. . . Speaking of Lucia Sextets

Michael mentioned the ever-popular Sextet from Lucia that was being streamed over the telephone in 1910.

In this version of the piece (which I take quite personally, given the text) we get to see, once again, that Larry Fine (sadly no relation to the Philadelphia Fines) is indeed a real violinist:

Anonymous Analogy

My friend Carrie sent me an e-mail message that included this article, but her message had a bit of extra commentary at the end (which appeared in one of the comments on the article). This analogy by a person who identifies herself or himself as "Violafire" is really worth sharing:

As a longtime professional musician, I’ve always felt that there might be ways to help the general public understand the kind of life we really lead. Since everybody knows how to type these days, why not have people use that skill to understand a musician’s life?

First, get an old manual (non-electric) typewriter. On an old Underwood or Remington, the pressure of the fingers shows up on the paper.

Next, find something really old to type, perhaps a random page or two of the Bible, or the first page of Milton’s Paradise Lost.

Start typing—make sure you don’t make any mistakes.

Then, you’ll have to type in a rhythm, let’s say: “Shave and a hair cut, two bits.” Keep it up, without making any mistakes. Have a friend (or enemy) indicate how fast to do this.

Now, all nouns should be made heavier than usual, and all adjectives should be lighter than usual. And make sure everything else is in between, and even.

How’s that working out for ya? Do your fingers hurt, is your brain perhaps a little taxed, is your “friend” a little too relentless about the speed?

Don’t worry, after an hour and 15 minutes of this, you get a break!

See more Barab!

I couldn't resist the pun. Here's a bit more musical Jewish wisdom from Seymour Barab!



You can find your way to more of this feast (there are 14 parts in all) here.

This is the first installment in a celebration of Seymour's 90th birthday this coming January. Singers and actors from all over the world will be contributing their performances to this archive during the coming months. If you might be interested in trying your hand (and other parts of your vocal and acting anatomy) at any of these jokes, send me an e-mail, and I'll send you a PDF of the score.

Seymour Barab's Jewish Humor from Oy to Vey

I can't think of a better way to kick off the New Year than to offer a link to this (freshly-uploaded) performance of the first three numbers in Seymour Barab's one-act opera Jewish Humor from Oy to Vey.

(Please forgive the moment of silence at the beginning. I'm new at this.)

Here is Part 2: "Futility," "Questionnaire," and "In the Cards." Stay tuned for more! There are 18 jokes in all.

Follow that Gypsy Band!

From Love in the Afternoon:

The quartet, known only as "The Gypsies," plays almost constantly throughout the movie. The movie is a bit creepy. It is actually very creepy, considering the nearly 30-year age difference between Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn (and the characters they play), but the music is spectacular. And Hepburn plays a cellist (and, to a certain extent, the cello).

Practical Thoughts

I really love practicing the music that John David and I playing for our October 17th concert. While practicing the Brahms this morning, I observed (once again) that Brahms notated his music rather impractically for the violin, but at the same time he had an impeccable sense of tessitura. He knows exactly how what he writes will sound in the various registers of the instrument, and on the instrument's different strings. His phrase directions and phrase lengths are natural and obvious, if you just pay attention to the musical syntax.

If I find that breaking a long slur, so that there are two or four notes to a bow (rather than 20 or more), some passages end up sounding smoother. Another fiddle player (with a better bow arm then me), might take up the challenge of keeping everything the way it is on the printed page, either for technical reasons, or to dutifully do what "the composer says to do." Since Brahms wasn't a violinist, I believe that his articulations are best approached with the intention of keeping the integrity of the direction and contour of the phrase, and not regarded as a series of orange cones to navigate around. I believe that Brahms wanted his music to be played by flesh and blood people who had individual (and strong) personalities, and perhaps individual approaches to technique. His violin writing was informed by Joachim's technique,and we can see how oddly he held his bow.

