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“As she realized what might have been, she grew to be thankful for what was.”
― Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South
― Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South
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92
MTC OOC / Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Last post by Izee on July 05, 2023, 05:08:19 PM »Joseph Haydn had a sense of humor. Critics were commenting that people in the audience were getting bored and would fall asleep during the slow movements of his symphonies. So, he wrote the "Surprise Symphony' in response. The first movement is standard Haydn, and the second movement starts slow and very quiet. The first repeat is actually marked 'ppp'...which is short for 'pianimismo' (I think I spelled it wrong) which means 'play VERY soft. Then, the next chord is marked 'fff" which means 'play VERY loud!!!' He said that he placed the loud chords in it to wake up the old people who would fall asleep during his works.
I have played this several times, and the Conductor has a BLAST!!! The Conductors I was with would overact getting us to get quiet...leaning forward and down, moving his hands very slowly, and making 'shushing' motions with his lips. Then, we would all just HAMMER the loud chord. The audience always laughed.
Those were very nice times in my life. Working hard as an Attorney and an Accountant, and playing music in several orchestras and string quartets. My male friend and I enjoyed the weekend retreats. It would just be the two of us, we left our spouses at home, and stayed in a nice hotel in separate rooms and would have WONDERFUL meals and play music all day and into the early evening. We would even stay up late, and watch a movie in my room and sip some wine. We never got intimate, I insisted that I would have the bed, and he would have the armchair, although a few times we both sat on the bed. That was, I admit, ('blush'), kind of fun. I would be wearing my long robe over my nightgown, and he would be in casual clothing. We would prop ourselves up with pillows, and lay side by side and pass wine and snacks back and forth. A few times my 'frisky' mind said..."Hey, babe...just wear your cute little babydoll, the one that gets your husband all excited, and see if he will keep his hands off of you!"
But, I never did anything close to that. As an Attorney, i would hear from clients how their nice marriage broke up over a similar event that went too far. I certainly did not want to risk that, for either of us.
I have played this several times, and the Conductor has a BLAST!!! The Conductors I was with would overact getting us to get quiet...leaning forward and down, moving his hands very slowly, and making 'shushing' motions with his lips. Then, we would all just HAMMER the loud chord. The audience always laughed.
Those were very nice times in my life. Working hard as an Attorney and an Accountant, and playing music in several orchestras and string quartets. My male friend and I enjoyed the weekend retreats. It would just be the two of us, we left our spouses at home, and stayed in a nice hotel in separate rooms and would have WONDERFUL meals and play music all day and into the early evening. We would even stay up late, and watch a movie in my room and sip some wine. We never got intimate, I insisted that I would have the bed, and he would have the armchair, although a few times we both sat on the bed. That was, I admit, ('blush'), kind of fun. I would be wearing my long robe over my nightgown, and he would be in casual clothing. We would prop ourselves up with pillows, and lay side by side and pass wine and snacks back and forth. A few times my 'frisky' mind said..."Hey, babe...just wear your cute little babydoll, the one that gets your husband all excited, and see if he will keep his hands off of you!"
But, I never did anything close to that. As an Attorney, i would hear from clients how their nice marriage broke up over a similar event that went too far. I certainly did not want to risk that, for either of us.93
MTC OOC / Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Last post by Izee on July 02, 2023, 10:35:41 PM »...This young man has 'Sniffers'...he just calls them 'hands'...and does realize that they work hard to play the piece as he just sits on his butt. 
He plays it very well, and his comments are VERY amusing, and REALLY DO reflect what goes on in a pianists mind while playing Beethoven
https://youtu.be/xzrt_6VCwVo
He plays it very well, and his comments are VERY amusing, and REALLY DO reflect what goes on in a pianists mind while playing Beethoven
https://youtu.be/xzrt_6VCwVo
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MTC OOC / Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Last post by Izee on July 02, 2023, 06:48:46 PM »I may have discussed this piano work in the past, it is the third movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Everyone knows the first movement, it is slow, and romantic, and is heard in many movies. The First Movement is, technically, easy to play. But...to express the MUSIC and EMOTIONS in it is very difficult. That is where the pianists hands do the work. You can pound a key on the piano, or caress it, and the sound is different. Most amateur pianists I have heard play it play it too fast, and it just sounds like an Etude. But this, the THIRD MOVEMENT, is a different creature. Beethoven was obviously struggling with heavy emotions when he wrote the Third Movement, and it is very expressive, what do you think? I hear anger, frustration, and a lot of challenging emotions in it.
