'; they are even rare in artists' biographies.
Saxer asked contemporary composers to write down their memories of their first contact with music and music lessons. The result is the volume 'Beginnings', a collection of 45 very personal autobiographical essays, each in its own unique key, supplemented by an appendix with questionnaire results, short biographies and lists of works.
The touching and self-deprecatingly humorous reports span half a century of music education: from György Ligeti and Dieter Schnebel to Barbara Heller, Gerhard Stäbler and Wolfgang Rihm to Annette Schlünz and Moritz Eggert. A volume that is well worth reading for all those who are curious about the musical childhood and youth of Karlheinz Stockhausen and Mauricio Kagel, for example.
The anecdotal essays provide information that goes beyond direct teaching experiences. The description of first clef experiences is not missing in any of them. These are above all outstanding listening experiences (often Bach!) - whether on the radio or in concert. It is also clear that these listening experiences soon lead to their own attempts at composing - with very different reactions from their music teachers and families.
The diverse aspects range from 'motivation' and 'practicing' to the influence of teachers and finding the right individual instrument. Many a future sound artist began with toy instruments such as the 'clarina' (Volker Blumenthaler) or as a trumpeter in the fire department band (Detlev Glanert). Wolfgang Rihm found his way to the piano, although at first he did not understand 'why the two hands should not play the same thing'.
Some discovered their instruments late, such as the composer Volker Staub, who is important today thanks to his experimental instrument making. For him, it only really started when he completely dismantled his old practice piano with a spirit of exploration. 'Strings uncovered', as Staub's memoir is called, this rich volume of material has a lot to offer.
It is a valuable contribution to raising general awareness of the subject of music education in an attractive way. Above all, because it impressively documents the importance of - classical - music for children's empfication."
Svenja Klaucke, FONO FORUM

With contributions by, among others:
Rolf Riehm, Detlev Glanert, Violeta Dinescu, Walther Prokop, Ruth Zechlin, Helmut Bieler-Wendt, Walter Zimmermann, Steffen Schleiermacher, Barbara Heller, Peter Ablinger, Carola Bauckholt, Günther Becker, Diether de la Motte, Joachim Hespos, Robert HP Platz,
Klaus-Hinrich Stahmer, Johannes Fritsch, Christina Kubisch, Dieter Schnebel, Ernstalbrecht Stiebler, Charlotte Seither, Michael Bach, Gerhard Stäbler, Christiane Brückner, Volker Staub, Younghi Pagh-Paan, Josef Anton Riedl, Bernhard König, Karlheinz Stockhausen