The only way I would compare my experience to Brahms' experience as a composer (he is, as far as I'm concerned, the incomparable one) is that I like my music to be played by people with personalities that are different from mine. I certainly like my music to be played by people who have far better technique than I do. Perhaps, in that way, a composer is like a clothing designer, or a hat maker; people who usually design their works to be worn by a variety of people. Clothes look different on different people. They are also worn for different reasons, and in different weather. A well-designed piece of clothing will be durable, practical, versatile, and beautiful.

The Anti-Heifetz, Perhaps?

From Mohiuddin ibn El-Arabi:

People think that a Sheikh should show miracles and manifest illumination. The requirement in a teacher, however, is only that he should possess all that the disciple needs.

Towards the end of this video of Ben Zander, there is a wonderful case of a student finding the right teacher at the right time. Perhaps Zander is, in many respects, the "Anti-Heifetz."

Lessons with Heifetz

I have been reading Marjorie Kransberg-Talvi's three-part series of posts about auditioning to be in Jascha Heifetz's master class (Chapter 9 of Frantic: The Memoir).

The First Audition
Thank You, Mr. Heifetz
Conditional Acceptance

Musicians' Humor: How to Cook a Conductor

The concert season has started, and though is a bit early to be thinking about Thanksgiving dinner, ideas keep popping up. Jason Heath pointed me to this bit of food for thought.

Kol Nidre for two Double Reeds

Amoris International has made a beautiful PDF edition (to download for free) of my setting for oboe and bassoon (and now oboe d'amore and bass oboe) of the Lewandowski Kol Nidre that is often used for the first service of Yom Kippur (as an alternative to the Bruch).

You can access a PDF file that has other duet configurations (for any combination of C and/or B-flat instruments) as well as PDF files for solo string versions (viola, violin, and cello) through my thematic catalog post.

The Spice That Says Love

This heart-shaped bay leaf made some tasty split pea soup!

Karen Armstrong on Islamophobia and Compassion

Karen Armstrong quotes the thirteenth-century Sufi philosopher Muid ad-Din ibn al-Arabi

Do not attach yourself in an exclusive manner to any one creed, so that you disbelieve all the rest: if you do this, you will miss much good; nay, you will fail to realize the real truth of the matter. God, the omnipresent and omnipotent, is not limited by any one creed, for He says, "Wheresoever ye turn, there is the face of Allah" (Quran 2.109). Everyone praises what he believes; his god is his own creature, and in praising it he praises himself. Consequently he blames the beliefs of others, which he would not do if he were just but his dislike is based on ignorance

You can read her whole post here.

Happy New Year 5771

. . . and a big "thank you" to Miles Hoffman for writing this excellent op-ed piece in today's New York Times.

A Moment of Zen

Last night I had my first hour-long drive in the dark of the concert season (it was after a pops concert in a park). The night was clear, the traffic was (as usual) minimal, and the radio signal was strong. Coming to my car on that strong radio signal was an interview with Karen Maezen Miller, who was discussing her new book Hand Wash Cold: Care Instructions for an Ordinary Life. I was fascinated by the discussion. Miller suggests that happiness can be found at the bottom of a laundry basket, and that happiness is something fleeting that results from completing a task, particularly one that you might approach reluctantly.

I have always liked the idea of Zen, and have always considered my practicing a sort of Zen-like meditation, but I know that people who practice Zen for Zen's sake would certainly not consider my meditative musical experiences with Sevcik and Dounis as something having anything to do with the practice of Zen. It's OK. I don't think of the practice of sitting in lotus position (for people with short legs it is extremely uncomfortable, you know) and contemplating the moment is anything particularly artistic or earth-shattering, but I suppose there are all sorts of paths to achieving a sense of personal dignity.

I guess I'll go and fold some laundry, and practice a few scales.

UPDATE: I got very little happiness from folding laundry, and even less from putting it away, but I enjoyed practicing a great deal.

Two thumbs up for Roger Ebert

Read Roger Ebert's piece in the Chicago Sun Times. (Thanks Michael)