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Play Life More Beautifully: Conversations With Seymour
It started with a dinner party. When 86-year-old pianist and teacher Seymour Bernstein met Ethan Hawke, international film star, the two quickly discovered they shared a common stage fright. Based on his familiarity with nervousness prior to concerts, Seymour was able to provide Ethan with invaluable insight and advice. That was the beginning of a deep friendship.
Renowned spiritual scholar and activist Andrew Harvey was a fellow dinner guest that auspicious night and contributed to the decision to create a documentary about Seymour exploring his unique combination of accomplished musician, teacher, and seasoned elder. The film, An Introduction , directed by Ethan Hawke, has received enthusiastic critical acclaim and is an inspiration to all who see it.
Seymour and Andrew’s friendship has continued to thrive with a shared curiosity and appreciation for the intersection of life and art. The trusting conversations captured in this book between these two dear friends reveal key truths about passion and creativity through an exploration of music, difficult childhoods, the friendship of animals, and journeys of the spirit.
Memories meld with philosophy, and observations with reflections, dissolving the line between teacher and pupil. With equal parts candor and generosity, Seymour and Andrew offer a master class in playing life with our fullest, most gracious selves.
Renowned spiritual scholar and activist Andrew Harvey was a fellow dinner guest that auspicious night and contributed to the decision to create a documentary about Seymour exploring his unique combination of accomplished musician, teacher, and seasoned elder. The film, An Introduction , directed by Ethan Hawke, has received enthusiastic critical acclaim and is an inspiration to all who see it.
Seymour and Andrew’s friendship has continued to thrive with a shared curiosity and appreciation for the intersection of life and art. The trusting conversations captured in this book between these two dear friends reveal key truths about passion and creativity through an exploration of music, difficult childhoods, the friendship of animals, and journeys of the spirit.
Memories meld with philosophy, and observations with reflections, dissolving the line between teacher and pupil. With equal parts candor and generosity, Seymour and Andrew offer a master class in playing life with our fullest, most gracious selves.
248 pages, Hardcover
First published February 23, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 19, 2020
Play Life more Beautifully, Conversations with Seymour
by Andrew Harvey & Seymour Bernstein
This is the companion book to the Ethan Hawke directed 2014 documentary SEYMOUR: AN INTRODUCTION.
Conversations in the first two chapters are about the documentary: how it was recieved by the viewing public and the authors’ emotions about the documentary, etc. Once getting past these opening chapters, which I found to be a bit dis-jointed, the “conversations” are highly illuminating! The conversation delves into the magic of music, creativity, importance of solitude, what does it really mean to love oneself, and the shadows of our feminine and masculine selfs.
Here is a quote from Andrew Harvey: “It seems to me both the masculine and feminine have disastrous shadows. The masculine, when it’s at its best is noble and generous and clear and filled with energy for duty. At it worst,it’s obsessed with power, cruel, harsh, and controlling. The feminine has so many positive qualities, but because of social and political and economic oppression can manifest very great capacities for manipulation and violence, and addiction to power in blatant and devious ways.”
I was especially entranced by Seymour’s dialog focusing on how musicians need to consciously apply/transfer what they have achieved artistically to their broader lives.
Seymour explains his plan: how to study a new piece of music, describing the four component stages as: “spontaneity, awareness, commitment, synthesis”.
A quote from Seymour Bernstein: “‘ ..(musicians) have to learn to be interpreters of life, not just interpreters of music. All musicians should learn that lesson from working with their art. Now, the synthesis of taking what you learn through the process of practicing and performing, and directing it into your everyday life can happen automatically. ...but for most musicians, it has to be done consciously. ...small wonder that many musicians become wrecks of human beings. They fail to direct that synthesis into their everyday lives. It is a synthesis that can harmonize them.”
by Andrew Harvey & Seymour Bernstein
This is the companion book to the Ethan Hawke directed 2014 documentary SEYMOUR: AN INTRODUCTION.
