Judy Chambliss wrote: > Dear Dr. Meyer, > > Thank you so much for sending me the two letters. Both of them are quite remarkable and must have made Nathaniel feel justly proud. The letters were VERY impressive. > > I think following one's artistic passion would be fraught with ups and downs and inevitable doubts. Our middle son wanted to make his living as a musician, but finally gave it up. Whether he regrets the decision, I don't know. > > Can you please tell me what Jochen's last name is? Also Maestro Zander mentioned a family vacation in Nantucket. Would that be at YOUR house? > > I hope this note finds you well and that you are busily involved in pursuits that bring you satisfaction. > > Martha and I are planning on a 'tea party' with you in the fall. > > All the best, > Judy > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ernst Meyer [mailto:ernstmeyer@earthlink.net] > Sent: Tuesday, August 1, 2017 12:23 PM > To: Benjamin Zander > Subject: Re: the conductor's path > > Benjamin Zander wrote: >> Dear Meyer Family, >> >> I am addressing this to all of you, because I feel that this is a family issue. >> I know that the subject of Nathaniel’s career has been a source of concern, even anxiety, for some time. >> Yours is a high-achieving family, mostly in the medical world. The vagaries and set-backs that are an inevitable >> part of the conductor’s path must seem bewildering and even >> discouraging to people who are used to the clear-cut stages and >> accomplishments, not to mention financial security, of professions like medicine or business. Nathaniel himself has been wracked by doubts as to whether this is the right career for him. He has even enrolled me in those doubts. >> >> This morning I watched the entire video of the Dress Rehearsal of Wagner’s Tannhäuser Overture and I recommend that you do the same. >> What you see is not only remarkable clarity and mastery, but a deep >> passion and sensitivity to the subtle nuances in the music. Also a loving nature, nurturing the players, encouraging them to play as beautifully as they can and genuinely appreciative when they do. >> Above all, and this is the most important thing: what shines out of >> Nathaniel is a profound love and understanding of what this great music is about. He is an eloquent advocate for Wagner and no one can (or does) resist his advocacy. This is the essence of a true conductor. >> Technique can always be improved; professional contacts can be >> developed; competitions won or lost, but what Nathaniel has developed at a relatively young age is a genuine expression, a physical suppleness and a warm enthusiasm that cannot be taught and is all too rare in many in his colleagues. >> >> The path will undoubtedly be hard - it almost always is for all but a >> few young conductors! As you set off on your family vacation, I want you all to know that I believe that Nathaniel is on a path that will eventually lead to the deep satisfaction that comes from pursuing any of the healing professions. >> Riches, perhaps not, but that ineffable joy that suffuses his face, >> and that of his players, when he gets to the end of Tannhäuser - a joy that is given to very few in any other profession. >> >> I wish you all a wonderful time on Nantucket >> >> Love >> >> Ben >> > > Dear Ben, > > Thank you for your comments about Nathaniel. Since you and I are obviously on the same wavelength, I ask you to become a co-conspirator with me for the purpose of establishing Nathaniel's career. > > My specific request to you is that you adopt him as your artistic heir, that you appoint him as assistant conductor of your orchestra(s) and that you provide him with sufficient opportunity to conduct music of your choosing to make him familiar to the players (and trustees) of your orchestra(s) so that upon your promotion, he will appear as your inevitable successor. Be Koussevitzky and make him Bernstein. (And I, if I live, will do my best to tell your stories in prose and in verse.) > > Thank you for including me in the Meyer family. > > Love, Jochen > > August 6, 2017 Dear Ms. Chambliss, Thank you for your response to the correspondence about Nathaniel. Mr. Zander's encomium arrived out of the blue; I have no idea what he intended. Nathaniel has had a disappointing summer; he failed to prevail at a conductor's competition in Berlin, and his work as a "gofer" - go for this and go for that - for Mr. Zander continues to be demoralizing. Mr. Zander has shown no inclination to support Nathaniel's professional ambitions. Indeed, Mr. Zander states on the face of his letter that Nathaniel must expect to have difficulties in pursuing his career, with the clear implication that he, Mr. Zander, who is in a position to establish Nathaniel as a Boston conductor, has no intention of helping Nathaniel achieve his goals. This is the issue I intended to address head-on. My response to Mr. Zander's expression of "love" for all members of the Meyer family, was to reciprocate. Jochen is my middle name. I was named "Ernst Jochen" in memory of my father's oldest brother Ernst Joachim Meyer who was killed in the early months of World War I, in Normandy, having volunteered as an 18 year old to serve in the German Imperial Army. I was always known as Jochen to my family. My first name was in fact discovered by the Harvard registrar only in 1946, who established me as "Ernst J.", which has been my bureaucratic name ever since. Words alone don't count. Given the fact that during the two years in which Nathaniel has been keeping track of Mr. Zander's glasses, he has not once been permitted to conduct either of Mr.Zander's two orchestras, I thought clarification of his implicit obligation to Nathaniel was overdue. No one in my family has commented on my challenge to Mr. Zander, which may indeed turn out to be counter- productive and make life even more difficult for Nathaniel, - in which case I'm prepared to take the blame. Mr. Zander is 78, - nine years behind me. I've been there, and found that sooner or later one unavoidably succumbs to old age. I advise Nathaniel to be patient. Time is on his side. My own medical practice has been effectively terminated by Verizon which refuses to repair for telephone service the copper line on which I depend for Internet access. My telephone number 617-489-1048 - for which I still pay Verizon $50 per month, has, since April 26, 2017 been giving patients who try to make an appointment, a busy signal. (I can be reached on my cell phone 617-548-5768.) I hope you are having a pleasant summer, and I send my greetings to you and your family. Sincerely, Ernst Meyer