At least once a week for 17 years, while also maintaining an international career as a performer and conductor, violinist Sidney Harth has made the long commute from his home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Yale. Here, he has loved watching the musical development of his younger students and making music on the stage with colleagues at the School of Music. But as he prepares for the final of four recitals he's presenting this year to mark his retirement, the renowned violinist says that he has few regrets about moving on.
"I've had a wonderful time here teaching and performing," says Harth. "I've watched the playing powers and technical acumen of my students grow tremendously through the years, and I've had the opportunity to work with colleagues who are some of the finest musicians in the world. In retirement, I'm looking forward to conducting, practicing on my own and doing some traveling."
An audience in New Haven will have yet another chance to observe the musical talent Harth has become known for worldwide on Wednesday, April 15, when the violinist presents the last recital in his four-part series. Performing with Harth will be renowned pianist and fellow School of Music faculty member Boris Berman. The concert, which is free and open to the public, begins at 8 p.m. in Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Memorial Hall, 470 College St.
Harth invited a pianist from the School of Music to take part in each of his three previous recitals, and gave them the additional honor of selecting the programs. For the final recital, Berman -- for whom Harth once conducted years ago in Israel before the Russian-born pianist came to the United States -- has chosen Bartok's "Sonata No. 2," Schnittke's "Sonata No. 1," Ives' "Sonata No. 4" and Prokofiev's "Five Melodies." The event is being presented as part of the school's Faculty Artist Series.
For the classical violinist, some of his fondest memories of his time at Yale are of musical performances on stage. A favorite for both him and one of his audiences was the time that Harth, after admitting to his friend and music school colleague Willie Ruff that he'd always harbored a secret desire to play jazz fiddle, took up that instrument in a concert with Ruff. The two played songs by Charlie Parker and other jazz greats. "I had a ball," recalls Harth. "After the concert students came up to me in awe and surprise. One of them said, 'You're two other guys,' which I took as quite a compliment."
Another high point on stage was last year's "Vivaldi Extravaganza," during which Harth and his students performed a series of solo concertos by the composer. "I've gotten a lot of pleasure out of performing with students," he says.
The violin has been a centerpiece in Harth's life since he first took up the instrument at the age of four. A native of Cleveland, he graduated with the highest honors accorded by the Cleveland Institute of Music, and later studied with violinists Michel Piastro and Georges Enesco in New York. In 1957, Harth gained the attention of the music world by becoming the first American to win the coveted Laureate Prize in the Wieniawski Violin Competition in Poland.
Prior to coming to Yale, he was concertmaster with the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, the Chicago Symphony and the Louisville Orchestra. (While concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he concurrently served as associate conductor.) He's also been music director of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra and the Northwest Chamber Orchestra in Seattle.
Though performing and conducting have kept him busily criss-crossing the globe, Harth has stayed committed to teaching throughout his career. Before coming to Yale, he taught at several universities, including Carnegie Mellon, where he was the Andrew W. Mellon Permanent Professor of Music. He directed the conducting programs at Mannes College, Hartt College of Music and the University of Houston, Texas. He has also given international master classes.
"I've always felt it was important to keep my hand in teaching," says Harth. "It's something, I think, that comes naturally to me, and I've enjoyed it thoroughly."
As a teacher, Harth has encouraged his students of the violin to branch out in other directions beyond music. "When it comes to solo playing, there is only room for a handful to become real stars," explains the musician. "The competition is very keen, and it makes it difficult to become a major figure. Besides that, I think the cross-fertilization of educational classes in other fields, such as music students experience at Yale, makes them better musicians and better professionals."
Likewise, he has also discouraged his students from limiting themselves to the works of a favored composer or to the standard repertoire for stringed instruments, which he has also avoided in his own musical career. "I think it's important to spread your wings a bit," comments Harth. "I like variety, and in today's music world, you can't really afford to have a specialization." Some of his own favorite performance pieces, he says, have been violin sonatas that have been "unnecessarily" neglected by other performers.
Harth has recorded works by both fa-mous and lesser-known composers for the RCA/BMG, Vanguard, Musical Heritage and Moss Music Group labels. He plans to continue recording after his retirement from Yale in May.
His retirement will allow Harth more time to spend with his wife, Teresa, who is also retiring from her post as principal second violinist of the Pittsburgh Symphony. In addition, he will be able to devote more time to the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra in Durban, South Africa, of which he is principal conductor. He is still considering an invitation to become associate conductor of the Israel Philharmonic.
"I've got lots of plans, lots more to accomplish," says Harth, who will continue performing internationally. And though his teaching days are over at the University, the violinist notes that he does not expect to become a complete stranger to Yale concert audiences.
-- By Susan Gonzalez
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