What ever happened to Bernhard?

[stevetrug]

Does anyone know what happened to Bernhard? Many of us owe him a great deal in terms of gratitude for his insightful teachings. So knowledgeable and so helpful.
There was talk of him moving to Brazil, but I have no more information.
Come back Bernhard, we miss you!

[pianowolfi]

Lol there are already two threads (or even more) like that around. I think it's a sign for us to read his posts and to benefit from all that information and help he has given. Most of us miss him though

[steinwayb]

I also have learned much from Bernhard. Even though I am not on this site very often, I always seem to run across his input. The main thing I learned from
Benhard is to not worry so much about grade level.. Play what you like and
enjoy whatever  the results are.

Scott

[stevetrug]

Yes indeen, my playing has benefitted a great deal from his advice. Luckily we still have his posts.

[jazzyprof]

My guess is that he's taking a sabbatical from Piano Street so he can write the book on practicing piano!  We often asked him to compile all his piano wisdom into a definitive book.  Of course I have absolutely no information on the matter...but it is a good enough story.

[mosis]

Truthfully, I think Bernhard has just had it.

He's basically given us his entire approach. He has written roughly 4000 posts on everything from the lives of composers, to completely outlining pieces as he would do for his students, to very specific practice methods for very specific passages, going into nauseating detail on how to move to produce a certain sound/play a certain passage, mental play, memorization, Martial Arts and Japanese cooking. He has even given us tens (perhaps hundreds) of book recommendations to further explore the "tip of the iceberg" information he has given us.

He has told us everything he can without us being his students. His students pay a lot of money to get the knowledge that we have gotten completely for free (he says "There are no free lunches;" we've basically gotten a free gourmet meal at his completely selfless expense).

What's more, after the thousands of posts and hundreds of hours spent trying to help us, what do we still get?

"Is Hanon good?"

"You must play technical exercises and scales everyday for an hour to become a concert pianist."

"Is it better to sight read or play by ear?"

Bernhard is not the only one that has given amazing advice (and is no longer around). I do believe that xvimbi and Hmoll also haven't been around in a while. There is a Bernhard index somewhere (I believe Bob and m1469 were working on organizing it all). Any question one has can be answered by looking there.

But of course, people are lazy (and we all know how much Bernhard hates that). They will not search through his posts or buy books. They will ask questions and expect people to give them the answer. What's more, they will expect to just know how to do it by reading the post and thinking about it for a while.

Gee, I'm sounding a little like Bernhard myself, aren't I? 

We ask, "Where has Bernhard gone?" I ask you, for what more do we need him?

Of course, let us not forget that he is quite an old man. He may very well just have died.

[shortyshort]

I've learned of Bernhard that you guys were mocking him until he left the forum.

[mosis]

Ah yes, of course. I forgot about the countless insults thrown at him from jealous ignoramuses.

[alzado]

I liked and respected Bernhard.  I especially liked his idea that everyone who takes lessons -- even children -- should be allowed to play pieces they LIKE.

Bernhard became very old, and weary, and I suspect the angels took him.

But he has left a legacy behind for the rest of us.

[penguinlover]

I agree that he may have become weary.  That's what happens to people who give so much of themselves to others like he did.  But dead?  I don't think so, he doesn't seem to be that old, he just has the musical wisdom of an older person.  He probably visits the forum and laughs.  He has said what he needed to say, and when he feels like it, he will appear again. 

[pianowolfi]

I liked and respected Bernhard.  I especially liked his idea that everyone who takes lessons -- even children -- should be allowed to play pieces they LIKE.

Bernhard became very old, and weary, and I suspect the angels took him.

But he has left a legacy behind for the rest of us.

I am shocked. What makes you assume that "the angels took him?" I even did not know that he is old I am confused and concerned. Are these just stupid rumours or does someone have really a clue?

[jas]

Bernhard became very old, and weary, and I suspect the angels took him.

But he has left a legacy behind for the rest of us.

Good grief, if I were him I'd have left too.