https://youtu.be/BV7RkEL6oRc
I did learn to play this at the Conservatory, and at the speed in the clip. My mind works very strange at times, and early in my life, when I played the violin, viola, cello and piano, I would get frustrated at my hands. I mean, I could play a work the way I wanted in practice, or a performance, and other times my fingers would be stumbling around or doing something I couldn't figure out. (And, I didn't drink or ingest any drugs at that time of my life.) So, to explain the problem, I decided that my hands were independent intelligent creatures stuck on the ends of my arms, and in return for me feeding, cleaning, and applying nice nail polish on them they would usually do what I wanted them to do. But, being independent creatures, they would do what they wanted to do at times, or were angry at me and were trying to frustrate me. For some reason, I called them 'Sniffers' in my mind, and when practicing, I would yell at them..."Left Sniff, land on that D...Right Sniff, you can play that faster"...and so on.
So, in this work, I decided that the Sniffers were trying to run up a hill, but would slip and tumble back down, and try and try again...but still tumble down. They would STAMP their feet with frustration, and speak to each other about the problem. The melody does shift from hand to hand, so it made sense to me. Then, after a final tumble, and they are ready to give up...they gather their resolve and run up the hill and down the other side and leap with delight.
Just the interpretation of a deranged mind...
https://youtu.be/BV7RkEL6oRc
I did learn to play this at the Conservatory, and at the speed in the clip. My mind works very strange at times, and early in my life, when I played the violin, viola, cello and piano, I would get frustrated at my hands. I mean, I could play a work the way I wanted in practice, or a performance, and other times my fingers would be stumbling around or doing something I couldn't figure out. (And, I didn't drink or ingest any drugs at that time of my life.) So, to explain the problem, I decided that my hands were independent intelligent creatures stuck on the ends of my arms, and in return for me feeding, cleaning, and applying nice nail polish on them they would usually do what I wanted them to do. But, being independent creatures, they would do what they wanted to do at times, or were angry at me and were trying to frustrate me. For some reason, I called them 'Sniffers' in my mind, and when practicing, I would yell at them..."Left Sniff, land on that D...Right Sniff, you can play that faster"...and so on.
So, in this work, I decided that the Sniffers were trying to run up a hill, but would slip and tumble back down, and try and try again...but still tumble down. They would STAMP their feet with frustration, and speak to each other about the problem. The melody does shift from hand to hand, so it made sense to me. Then, after a final tumble, and they are ready to give up...they gather their resolve and run up the hill and down the other side and leap with delight.
Just the interpretation of a deranged mind...
95
MTC OOC / Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Last post by Izee on July 02, 2023, 12:57:54 PM »More about playing out of tune...
I was asked to take on a very good private student when my friend, who taught him, was going to be away for several weeks. "He is very good, but needs to be coached, keep his bi-weekly lessons and you can keep the full fee his parents are paying. And, they pay CASH!!" Well, no-one had to tell Me, "Ms always needs cash to buy nice snacks", to accept the student, I REALLY LIKE CASH so I asked what he was working on so I could get familiar with it. He was working on pieces I had performed, so I felt comfortable teaching him.
He showed up, and was a very neat looking boy, and his Mother looked like a vulture and SHE DROVE A LARGE MERCEDES!!! i WANTED IT...but I was somewhat poor at the time. She looked me over, and insisted in looking into my studio, and commented that I needed to straighten things up, wondering how I could find my music. I also had several bows sitting on tables and three cakes of rosin on the floor, and a broken student cello in the corner, and I just said "Been busy".
He played a slow movement from a Brahms, and I carefully listened. Every note was PERFECTLY in tune...and I was left empty...there were no emotions of feelings communicated. He sat back and grinned..."I have this one mastered, we can work on something else." I sat for a moment...and almost gave up. I would select something new for him to work on. But, I actually LIKE getting someone to look at things differently. I told him, "Play the first 16 measures again". He did, and it was just as dank and empty. I said, "Here, listen to this..." and I played it, modulating the notes to help lead to the next note and to get color in the work. He stared me, and I said, "Play yours again". He did, and I played mine, and said, "We played the same notes, why do they sound different?" He stammered, and said, "We were not playing the same notes." I nodded, and said, "Let's play it together". We did...and clashed. I asked him, "Which did you like better?" He nodded, "You played better."
I chuckled as he sat, confused, and said, "You are almost at the level where you can begin to temper your notes. I was playing my notes slightly out of tune, but they were 'tempered'...not really out of tune,,,and they better expressed the work. Listen carefully to the Masters...they temper their notes all over the place. That is why it is so difficult to put together a string quartet. You get Musicians who don't temper the notes the same, well, they just play out of tune."
