Edward Dusinberre became first violinist of the Takács Quartet in 1993, after the departure of founding member Gábor Takács-Nagy. This book is his account of his journey from nervous auditionee to integral member and leader of the ensemble. At the same time, the book tells a parallel story of Beethoven through his string quartets.
One critic has lamented that there isn't enough dirt in the book, as though we'd only be interested in reading about a string quartet if we could overhear their arguments and see them fuming at each other, as in a second-rate film. I'm perfectly happy with the balance Dusinberre has struck; he certainly lets us know about the challenges and difficulties four people have when working so intensely together over years, but he spends more energy letting us know how this seemingly miraculous enterprise can work at all. Almost surprisingly, we learn that their success is based to some extent on their willingness to re-think and sometimes re-argue their interpretations of works they've played for decades, and take chances even at the last minute when they're on stage. The really interesting friction is that between the musicians and the music.
The story of the Takács Quartet is well worth reading but I would recommend this book even more because of its parallel story about Beethoven and his music. Again I am very happy with the balance Dusinberre has struck; as a program note writer myself, I admire how he combines background history, Beethoven's personal circumstances, the notable large-scale innovations in the compositions, and details that help us understand what the players are faced with.
If you love string quartets, you will enjoy this book.