What's with the scary Bernhard adulation? He seemed like a very nice bloke and his posts were often extremely thoughtful and helpful, there's no denying that. But all these posts about him and his "legacy" are a bit OTT, aren't they? I'd find it all a bit much if I were him.

I kind of agree with mosis on this. If you're interested in what he has to say, read through his posts and take them in, but there's no substitute for actually doing it. Asking him to come back to solve all of your pianistic problems is a bit of a cop-out, and I'd be surprised if he didn't find it a bit irritating.

[pianowolfi]

So actually just stupid rumours. Nightingale is reasonable as ist seems.

[jlh]

Bernhard is not dead.  One of his students told me he's living in Brazil at the moment.  What is he doing?  Probably taking it easy and trying to enjoy himself.  I wouldn't be surprized if he comes back here again to this forum.  There have been periods of several months where I have not logged into this forum, as well. 

What I find disheartening, and I'm sure it irritated Bernhard as well, is that people keep asking the same stupid questions after literally books have been written by Bernhard and others on the subject.  It takes only a few seconds to find this information by doing a search of the forum, but as it was said before... people are lazy.  I bet bernhard just got tired of replying to questions with 20-30 links of his own previous responses, as I've seen him do many times.

[mosis]

Bernhard is not dead.  One of his students told me he's living in Brazil at the moment.  What is he doing?  Probably taking it easy and trying to enjoy himself.  I wouldn't be surprized if he comes back here again to this forum.  There have been periods of several months where I have not logged into this forum, as well. 

What I find disheartening, and I'm sure it irritated Bernhard as well, is that people keep asking the same stupid questions after literally books have been written by Bernhard and others on the subject.  It takes only a few seconds to find this information by doing a search of the forum, but as it was said before... people are lazy.  I bet bernhard just got tired of replying to questions with 20-30 links of his own previous responses, as I've seen him do many times.

Yes, thank you! Some people just don't get it! 

Oh, and to all of the above posters who think Bernhard is a fine young gentlemen, he has hinted several times that he is pretty old. It's amazing what one can learn about him by going through his posts from the beginning (I'm on page 75 of 100-something). He is certainly wiser than his contemporaries, but he also has quite some time behind him.

[jlh]

Gee, I'm sounding a little like Bernhard myself, aren't I? 

Except you left out one important detail...

Best wishes,
Josh

[mosis]

Except you left out one important detail...

Best wishes,
Josh

 

[netzow]

Bernhard is not dead.  One of his students told me he's living in Brazil at the moment.  What is he doing?  Probably taking it easy and trying to enjoy himself.  I wouldn't be surprized if he comes back here again to this forum.  There have been periods of several months where I have not logged into this forum, as well. 

What I find disheartening, and I'm sure it irritated Bernhard as well, is that people keep asking the same stupid questions after literally books have been written by Bernhard and others on the subject.  It takes only a few seconds to find this information by doing a search of the forum, but as it was said before... people are lazy.  I bet bernhard just got tired of replying to questions with 20-30 links of his own previous responses, as I've seen him do many times.

Good to know Bernhard is well. Well I would find it irritating to have the same questions over and over again I think we need to keep what Bernhard actually said in mind. He always said (I paraphrase) Even if a few people are saved it is worth it. i.e If a few people abandon there waistful in efficient practice habits all the work will have been worth it. I can certainly understand bernhard being fed up with the same questions being asked again and again but we need to remember that we have absoulutely no evidence that this is the case why he has not entered this forum (at least under his screen name) for six months. The fact is at this moment we do not have Bernhard. However at this moment we also have an option, we can sit around and wish we had him or we can learn from what he has given. If Bernhard could post links for people who don't search so can we.

Good grief, if I were him I'd have left too.

What's with the scary Bernhard adulation? He seemed like a very nice bloke and his posts were often extremely thoughtful and helpful, there's no denying that. But all these posts about him and his "legacy" are a bit OTT, aren't they? I'd find it all a bit much if I were him.

I kind of agree with mosis on this. If you're interested in what he has to say, read through his posts and take them in, but there's no substitute for actually doing it. Asking him to come back to solve all of your pianistic problems is a bit of a cop-out, and I'd be surprised if he didn't find it a bit irritating.