The Teacher called me later, and said, "He is much more enthusiastic about playing the cello, and he isn't just sitting in his chair and sawing the bow back and forth. He is listening to the sound he is producing, and working on changing it. What did you do?"
I replied..."I played out of tune" and hung up on her...giggling..
His parents contacted me, wanting me to take him on as a student, but I had to decline. I was a busy trial lawyer, and only had three students, and HATED when I had to cancel a lesson because I got a new case, or a case I thought I had control of grew fangs and tried to stomp me into the ground.
I should have married the Business Admin guy who chased me in college, when I was cute music major. He did well, and his wife had nice stuff and a cute little Mercedes. I could have remained a cute music major and done my best to remain a cute music performer.
I was asked to take on a very good private student when my friend, who taught him, was going to be away for several weeks. "He is very good, but needs to be coached, keep his bi-weekly lessons and you can keep the full fee his parents are paying. And, they pay CASH!!" Well, no-one had to tell Me, "Ms always needs cash to buy nice snacks", to accept the student, I REALLY LIKE CASH so I asked what he was working on so I could get familiar with it. He was working on pieces I had performed, so I felt comfortable teaching him.
He showed up, and was a very neat looking boy, and his Mother looked like a vulture and SHE DROVE A LARGE MERCEDES!!! i WANTED IT...but I was somewhat poor at the time. She looked me over, and insisted in looking into my studio, and commented that I needed to straighten things up, wondering how I could find my music. I also had several bows sitting on tables and three cakes of rosin on the floor, and a broken student cello in the corner, and I just said "Been busy".
He played a slow movement from a Brahms, and I carefully listened. Every note was PERFECTLY in tune...and I was left empty...there were no emotions of feelings communicated. He sat back and grinned..."I have this one mastered, we can work on something else." I sat for a moment...and almost gave up. I would select something new for him to work on. But, I actually LIKE getting someone to look at things differently. I told him, "Play the first 16 measures again". He did, and it was just as dank and empty. I said, "Here, listen to this..." and I played it, modulating the notes to help lead to the next note and to get color in the work. He stared me, and I said, "Play yours again". He did, and I played mine, and said, "We played the same notes, why do they sound different?" He stammered, and said, "We were not playing the same notes." I nodded, and said, "Let's play it together". We did...and clashed. I asked him, "Which did you like better?" He nodded, "You played better."
I chuckled as he sat, confused, and said, "You are almost at the level where you can begin to temper your notes. I was playing my notes slightly out of tune, but they were 'tempered'...not really out of tune,,,and they better expressed the work. Listen carefully to the Masters...they temper their notes all over the place. That is why it is so difficult to put together a string quartet. You get Musicians who don't temper the notes the same, well, they just play out of tune."
The Teacher called me later, and said, "He is much more enthusiastic about playing the cello, and he isn't just sitting in his chair and sawing the bow back and forth. He is listening to the sound he is producing, and working on changing it. What did you do?"
I replied..."I played out of tune" and hung up on her...giggling..
His parents contacted me, wanting me to take him on as a student, but I had to decline. I was a busy trial lawyer, and only had three students, and HATED when I had to cancel a lesson because I got a new case, or a case I thought I had control of grew fangs and tried to stomp me into the ground.
I should have married the Business Admin guy who chased me in college, when I was cute music major. He did well, and his wife had nice stuff and a cute little Mercedes. I could have remained a cute music major and done my best to remain a cute music performer.
96
MTC OOC / Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Last post by Izee on July 02, 2023, 11:57:06 AM »https://youtu.be/KvGC8hZC29U
How I am feeling right now. I had to call an Ambulance for my elderly Mother, she was having a 'spinning head' sensation and couldn't sit up. I didn't try to carry her , I tried to get her to sit up, but she couldn't. So, I called an ambulance, and then pulled on a long shirt and drove to the Hospital. (It was 5:00 am). I got to the E.R., and she was very uncomfortable, and kept saying that things were spinning. The MD's gave her some injections and an IV, and I sat by her, but didn't try to get her to converse...she was coherent...but very weak. She improved, and was coherent, but kept complaining that things were spinning. The MD said that it could be an inner ear problem, or something in the brain. My brother arrived, and sent me home...I had been awake for all night long. I have fallen into keeping nocturnal hours. I go to bed at 6:00 am, and wake up at 2:00 pm. I just got an e-mail from my Brother who said that she is better, and tests indicated an inner ear problem. But, she will be getting an MRI to check for any brain disruptions. I have been up for a long time now, but can't sleep until I hear more. My brother said that they will send her home if the brain scan is normal.
