Shmuel Chessler Shmuel Leib Chessler Virtuoso Violinist by Y. l. Altas Translation by Daphna Brafman Coordinated by Tilford Bartman
Shmuel Leib Chessler was born in 1880. He was the first born son of the healer Aharon-Hirsch Chester, the best known personality in Zabludow. Years went by and Shmuel Leib became famous as a master of violin whose talent was greatly appreciated in the world of music.Shmuel Leib grew up among Jewish and Christian sick, mostly farmers who came to his father for medical help. He breathed aid full of iodine, alcohol and other types of drugs.
His father, who was always deeply involved with his medical work and social activity, could not find time for his son's education. His mother- a quiet, humble and wise woman- unfortunately died when he was young; he was four years old and his brother Avremaleh was a year and a half. Shmuel Leib had to take care of himself.
From early childhood two things characterized him: modesty and love of music. The social status of his father's home did not have bad influence on the boy, and did not cause him to be arrogant disrespectful of others. On the contrary, he was humble in his acts and treatment of others. His simplicity was pure and honest. He was not attracted to crowded and noisy places. He always isolated himself in a world of childhood dreams where imagination became songs and music. This was his world and no one had control over its magic.
Sometimes he would disappear for many hours; it usually happened in spring .he would suddenly feel unrest and yearnings that attracted him to places beyond the city homes, far away…he would leave his father's home, the town's little streets, the noise, the ordinary life, and go to the narrow lake that flows by the big fruit trees garden of the aristocrat.
The singeing of the sun rays over the blue water waves; the silent secret sound of the lake and the lovely and careless fish, created in the eyes of the little Shamble Lib an wonderful harmony of colors and sounds that mixed in his child's imagination and formed into a charming musical symphony. The excitement from nature's music played and painted his inner world and the sensitive Shmuel Leib was walking like a bewitched dreamer. Musical tunes began to weave in his inner self, and they captured him until he freed them in his creations.
Saturdays were the happiest days for him. While his father was resting, and the entire town was surrounded by the Sabbath silence- Shmuel Leib was going out to the Krassna forest. Upon entering the forest he would find himself a corner where he sat alone, and none noticed he had disappeared. That's how he always was. We, the children, always tried to be together. No one wanted to be alone. In our child's imagination the forest mingled with the "six days of creation". It threw great fear over us. We feared the "Vidavitch cabin" on top of the mountain in the middle of the forest, and around this cabin many ghost stories were told. But Shmuel Leib did not fear. He felt better in the forest than at home. He was so deeply connected to it. He felt that he was a part of the mystical world of music of the forest. The tender whisper of the trees, the colorful never ending singing of the birds, the green velvety grass he was lying on, the light breeze, soft and petting his hair, the braided tree branches above his head, through which the blue skies were seen- all this combined into a series of sounds his musical ear absorbed.
The unrest Shmuel Leib experienced was typical to great artists. At the age of thirteen he suddenly felt that the town was to small for him. He did not yet know what he wanted, or what his dreams are, but he felt a strong attraction to the big world. Intuition whispered that he would find his way out there; there you could find thousands of opportunities.
And on one of the days Shmuel Leib vanished from our town. He left his father's home, his friends and his acquaintances. No one knew where he went; and all searches and investigations did not help to find the place of his hiding. He left like Eliahu the prophet. People who knew him closely, and who followed his life style, foresaw it coming. They were sure that something must happen. With it they understood that his disappearance is connected to his serious plans and aspirations.
And so it was. When he was away he immersed himself in study. His strong will and his boldness pushed his desire to master in the profession he considered the goal of his life. After ten years of exile he returned home and people learnt that he sat in Berlin, worked hard during the days and studied music at night.
Shmuel Leib returned to Zabludow but did not intend to stay there; he only came to see his father who loved him very much. He also wanted to see his younger brother, whom he left while still a young child. His heart desire was to talk to his friends and above all to see the town again, the town that once filled his soul with joy and happiness. He wanted to relive those happy moments again, moments in which his life dream began to blossom. After a long time in a foreign place he realized how close to his heart were the people of the town and its narrow streets, and also how sad experiences his hard stepmother Lifsha bestowed upon him. He was even ready to forgive here for all the sorrow she caused him. The warmth of home and birthplace made him feel such closeness that Shmuel Leib found himself on a crossroads. But logic won. He understood that if his desire were to be an artist he would not be able to accomplish it in a small town; he has to go to big world for that. It was; therefore, wise to separate from town regardless of how much he loved it. Full of self-confidence in his strength he again took the stick of wandering and went about his way.
Many years have gone by. No one in town knew about his thorny road, where he was and what he does.
But in Berlin the youngster began to attract the attention of great musicians. Later it was known that he was appointed official conductor of the royal opera, and his title was "the conductor of concerts of the royal opera in Berlin". Later he became the concert conductor of Blutner's famous symphony orchestra of Berlin. His opinion was highly regarded in the world of music. His appearance became very important art events among the intellectual circles of Berlin. His photo appeared in music magazines. His success opened the gates of the well-known Klinwart-Schwarneki Czech-German conservatory before him and he was appointed a professor in that institute.
At the end of world war one Shmuel Leib left Germany and returned to his Zabludow. But he was not content there. He travels to America. Three years later well known Karl Fischer publishing house publishes his musical scientific creation, and it creates excitement amongst the greatest musicians. The name of his creation is "Staccato" in it Shmuel Leib tries to solve the problem of staccato which until then was a subject to many arguments. Here are the words of the well-known violinist Andre Previn in the introduction: "for many years, music experts expressed numerous opinions how to perform the staccato. None went to the bottom of the problem and none was able to solve it. I am certainly convinced that Samuel l. Chessler's work sheds light on the complex and interesting subject and gives it a full solution. No doubt that this creation has placed him on the first line of the greatest music experts of our time and truly deserving much appreciation."
But America was emotionless and materialist and centered around the bottom line, and that did not suit the spirit of the noble, delicate artist. While he was immersed in his work cruel time put it's tragic stamp on his life. He became very ill with his heart and, in 1952 the tender artist violinist Shmuel Leib Chessler had gone from us forever.
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