I would second this motion, Read His posts. So many times it seems like people have never heard of or are to lazy to use the search fuction. If you Don't want to find all the threads go to his profile and read through them that way. I would also reccomend to those who want even more information to read through Xvimbi, Mound, Robert Henry, Chang, Hmoll, and monk's Posts. Bernhard would often "Give them a shot" at some of the questions that were asked. Or Even Better Read Through The References That Bernhard Used. Chang's Book, Sandor, Fink, Neuhaus, Gieseking-Leimer and Eigeldinger. We must remember that these are not Bernhards Ideas he got them from somewhere. Look for his book recomendations. SEARCH for them. That's the Magic word. SEARCH. If you Have a question and want to see if Bernhard said anything about it use the search function. Do what you can Do look at what you have and stop sitting around and Wishing that Bernhard would come back If he is going to come back it's not going to be because a few people Wish he would It's going to be because he decided of his own free will to come back.

Best Wishes,
Netzow

[ail]

Actually, something that puzzles me is the relation of Nightingale to Bernhard. Nightingale has previously said, in another post, that Bernhard had told him/her he was busy. And a few days ago, actually here https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,24929.0.html,
the post seems to be signed Bernhard.

I also remember a post sometime back where nightingale gave a reply just like Bernhard's and even got to an argument with Marik. Here: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,24398.0.html

So, sometimes I have the impression that either Nightingale11 is Bernhard, someone close to him or someone trying to impersonate him.

Alex

[nightingale11]

Actually, something that puzzles me is the relation of Nightingale to Bernhard. Nightingale has previously said, in another post, that Bernhard had told him/her he was busy. And a few days ago, actually here https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,24929.0.html,
the post seems to be signed Bernhard.

I was too lazy(no time) to tell him about the book myself. (/Bernhard = Written by Bernhard)

I am not Bernhard. The only thing I care about doing on this forum is to post his links to new forumers(altough most of the forumers are ignorants and do what they think is right instead of testing things out).

[m1469]

I have captured Bernhard and I am keeping him for my own purposes 


ps-- I will relay to him that you send your regards 

[pianowolfi]

I have captured Bernhard and I am keeping him for my own purposes 


ps-- I will relay to him that you send your regards 

Ahhhh I see this is the answer to this problem Well so he is fine I guess, he can play everyday on a wonderful C7 Grand, and has a very talented student ( I guess only one then?) and lives a wonderful life. What else can a piano teacher dream of? 

[m1469]

Ahhhh I see this is the answer to this problem Well so he is fine I guess, he can play everyday on a wonderful C7 Grand, and has a very talented student ( I guess only one then?) and lives a wonderful life. What else can a piano teacher dream of? 

Yes  .  Wait, I thought this was the "what's your life's dream" thread ... but okay, in that one, there are several teachers for just this one little student in me -- they have to work as a team .  You are there, too, as my friend and as a performer in my courts and parlours (don't worry, wolfi, everybody loves you -- you are very well respected there)



*fox smile*

[pianowolfi]

Yes  .  Wait, I thought this was the "what's your life's dream" thread ... but okay, in that one, there are several teachers for just this one little student in me -- they have to work as a team .  You are there, too, as my friend and as a performer in my courts and parlours (don't worry, wolfi, everybody loves you -- you are very well respected there)



*fox smile*

hmmmm I did not even think so far. Performer for 81 ( ) min. would be all I ever dream of. (After all I love independence, too )

secret and courtly wolf waltz

[opus10no2]

I respect berny alot, and he's a cool guy, but I think his status might be exaggerated..I didn't agree with everything he said, and his analogy approach could be long-winded.
I prefer brevity whenever possible, but I suppose he was just being thorough.

He did basically say all he could say on alot of matters, and the majority of what he'd say if he was still around would be repeating himself or linking to previous posts.