This work is one of my favorites to perform...but I dread it at the same time. Again, I am not some cute blonde girl who sits with her legs spread around her cello and smiles as she plays. I GRIP the DAMN PIECE OF LUMBER with my legs to control the DAMN THING!!! The notes sound different as how you hold the cello, and where you aim the f-holes. When playing the cello, I move the instrument...I will hold it away from my body so I can hammer the bow without hitting my knees, or cuddle the woody thing in my arms and against my breasts as I play a soft work. Playing this, I was always on the outside chair of the cello section, and I FELT the eeriness of the opening. Just 4 notes, then 4 notes...then 4 notes...and then FOUR NOTES!!! But...it takes off. You can hear the four note motive repeated in different ways, and the work is very uplifting and serene at times...and then just a BATTLE at the other times. When playing this, I would imaging armies fighting...or worse...a fight inside one's own mind. I had a LOT of those battles...in my own mind. Campaigning for Political Office, arguing a case before a Jury, presenting a case before the Federal Appellate Court...and taking on the GODDMAN IRS was NOTHING compared to went on with my mind with what would be going through my mind when playing the cello.
I was a good performer, I would get the music out of the lollypops on the sheet, and not just play a perfect 'C' or 'A' or such. At times, I would purposely play a note slightly flat or sharp in order to get across the mood of the passage. Playing the 'Elegy' left me almost ready to be described by the piece. I would be focused on getting my fingers and hands to get across what I was hearing in my mind, and any Romantic work needs to have the notes 'tempered' to really get across the feelings.
We musicians NEVER agree on what a note should sound like. Once, the Conductor asked each of us cellists to play an f natural, separately, and each note was slightly different. We were embarrassed, I was the ONLY ONE who INSISTED that I PLAYED IT IN TUNE!!! And the rest of the orchestra laughed. So, that is why string sections sound so wonderful, we are ALL playing the note slightly out of tune, but heard at the same time, it is very rich. That is why, whenever I was invited to play in a Chamber Orchestra, I ALWAYS made sure that there were at least three cellos. Three sounded wonderful, two clashed...especially when they tried to tune each others note with the other.
How I am feeling right now. I had to call an Ambulance for my elderly Mother, she was having a 'spinning head' sensation and couldn't sit up. I didn't try to carry her , I tried to get her to sit up, but she couldn't. So, I called an ambulance, and then pulled on a long shirt and drove to the Hospital. (It was 5:00 am). I got to the E.R., and she was very uncomfortable, and kept saying that things were spinning. The MD's gave her some injections and an IV, and I sat by her, but didn't try to get her to converse...she was coherent...but very weak. She improved, and was coherent, but kept complaining that things were spinning. The MD said that it could be an inner ear problem, or something in the brain. My brother arrived, and sent me home...I had been awake for all night long. I have fallen into keeping nocturnal hours. I go to bed at 6:00 am, and wake up at 2:00 pm. I just got an e-mail from my Brother who said that she is better, and tests indicated an inner ear problem. But, she will be getting an MRI to check for any brain disruptions. I have been up for a long time now, but can't sleep until I hear more. My brother said that they will send her home if the brain scan is normal.
This work is one of my favorites to perform...but I dread it at the same time. Again, I am not some cute blonde girl who sits with her legs spread around her cello and smiles as she plays. I GRIP the DAMN PIECE OF LUMBER with my legs to control the DAMN THING!!! The notes sound different as how you hold the cello, and where you aim the f-holes. When playing the cello, I move the instrument...I will hold it away from my body so I can hammer the bow without hitting my knees, or cuddle the woody thing in my arms and against my breasts as I play a soft work. Playing this, I was always on the outside chair of the cello section, and I FELT the eeriness of the opening. Just 4 notes, then 4 notes...then 4 notes...and then FOUR NOTES!!! But...it takes off. You can hear the four note motive repeated in different ways, and the work is very uplifting and serene at times...and then just a BATTLE at the other times. When playing this, I would imaging armies fighting...or worse...a fight inside one's own mind. I had a LOT of those battles...in my own mind. Campaigning for Political Office, arguing a case before a Jury, presenting a case before the Federal Appellate Court...and taking on the GODDMAN IRS was NOTHING compared to went on with my mind with what would be going through my mind when playing the cello.
I was a good performer, I would get the music out of the lollypops on the sheet, and not just play a perfect 'C' or 'A' or such. At times, I would purposely play a note slightly flat or sharp in order to get across the mood of the passage. Playing the 'Elegy' left me almost ready to be described by the piece. I would be focused on getting my fingers and hands to get across what I was hearing in my mind, and any Romantic work needs to have the notes 'tempered' to really get across the feelings.