Conversations in the first two chapters are about the documentary: how it was recieved by the viewing public and the authors’ emotions about the documentary, etc. Once getting past these opening chapters, which I found to be a bit dis-jointed, the “conversations” are highly illuminating! The conversation delves into the magic of music, creativity, importance of solitude, what does it really mean to love oneself, and the shadows of our feminine and masculine selfs.
Here is a quote from Andrew Harvey: “It seems to me both the masculine and feminine have disastrous shadows. The masculine, when it’s at its best is noble and generous and clear and filled with energy for duty. At it worst,it’s obsessed with power, cruel, harsh, and controlling. The feminine has so many positive qualities, but because of social and political and economic oppression can manifest very great capacities for manipulation and violence, and addiction to power in blatant and devious ways.”
I was especially entranced by Seymour’s dialog focusing on how musicians need to consciously apply/transfer what they have achieved artistically to their broader lives.
Seymour explains his plan: how to study a new piece of music, describing the four component stages as: “spontaneity, awareness, commitment, synthesis”.
A quote from Seymour Bernstein: “‘ ..(musicians) have to learn to be interpreters of life, not just interpreters of music. All musicians should learn that lesson from working with their art. Now, the synthesis of taking what you learn through the process of practicing and performing, and directing it into your everyday life can happen automatically. ...but for most musicians, it has to be done consciously. ...small wonder that many musicians become wrecks of human beings. They fail to direct that synthesis into their everyday lives. It is a synthesis that can harmonize them.”
October 29, 2025
A Third Visit With Seymour Bernstein
I got to know and admire Seymour Bernstein some years ago when my piano teacher recommended his book, "With Your Own Two Hands". Then, just weeks ago, I learned from Bernstein still further when a different piano teacher recommended the documentary, "Seymour: An Introduction". I loved the film and was led to this follow-up book, "Play Life More Beautifully: Conversations with Seymour" which I was fortunate to find through Amazon's Vine program.
The book consists of transcripts of conversations between Bernstein and Andrew Harvey during a summer week at Bernstein's home in Maine. Harvey became friends with Bernstein during the filming of the documentary, and he appears in it. He is a spiritual teacher with substantial influences from mysticism in the Buddhist, Islamic, and Christian traditions. Although Bernstein is not a spiritual teacher, his book, "With Your Own Two Hands" draws something from Eastern teachings well before they received more emphasis in the film and in this book.
The conversations develop in a question and answer format in which Harvey poses a question for discussion which gets developed and elaborated as the conversation proceeds. As with any conversation, there are asides and meanderings. The book begins with a discussion of "Seymour -- An Introduction" and of its unanticipated popular success. Much of the heart of Bernstein's appeal is in this discussion. The reader visits with an artistic pianist in his late 80's, who received broad fame through the film. The film and the conversation convey the value of following one's dream and passion late in life. They exemplify the ideal of integrating one's passion and talent with one's outlook on life -- as Bernstein has done with the piano. At the age of 50, Bernstein gave up his public career as a solo concert pianist to concentrate on teaching, composition, and writing. He pursued his course with little fanfare from the general public until the release of the film.
The book is at its best when the subject is closest to Bernstein's heart -- music and the piano. For example, Bernstein says, among many other insightful comments: "The miracle of music is that even though Bach and Rachmaninoff were born in different centuries, and lived in different parts of the world,, nevertheless, their music communicates the deepest feelings. That's the miracle of music. It's ageless. It doesn't matter that it's from a different century. The message comes out clearly." Bernstein's discussions about the love of music and its role in practicing at the piano helped spur me in my amateur efforts with the instrument which have been a part of most of my life. I learned and could understand Bernstein's relationship with his teachers, some good and some bad, particularly with his gifted mentor, Sir Clifford Curzon, whose influence on Bernstein also is featured in the book and the film. So too, I learned from Bernstein's insights into his role as a teacher. Bernstein emphasizes both the love and the discipline required to achieve artistry at the piano -- and in life. They are gifts given in full only to a few.
