The Horse Master
If you’re anything like I am, you must also love seeing people who are masters at what they do. Especially where it involves some type of physical skill that relates back to music.
Over the weekend we met a true ‘horse whisperer.’ It was really a matter of serendipity, really. Our daughter is going through her ‘horse phase’ at the moment, and she wanted to see the heavy horses the Biltmore Estate keeps for wagon rides and such.
When we drove over to the barn area, not far from the Inn where my Masterclass will be held, we found a Fall festival in progress.
One of the ‘attractions’ was a real life cowboy giving talks and demonstrations on horsemanship. Clara immediately insisted we go over to him, even though we passed by a booth containing several live owls and hawks I could have admired for hours.
Turns out she was on to something exceptional.
The cowboy’s name is John Scott. As we arrived he was talking about the tack he used; reins of braided horsehair, bridle of woven cane, no bit. All hand made.
Even talking about these seeming incidentals he exuded a passion that held the thirty or forty people before him in rapt attention.
‘What I can feel the horse can feel,’ he said. ‘If I care about everything that goes on my horse the horse knows that I care about him. It builds the trust that out success together depends on.’
When it came to putting his horse through its paces his true artistry came out. With hand movements so subtle you had to watch for them he led his mount through some very complicated maneuvers.
Afterwards he said some things that sent chills down my spine.
‘If you have a bond of trust with your horse, if you have demonstrated that you are a leader and not a dictator, if you understand the nature and true needs of the horse, the horse will respond to your commands with virtually no physical input.’
‘Horses, like people, like to belong to well-managed societies. When you create the right environment for them they will live to follow you. It all comes from and goes to the heart.’
Standing there I realized how what he was saying could just as easily apply to the relationship between orchestra and conductor. I have played for many, but few have gone that extra mile of self-examination to know the moment to moment truth of the heart.
Those are the ones who anticipate respond to the needs of players even before the player is aware of them. Who put music before their own desire for self-gratification. Who listen and respond to playing that comes from the heart because they themselves are beings OF the heart. The are at once self confident and humble.
I hope you all have the great pleasure and satisfaction of playing under such a one.
All the best,
Clayton Haslop
P.S. John Scott also talked about ‘quick fixes.’ They are of no more use to a horseman than they are to a violinist. You must first cultivate a vision of violin mastery before your hands can manifest it.