I don't necessarily miss his advice, I miss him because he's a nice guy 

[m1469]

I think it's funny when people say that he has already said everything he can say on subjects, I mean, even if that were true about a specific subject like practising, it doesn't mean he has nothing more to say about music and these things.

Anyway.  I miss him here, but I am getting used to him not being here.  It was just different while he was here, and I liked it.   Everything he has already said is obviously still available for us to read -- thankfully .

[desordre]

 Dear m1469:

(...)
I miss him here, but I am getting used to him not being here. It was just different while he was here, and I liked it. 
(...)

Although I'm sort of a newbie here (one year in july), I do agree 100% with you.
 Best!

[danny elfboy]

Seriously ... ask to yourself: why in the world should Bernhard want to post here?



To have endless debates with fundamental and chronic naysayers?

To see the majority of posts concentrated in the "Anything but piano section?"

To help the few newbys that don't leave as soon as they see what's this forum is like?

To waste hours of his life for something so meaingless and frustrating as writing here?

To spend energy for a place that you can hardly say is about piano, learning new things, widening one perspective and feeling whatever emotion for music?

[m1469]

Well, perhaps we all ought to ask ourselves these very same questions about why in the world we should post here, eh ?  I know I have. 

Anyway, I won't pretend to have any answers for Bernhard on these questions, nor for anybody else -- though, I suppose he had his reasons to ever start posting in the first place.  Just like all of us.  And, I dare say, it seemed he even had a tad bit o' fun on occasion (in his own Bernhard way, of course) .

I highly doubt that anybody on here is appreciated by others nearly as much as they ought to be 

[opus10no2]

I post here because it is fun to socialise in some form with other pianists, 2nd reason - debating and discussing issues helps clarify my own views.

Having people to relay thoughts off is helpful, I don't have a teacher or friends in person who play teh 88

I have wondered if I'd tire of piano discussion forums...but I guess I never would because that would be the day I tire of the piano and communicating with other people who are also passionate about it 

[danny elfboy]

I post here because it is fun to socialise in some form with other pianists, 2nd reason - debating and discussing issues helps clarify my own views.

Do you think having "something" to do with piano is enough to create affinity among people? I don't think so. What really matters is the concept behind that thing you have in common. I have used this example before fow how stupid it may seem.
Consider the difference between two websites about knifes.
Only that one is about knifes used in cooking and the other is an illegal site about knifes used in killing. The concept behind that irrelevant thing in common is enough to destroy any sort of possible affinity. So no, it's not enough to play the piano to have whatever little affinity with another person who play the piano. Such fact alone kills any socialization or unbiased and rational discussions.

I have wondered if I'd tire of piano discussion forums...but I guess I never would because that would be the day I tire of the piano and communicating with other people who are also passionate about it 

Yes, too bad that having a "piano forum" doesn't necessarily result in having passionate people, altruist support for newbys, real interest for the piano that is not easily forgotten for whatever other stupid thing, unbiased music discussions that don't end up as dry ideolgical politic debates ...

Like, you can build a park in a city.
Having built the park doesn't necessarily mean people will respect the plants and trees, will use the sport equipments safely, will play respecting other people, will make pic-nic throwing eventually the wastes in the dust-bins, all newcomers will be welcomed and not bossied by the same groups. Imagine the meaning of the park (as written at the entrance) is to teach everyone respect for nature, love for trees and animals and gather nature lovers together.

So imagine the same park where everyone misuse and break all the sport equipments, were newcomers are abused and scared away by the local groups, where everyone burn plants and trees and little by little desert the park, where wastes are scattered all around, where no one respects the others and always want to start a fight with them.
What about now the original goals? Teaching respect for nature? Creating a place to allow nature-lovers to gather and socialize?

Now you may know WHY you want to go at the park but you DON'T KNOW WHY you should be want to go at THAT park.

[dorfmouse]

Dear Bernhard,
Relieve us of our misery!

If you're up there with the angels , send us A Sign.
If you're on the Copacabana , send us a postcard.

Por favor ... please ... bitte,bitte,bitte!

[opus10no2]

Danny, I know that a large percentage of my thoughts every single day are to do with paino playing and music, and it would be an unhealthy life indeed to have no social outlet for this interest.

[danny elfboy]

Danny, I know that a large percentage of my thoughts every single day are to do with paino playing and music, and it would be an unhealthy life indeed to have no social outlet for this interest.

Yes, but reread my post better and understand what I'm into.
In my example with the park surely the last thing I propose is to forget about it all and go in the center of the highway to breath some healthy smog.

[pianowolfi]

Dear Bernhard,
Relieve us of our misery!

If you're up there with the angels , send us A Sign.
If you're on the Copacabana , send us a postcard.

Por favor ... please ... bitte,bitte,bitte!

hmm first of all we know from trustworthy persons that he is definitely not "with the angels". And secondly I don't think we are in a misery. I mean, we can read his posts and there are also other people here who are very capable and serious and post a LOT of worthy information and thoughts. I don't come with examples here, there would be too many. But I agree with opus, I miss him too because he's a nice guy.

[ramseytheii]

hmm first of all we know from trustworthy persons that he is definitely not "with the angels". And secondly I don't think we are in a misery. I mean, we can read his posts and there are also other people here who are very capable and serious and post a LOT of worthy information and thoughts. I don't come with examples here, there would be too many. But I agree with opus, I miss him too because he's a nice guy.

I think the thing that set Bernhard apart was not just being a fountain of information, but that he had taken the time to organize it all into a coherent and ingenious system.  I mean every topic on playing piano was referenced by him, and organized, and he did it in a consistent, clear, and memorable language.  There are indeed lots of people here who post good information, but Bernhard had that "it" factor as Quincy Jones likes to say, and was able to synthesize it all into a meaningful whole.  And that's a d@mn hard thing to do.

Walter Ramsey

[artichoke]

Dear ramseytheii,
I enjoyed your posts as well. Do post more, please.

[pianowolfi]

I think the thing that set Bernhard apart was not just being a fountain of information, but that he had taken the time to organize it all into a coherent and ingenious system.  I mean every topic on playing piano was referenced by him, and organized, and he did it in a consistent, clear, and memorable language.  There are indeed lots of people here who post good information, but Bernhard had that "it" factor as Quincy Jones likes to say, and was able to synthesize it all into a meaningful whole.  And that's a d@mn hard thing to do.

Walter Ramsey

Yes of course I agree fully. My statement was not written to belittle Bernhards merits. He indeed has the "it" factor of course. But what I don't agree so much with is 1. pointless rumours like him being "with the angels" And 2. Only complaining about that he "left us" without looking around what other very capable people are here still, also some who have very much examined his approach in depth and maybe have their own view of it to share.  And 3. We can still read his contributions and there is a lot of material to examine. And 4. Perhaps we can convince m1469 that he sometimes may use her computer too? 

[m1469]

Yes of course I agree fully. My statement was not written to belittle Bernhards merits. He indeed has the "it" factor of course. But what I don't agree so much with is 1. pointless rumours like him being "with the angels" And 2. Only complaining about that he "left us" without looking around what other very capable people are here still, also some who have very much examined his approach in depth and maybe have their own view of it to share.  And 3. We can still read his contributions and there is a lot of material to examine. And 4. Perhaps we can convince m1469 that he sometimes may use her computer too? 

eeehhhh .... What ? 

[pianowolfi]

eeehhhh .... What ? 

I was relating to your joke that you have captured him  Pardon me.

I have captured Bernhard and I am keeping him for my own purposes 

ps-- I will relay to him that you send your regards 

[rc]

I think the thing that set Bernhard apart was not just being a fountain of information, but that he had taken the time to organize it all into a coherent and ingenious system.  I mean every topic on playing piano was referenced by him, and organized, and he did it in a consistent, clear, and memorable language.  There are indeed lots of people here who post good information, but Bernhard had that "it" factor as Quincy Jones likes to say, and was able to synthesize it all into a meaningful whole.  And that's a d@mn hard thing to do.

Walter Ramsey

Very true.  I'm guessing his amazing communication skills comes from a lifetime of teaching.