Much is of interest in the rest of the book as Bernstein and Harvey discuss their respective upbringings and their responses to unhappy familial situations. Harvey frequently tries to direct the discussion to broad spiritual teachings, including what he has learned and adopted from, for example, the Dalai Lama and from Rumi. Bernstein contributes to the discussion although he sometimes appears a little uncomfortable. I have some experience with Buddhism but am unfamiliar with Harvey's other writings. He appears too New Age for me and also in this book tends to push his own work. In other words, some of the non-musical portions of these conversations were overdone and not fully successful for readers.
I read this book over a long day, but more can be gained by returning to portions of it. There was a degree of self-consciousness about the book and the project of the conversations that I didn't find in the book or movie. Both participants, Harvey and Bernstein, appear stilted and forced on occasion with the knowledge that they are making a book for a large audience. I was still grateful for the opportunity to visit with Seymour Bernstein for the third time and to share his love for life, music, and the piano.
Robin Friedman
I got to know and admire Seymour Bernstein some years ago when my piano teacher recommended his book, "With Your Own Two Hands". Then, just weeks ago, I learned from Bernstein still further when a different piano teacher recommended the documentary, "Seymour: An Introduction". I loved the film and was led to this follow-up book, "Play Life More Beautifully: Conversations with Seymour" which I was fortunate to find through Amazon's Vine program.
The book consists of transcripts of conversations between Bernstein and Andrew Harvey during a summer week at Bernstein's home in Maine. Harvey became friends with Bernstein during the filming of the documentary, and he appears in it. He is a spiritual teacher with substantial influences from mysticism in the Buddhist, Islamic, and Christian traditions. Although Bernstein is not a spiritual teacher, his book, "With Your Own Two Hands" draws something from Eastern teachings well before they received more emphasis in the film and in this book.
The conversations develop in a question and answer format in which Harvey poses a question for discussion which gets developed and elaborated as the conversation proceeds. As with any conversation, there are asides and meanderings. The book begins with a discussion of "Seymour -- An Introduction" and of its unanticipated popular success. Much of the heart of Bernstein's appeal is in this discussion. The reader visits with an artistic pianist in his late 80's, who received broad fame through the film. The film and the conversation convey the value of following one's dream and passion late in life. They exemplify the ideal of integrating one's passion and talent with one's outlook on life -- as Bernstein has done with the piano. At the age of 50, Bernstein gave up his public career as a solo concert pianist to concentrate on teaching, composition, and writing. He pursued his course with little fanfare from the general public until the release of the film.
The book is at its best when the subject is closest to Bernstein's heart -- music and the piano. For example, Bernstein says, among many other insightful comments: "The miracle of music is that even though Bach and Rachmaninoff were born in different centuries, and lived in different parts of the world,, nevertheless, their music communicates the deepest feelings. That's the miracle of music. It's ageless. It doesn't matter that it's from a different century. The message comes out clearly." Bernstein's discussions about the love of music and its role in practicing at the piano helped spur me in my amateur efforts with the instrument which have been a part of most of my life. I learned and could understand Bernstein's relationship with his teachers, some good and some bad, particularly with his gifted mentor, Sir Clifford Curzon, whose influence on Bernstein also is featured in the book and the film. So too, I learned from Bernstein's insights into his role as a teacher. Bernstein emphasizes both the love and the discipline required to achieve artistry at the piano -- and in life. They are gifts given in full only to a few.
Much is of interest in the rest of the book as Bernstein and Harvey discuss their respective upbringings and their responses to unhappy familial situations. Harvey frequently tries to direct the discussion to broad spiritual teachings, including what he has learned and adopted from, for example, the Dalai Lama and from Rumi. Bernstein contributes to the discussion although he sometimes appears a little uncomfortable. I have some experience with Buddhism but am unfamiliar with Harvey's other writings. He appears too New Age for me and also in this book tends to push his own work. In other words, some of the non-musical portions of these conversations were overdone and not fully successful for readers.
I read this book over a long day, but more can be gained by returning to portions of it. There was a degree of self-consciousness about the book and the project of the conversations that I didn't find in the book or movie. Both participants, Harvey and Bernstein, appear stilted and forced on occasion with the knowledge that they are making a book for a large audience. I was still grateful for the opportunity to visit with Seymour Bernstein for the third time and to share his love for life, music, and the piano.
Robin Friedman
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews