BACH PARTITAS FOR SOLO VIOLIN

by hamsterbait 19 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  fiddler

  Then you have just earned the right to critique, hamsterbait!

  (I have heard armchair classical aficionados pick apart musicians and it always bugs me.)

  I did NOT get to go to uni and just barely got to get private lessons because of the JW strictures. I wish I could have but my life turned in the direction Watchtower society likes to turn young ones and I ended up marrying young and having four kids and doing the worthless preaching up until the age of 41. I did continue to play on my own and when my youngest got into the teen years I started teaching. I have a friend who is in several Baroque and early music ensembles. She plays Viola D'amore and also baroque viola and violin. But she also will sit in with a 'lowly' fiddler like me and play in an Irish session or Scandinavian duet LOL. We've compared notes many times on teaching and various musical styles and I think my story made her appreciate the opportunities she had all the more so....if she'd been born into a JW family maybe she'd have been like me. When I've looked at her music from when she was at Juilliard and the marginal notations and realize she was just a young girl at the time I find myself wishing (again) that I had been born into different circumstances *sigh*

  Oh well. It is what it is. I hope you find that 'just right' rendition of Bach. If I get a chance I will ask my friend if she has a favorite and let you know. Baroque technique IS different to classical!
• 

  hamsterbait

  fiddler - over the years i have seen my contemporaries end up in miserable dead end jobs because they took the witchtowers advice. I saw a married guy at our kingdumb hell who pious sneered straight from school, and he ended up struggling to support a wife and kids sweeping floors at a school.

  When I decided on studying music, they tried to put me off with all the crap, but I told myself what if it doesnt come "soon". One elder actually had the gall to demand "why should you do what you want to do?" (he didnt satisfy me that I had to do what they wanted.) I do not regret defying them. i have travelled, worked in other countries, acquired three languages as a result and made many interesting friends, so now I have escaped i am never lonely.

  it is never too late to enjoy what you want to do. The trick is to get your hands on that instrument every day, even if only for 20 minutes. after a year you have done at least 120 hours practise - and you can achieve a lot on that. I have taught absolute beginners who are adults, who now play well and have a great time.

  When was your friend at the Juilliard?
• 

  Dis-Member

  I taught jazz guitar for 9 years. My most satisfying student was a 55 year old British Telecom executive that dabbled a bit with some country guitar albeit very poorly and only in his bedroom.

  A few months later from a lesson a week how now plays standards in public jazz jam sessions in various places with a new found confidence and joy.

  There are not many things on this earth that can compare with the joy of playing musical instrument well.
• 

  fiddler

  My friend is about 10 years younger than me. I believe she told me once that she was at Julliard when Sarah Chang was there so what? 1980's. I do know she traveled afterwards in Europe performing, especially in Germany. She's in the Pacific NW, USA now.

  About the congregation attitude about my playing, one incident stands out in my mind (although there were others). I was home one morning instead of being out in FS and the sisters stopped to use my bathroom as they often did when in the neighborhood. I was teaching myself a fiddle tune from a recording; four measures forward, two back, forward a few more back a bit...until I finally had it down. Anyway, one of the sisters looked at me holding my violin and asked in a scolding sort of voice "what are you doing?" She then insinuated that playing the violin was just a hobby best saved for the 'new system' I will add that I was also on medication at the time and really taking it easy to let my body heal and so was not out in FS much. Anyway, the tune I was learning became my signature Irish fiddle tune called 'The Strayaway Child'. I'm so so glad I strayed away.

  I started teaching only Celtic fiddling styles at first but have over the 15 years that I've been teaching I've gone back to classical basics. I smile over the number of students who signed on with me to only do fiddling but who were turned on to the joys of Baroque era music. I make no claims to be the best teacher and feel inadequate at times because I didn't get the really intense training but this 'hobby' has been not only my passion but my soul source of income since my husband died 14 years ago. You're so right about the 120 hrs practice! I have my violin in hand far more than that sometimes just going over scales and arpeggios and beginning stuff week after week with students but I did notice early on that even that made my intonation and tone so much better. I use time in between students to practice 'my' stuff and also I play with some local musicians doing everything from Celtic traditional to jazz. Although I got a bit of a late start, this is what I really think I am here on this earth to do : )
• 

  barry

  I love the violin I have been learning for three years with a violin I inherited that is 130 yeas old.

  I am amazed how versitile the violin is here is someone that plays modern music with th eviolin from Sydney.

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=uspH2khlNpM
• 

  hamsterbait

  FIDDLER -

  I assume you live in the Pacific Midwest? If ever I come over to the US it wd be nice to meet up. My working travels have taken me to italy, france , switzerland,spain, holland and austria.
• 

  fiddler

  HB, if you ever come to the Pacific NW (Oregon, Washington, Northern California and Vancouver BC make up the Pacific NW!) send a PM or post for a meetup. There are a lot of exJW (the cream of the former JW crop) living out here.

  You didn't mention when or if you were at Julliard and whether it may have been when my friend was there. She is the principle violist with the Portland Baroque Orchestra. She's a busy lady but I think she wouldn't mind meeting you.

  So....if you're ever out this way we'll see what we shall see.
• 

  transhuman68

  Did you hear about the violin-playing dog?

  His Bach was worse than his bite, lol.
• 

  hamsterbait

  fiddler - i cant give any details or i wd blow my cover.

  But if i am ever in the pacificNW I shall certainly pm you about it.
• 

  Terry

  I am very fond of Anne-Sophie Mutter , Andre Previn's former wife, whose violin playing has a luminous singing quality to the phrases which

  catches me by surprise--not as novelty--but, as insight.

  I love Stanislov Richter's Rachmaninoff technique, Oscar Levant's Gershwin, Pablo Cassal's anything.

  I prefer Maria Callas, Enrico Caruso over almost all the rest (with a few exceptions.)

  George Bolet amazes me.

  I don't like Stravinsky conducting anything. Bernstein blows hot and cold with a bizarre eccentricity, although his Eroica is hard to beat.

  I'll take Dudley Moore playing anything, anytime, anyplace in any style, mood or venue.

  The fastest accurate jazz player I can listen to with a sense of musicality is Oscar Peterson.

  My favorite arranger/orchestrator is Claus Ogerman.

  I could go on and on--but, I don't like to reccomend recordings because almost all the ones I've loved were on LP and

  they always sounded different on CD.