Tessa
March 3, 2016
Our dog, Tessa, died in the middle of a blizzard in New York City this January. Almost twelve years old and certainly slowing down with age, Tessa no longer frolicked joyfully in the park as she once had, and lately climbing steps of any kind had become painfully difficult for her. Still, her death was completely unexpected and has left an empty space in our hearts and in our daily lives.
My wife, Dorothea, and I found Tessa at a Border collie rescue farm when she was six months old. Tessa was part Border collie and part larger dog of unknown origin. Black and white, with long legs and oversized white paws, Tessa immediately won us over with her striking good looks and her mischievous personality.
Only when Dorothea and I brought Tessa home did we begin to realize how strong her Border collie traits were. She was loving and deeply devoted to both of us and to our immediate family, but she tried to herd us when we went on walks, and when strangers entered our space, she considered it her duty to warn them by barking forcefully. It was Tessa’s way of saying that they were merely auditioning for the right to stay. Some long-time friends she accepted, some she never quite did. Once guests had settled into the living room, dining room, or kitchen areas, Tessa would become upset if any of them dared to get up to go elsewhere. Tessa demanded that the herd stay in place until she gave permission to do otherwise. Even our Guarneri String Quartet, which rehearsed in my living room countless times, could not escape her intense scrutiny (read barking) upon entering the apartment. Tessa often settled under the piano while our quartet rehearsed. The running joke during breaks was cellist Peter Wiley’s mock-pleading request: Arnold, Tessa’s here. I have to go to the bathroom. Could you hold my hand?
As time went on, Tessa developed some kind of relationship to my violin practicing. Moments after I began, she would come up to me and poke me gently with her nose, asking in effect for an affectionate stroke or two. If I was practicing behind a closed door, Tessa would scratch on the door and stubbornly refuse to stop until I let her in. Then she would lie down near me for a while, although I was never quite sure if it was to listen to my fiddling or for my company. Sooner or later, Tessa would get up and leave, and then I wondered whether my playing had displeased her—was it perhaps my intonation? My sound? My musicianship? All of the above?
I have had other practicing encounters both good and bad with animals earlier in my life. When I stayed at my sister-in-law Ulrike’s house while concertizing in Germany, her dog, Nauka, would howl in distress when I played either of two notes high up in the violin register. I quickly learned to simply eliminate those odious tones for the duration of my stay. On the other hand, my friend Winnie’s donkey, Amelia, chimed in with an enthusiastic hee-haw every time I practiced the Mendelssohn violin concerto in the guest room that faced Amelia’s barn.
The question still remained for Tessa: Was she for, against, or merely indifferent to music? When a violin student once came with her pianist to play for me, Tessa, according to her custom, barked, then looked the two of them over, finally decided that they were allowed to enter the premises, and lay down under the piano as the lesson began. Perhaps it was the lesson’s early hour, but my student’s playing of the Scherzo movement of Beethoven’s Seventh Sonata in C Minor for Violin and Piano seemed downright sleepy to me. The series of accents on succeeding notes in one section were too bland, too lacking in energy. I told my student about Beethoven’s sense of humor, about how each accent must sparkle, and how every succeeding one should sparkle more and more.
Finally, I asked her to play the movement again. To my absolute delight, the student’s playing was transformed. Beethoven’s accents fairly leaped out of her violin, each more successfully than the last. Her rendition was everything I could have asked for, but apparently not for Tessa. With that last exuberant accent filling the entire living room. Tessa sprang out from under the piano and, barking wildly, she charged at the poor young lady who in fright almost dropped her violin. What was going on in Tessa’s mind? Did she, dog music critic in the making, find fault with the student’s interpretation? Or was Tessa lovingly guarding my turf as well as hers? Nobody is going to play Beethoven’s Seventh Sonata as well as my master and get away with it.