We musicians NEVER agree on what a note should sound like. Once, the Conductor asked each of us cellists to play an f natural, separately, and each note was slightly different. We were embarrassed, I was the ONLY ONE who INSISTED that I PLAYED IT IN TUNE!!! And the rest of the orchestra laughed. So, that is why string sections sound so wonderful, we are ALL playing the note slightly out of tune, but heard at the same time, it is very rich. That is why, whenever I was invited to play in a Chamber Orchestra, I ALWAYS made sure that there were at least three cellos. Three sounded wonderful, two clashed...especially when they tried to tune each others note with the other. 98
MTC OOC / Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Last post by Izee on June 30, 2023, 04:17:22 PM »A friend of mine had a daughter who had musical talent. We invited her to play the violin or the viola in our string quartet, and also got her admitted into the Community and Semi-Professional Orchestras we played in. She became very skilled on the viola, and was accepted into the S.F. Conservatory of Music as a Performance Major. (You have to audition to be accepted to be a Performance Major at the Top Conservatories. I had to audition at the Conservatory at UOP, and was accepted as a Performance Major. ) She came home one break, and told her parents that her string quartet had gone into the local park, and played music, and got a lot of dollar bills dropped into an open violin case. Her Father was the Administrator of a large Hospital, and wasn't all that happy about her majoring in music, he hoped she would go into science. When he heard that she had performed in the park, he referred to her as "My daughter, the street performer". I would tease him, saying, "Good deal paying the school 30K a year to train your daughter to become a street musician." He would just growl at me.
But, we are all very proud of her. She did become a respected classical violist, and has performed at Carnagie Hall and other venues and made a nice living as a musician.
) She came home one break, and told her parents that her string quartet had gone into the local park, and played music, and got a lot of dollar bills dropped into an open violin case. Her Father was the Administrator of a large Hospital, and wasn't all that happy about her majoring in music, he hoped she would go into science. When he heard that she had performed in the park, he referred to her as "My daughter, the street performer". I would tease him, saying, "Good deal paying the school 30K a year to train your daughter to become a street musician." He would just growl at me. But, we are all very proud of her. She did become a respected classical violist, and has performed at Carnagie Hall and other venues and made a nice living as a musician.
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Webmaze General Discussions / Re: Ragnar update and Gathering
« Last post by Kemma on June 18, 2023, 01:59:16 PM »Hi Bro,
Happy Father's Day! You have all the great qualities of a wonderful dad - leadership , educator, compassion, lovable, disciplinarian and memorable. Definitely memorable!!! Thank you for all you've given me over the years!
Kemma
Happy Father's Day! You have all the great qualities of a wonderful dad - leadership , educator, compassion, lovable, disciplinarian and memorable. Definitely memorable!!! Thank you for all you've given me over the years!
Kemma
100
MTC OOC / Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Last post by Izee on June 12, 2023, 06:11:42 AM »...Playing the Cello...
I performed this work a few times when I was young, I got a very high mark form the Judge at a Music Competition. I also performed this at a couple Catholic Church Services. It always took a LOT out of me, even practicing at home, it is a very introspective work. Being a Catholic, I am not familiar with Jewish Prayers or Services, but I think I experienced what they are about when I performed this. I did try to express a 'Prayer', and that is what was running through my head. IMHO, this is a work that can only be properly expressed by the cello. The cello is very close to the human voice, and the melancholy overtones that those big hunks of lumber can emit are so complex. When you play a note on a cello, you don't just hear the one frequency of the note. You hear 'overtones' that relate to that note, and many are not that note. I was always amused when I was paying a 'C' with my fourth finger on the G string...the open C string next to the G string would also vibrate.
Please enjoy this...
https://youtu.be/rTso0wYH4f4
I performed this work a few times when I was young, I got a very high mark form the Judge at a Music Competition. I also performed this at a couple Catholic Church Services. It always took a LOT out of me, even practicing at home, it is a very introspective work. Being a Catholic, I am not familiar with Jewish Prayers or Services, but I think I experienced what they are about when I performed this. I did try to express a 'Prayer', and that is what was running through my head. IMHO, this is a work that can only be properly expressed by the cello. The cello is very close to the human voice, and the melancholy overtones that those big hunks of lumber can emit are so complex. When you play a note on a cello, you don't just hear the one frequency of the note. You hear 'overtones' that relate to that note, and many are not that note. I was always amused when I was paying a 'C' with my fourth finger on the G string...the open C string next to the G string would also vibrate.
Please enjoy this...
https://youtu.be/rTso0wYH4f4