Every generation has its brilliant virtuosi players who, by commonconsent, stand that little bit apart from their contemporaries. And justoccasionally another, greater, phenomenon appears: an artist so very specialthat he creates an entirely new horizon for his art, an entirely new approachto his instrument. Such an artist was Pablo Casals. There is no musician today who has not, in some way, been touched byCasals. His innovations sparked a revolution and changed for ever the acceptedlimitations of playing the cello; his teachings stand as a beacon, proud andresolute, for all others to follow. In the wider world, his courageous stand against the fascists who hadoverrun his beloved Catalonia earned him the respect and attention of the world'smost renowned leaders, from the President of the United States to the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations. Here, then, is a portrait of Pablo Casals in his own words and the wordsof others. It's all here: his love of humanity, his wisdom, his idealism, his courage,his obstinacy, the inspiration he sparked and above all - shining through thepages like a rare and precious jewel - the overwhelming, triumphant and toweringgenius.