It took several years before Dorothea and I came to realize that Tessa could sing. She had always possessed a sing-song way of asking for food, or for a walk, or for a special treat. But on one occasion in upstate New York, Tessa responded to a hooting barn owl in the distance by lifting her head high, forming a small “O” with her mouth, and then, to our astonishment, producing a most poignant sound—part languid dog bark, part mournful song. Dorothea, half in jest, first imitated the owl, and then Tessa herself. Their duet lasted as long as Dorothea continued her end of the singing, and as soon as she stopped, so did Tessa. From that moment on, Dorothea and I would occasionally sing with Tessa. In this matter, Tessa exhibited none of her Border collie selectivity. If anyone, family member, friend, stranger, and on one occasion another dog, wanted to sing with Tessa, Tessa was always happy to respond in kind.
I once saw a documentary film about wolves in which after all the daily necessities of their lives had been taken care of—hunting, eating, etc.—the pack sat in front of their den and howled, or you might say, sang together before retiring for the night. Why were the wolves singing? And why was Tessa singing with us? For that matter, why do we humans get together to sing or play musical instruments? Perhaps there is not that much distance in terms of need between a performance of, say, Mozart’s Requiem and that pack of wolves singing in front of their den—the need both to express our innermost feelings and to bond together through the medium of sound. Certainly, singing with Tessa was far from being a circus act or a comedy routine. It was a heartfelt communication on a level quite different from the usual one between dog and human.
I can see the field near our house where Tessa is buried when I practice now. She no longer can hear the sounds coming out of my violin, but it is a consolation for me still to be able to summon up her poignant song in my inner ear. I will miss going for long walks with Tessa, throwing a stick to her, and stroking the silky fur on the back of her neck. But as much as anything else, I will miss making music with her.
Below is “The Duo”: Arnold and Tessa singing together.
Subscribe
Sign up to receive new stories straight to your inbox!
Comments
What a dear story. Tessa lived a life filled with the best of love and music and, I’m sure, brought you so much joy. My own Gwyn, a corgi mix 12-year-old (rescued from a kill shelter at the age of about 6 months) curls up with one of her toys while I practice the bass. She’s not sure what to make of my practicing, but when I’m through, she’s asleep nearby, waiting for me to finish. Gwyn and I send you and Dorothea our sympathy for your loss of Tessa and our thanks for loving a rescue.
A wonderful story. I’m a dog lover too. I got a bit of a jolt, though, when I got the email notifying me of the arrival of the story, with the heading, ‘Tessa’. Tessa is also the name of my dog, which makes my sympathy for your loss even that much stronger. All the best, and thanks for sharing your memories of Tessa.
Arnold, my heartfelt condolences to you and Dorothea on this tremendous and unexpected loss. What a unique and wonderful character Tessa must have been, and what a beautiful, enriching spirit in your daily lives. It also sounds from your moving tribute that she was a loving teacher, as well as quite the musician!
Oh Arnold– the strawberries keep getting better!!! I loved the duet at the end and your wonderful ability to use words as well as music to give us a peek into your soul…
I’m so sorry…life is not and will not be the same, carrying the beautiful moments that God gave you with Tessa. sometimes I think on my dog, and how hard was to depart from it. I am sure she loved your playing. violinist’s dogs are awesome! and sometimes they make the best audience at home. =)
Thank you for sharing. My 16 year old English Setter passed away 1.5 years ago. Your story of your Tessa rings similarly to my experience with my “April”. She used to sit on my feet while I would practice. She wanted to be with us when my many quartets from the Chamber Music Connection would rehearse/coach in my living room, but it was on her terms – always. My condolences to you and Dorothea.
I am so sorry. I had two very musical cats. One of them, BB, was the sweetest and the gentlest of cats. One day, I was going over the double harmonics of the Paganini with a student one note at a time when from top of the closet, she came down, went behind the students heel, and bit her as hard as she could, and just walked out of the room. BB’s uncle, Micio, always slept in the case. When the student was good, he had the nice expression with his hands under his chin, but if the student was bad, he had his arm around his ears to cover it. When I practiced, he often covered his ears. I lost both of them, one to breast cancer, and the other just to old age. I miss them both although it’s been many many years. So sorry to hear of Tessa’s passing. Chin Kim
The Bark Double?
