Maestro

The protagonist of Peter Goldsworthy’s ‘Maestro’, Paul Crabbe, is also the narrator of the novel who presents his past to the reader. The mental image Paul Crabbe gives of himself is one of a selfish and admittedly egocentric teenager who although is undoubtedly talented, believes that he can become great with little or no personal effort. Indeed this paints a stark contrast to Paul’s piano teacher Eduard Keller, whose his moral values regarding attitude to hard work and perseverance are unyielding. Paul ultimately lacks the mental drive to become a world-class pianist as well as becoming the victim of self-assurance. As the book progresses and as Paul grows older and has a family, Goldsworthy shows the reader that failing to take action at certain points in one’s life carried as many consequences as making the wrong choice does.
Paul’s self-deception is one of the many out of a plethora of factors hindering his progression from a ‘good’ to a ‘great’ pianist. The difference between them is, “Not much. Little bits,” recites Keller who keenly observes and pushes the limits of Paul’s vanity since their first piano lesson. The contrast between the duo’s work ethic makes itself evident where Paul claims a piece of musical homework to be half-finished. Keller responds almost predictably, “Is water at fifty degrees half-boiling?” Yet Paul grows to love him, not because of Keller’s obvious work as a teacher, but because Keller will never give him satisfaction, praise or brief moment of respite. This is due to Paul being put on a pedestal and doted on by his loving parents, Nancy and John. Even they give up on Paul when he finishes 3rd place in Adelaide for a piano competition. Keller never gives up on Paul; it is interesting because the two grow to depend on each other. Paul, despite all of his regrets about not being a better student, remembers these events with fondness. He would not go back and change things if he could. Paul states at the end of the book that he...