Unbelievable. It’s 8:00 in the morning in the middle of tax season and I decided to read your latest. Now, here I am, writing to you with tears running down my face. In addition, Solly, our dog, is howling along with your duet. I’m so sorry for your loss but happy to know that you have wonderful memories of a great friend.
Arnold, the key of strawberry is always full of poignancy (Mozart would have done wonders with it), but this song about (and with) Tessa filled me with joy and heartbreak.
Anne Tatnall
So sorry for your loss. I know all too well what a sorrow it is to lose beloved pets. About my cat Leo and music: Whenever I STOP playing the piano he runs to me for a petting!
I like the way you and Tessa are dressed alike in the video. Our Aussie-Border Collie cross DiDi loves our string quartet and grabs a favorite toy and comes in to lie down and listen as we play. She doesn’t sing along, but does demand petting between movements. We miss you guys coming to Albuquerque. It’s been years.
Your’s and Tessa’s duet is brilliant and poignant. My claim to a certain success in life is that Tessa and I became good friends after a great deal of persuading on my part. So, I know the pleasure you speak of upon getting her approval. My experience with animals and music playing happened in Montana outside a corral with several horses in it. I was fooling around on my viola, a little tune here, and slides there, when I noticed something peculiar happening in the corral, the horses started galloping around as if being chased by a lion. (That’s possible in the west). “Hmmmm..” I thought, and put down my viola to take a closer look. And what happened? The horses stopped dead in their tracks as well. “Hmmm..” I thought and picked up the viola and began my tunes again. And, yes, the horses, dashed about full of their previous alarm. My viola playing has always been the brunt of more silly viola jokes, but this took the cake.
I miss Tessa!
To both of you. I am sorry for your loss. I have known the love of four Border Collies in my life and their wonderful, but unpredictable. views of life. Once starting on a walk with my Border Collie I became annoyed when he began barring me by standing in front of me and would not let me pass. I decided that we would walk another direction. After all, I’m the master-right? Only later did I find the imprint in the snow of a porcupine tail. So many memories with joy that the loss is very hard. I am glad you had Tessa and glad she had you.
Dear Mr. Steinhardt,
We were so sorry to hear of your loss of Tessa.
We had a little beagle, Muggins, who responded to anything written by Mozart—only Mozart. No other composer. Her response sounded like a high-pitched glissando or, perhaps, some animal baying at the moon. Muggins died thirty-five years ago, but we think of her almost daily and love her and miss her. Miss her. We feel your pain.
With sympathy,
Rochelle and Hal Walton
What a beautiful, pitch-perfect tribute, Arnold, and the duet was delicious. Bert and I feel privileged to have been herded by Tessa and to have heard her singing.
We, too, had a dog who sang. One year, during a particularly long winded speech by someone at either the Democratic or Republican Presidential Convention, my husband turned to our dog, Tippy, and uttered, “Tippy dog for President!” The dog raised her head and began to sing, just as Tessa did. That was just the beginning. Whenever we stated that phrase, she responded in kind, loudly. Eventually she learned forte from piano, allegro from andante, and any number of specific songs, including her “Rosh-Hashanah “song.” She knew ta-kee-ah from ta-ru-ah, etc. and when I’d suggest “Down By the Old Mill Stream” she was off to the races, quietly. We animal lovers know how lucky we are for our dogs/cats, etc. to have touched our lives.
Dear Arnold,
Your touching Strawberry tales are a source of much pleasure. I never had a dog and do believe of all animals, they are man’s best friend. Looking forward to again hearing you at Marlboro.
Leave a Comment
*/