I'm a believer in this theory, which also works for most chord progressions. Especially in pop music. Basically you only need to know three chords on the guitar to play 75% of what's out there. The challenge for the performer/interpreter is to make the variations interesting, and for the listener to figure out which songs have exactly the same chords so you can segue from one song to another and back. It's a fun game!! We do it all the time in rehearsal. It's bad if you're one of those people that get tunes stuck in your head for days though, like me. After the last Bruckner concert, I had "Try to Remember" from "The Fantasticks" running around in my head for a week. Crap, it's there now.
Here's a great story by Mandy, a wavelength blog reader and a new student of mine!! It goes with the Concerto for Viola by JC Bach/Casadesus
Her first assigment with me actually was to write a story of what she thought the first movement said to her, and then to try and communicate that on her viola. I found the story totally genius!!
Once upon a time, a woman loved a man. John, the typical hero, stood tall with muscles bulging from his shirt and a girl always on his side. There was one girl who followed him more than most girls, and her beauty outshone her weird-stalkerish personality. The beautiful girl, Cassidy, also had numerous men on her side, but like most girls, Cassidy enjoyed the chase and went for the only boy in town who didn’t like her: John.
Their conversations took place as follows: “Oh, I am the man and I can do it all!”
“I love you! I love you! Oh, I love you!”
“I don’t care because you are a stalker!”
“I love you! I love you! Oh, I love you! I just want to know one thing!”
“Let me hear it. Just let me hear it!”
“Why don’t you love me?”
“You’re a weird stalkerish freak”
“But I am beautiful and would do anything for you for the rest of time!”
“I don’t know, don’t know, don’t know, don’t know.
“ I love you, I love you!!! I just love you, I love you!”
“I will marry you with one condition: that you don’t stalk me anymore!”
“Ok, I can do that! It won’t be too hard! I’m John’s wife!”
They were soon married, but their egocentric personalities clashed which caused discord and atonal melodic lines.
One day, Cassidy, while on her weekly grocery run, had a terrible daydream when returning from the store. She dreamed of John and having kids but then strife! John was cheating on her with her sister! She ran back to the house, yelled, screamed and hit John with all her might, but he assured that he, in fact, did not love her sister but loved her more than anything, even his muscles. Cassidy kept her promise and did not stalk John anymore. Her sister was ugly anyway. They had ten kids and grew old together. By the time they were eighty, they often reminisced about their younger years, but because they were old and forgot, they often argued about what actually took place. Their one final argument ended both of their lives, but their love still lives on (in crazy young lovers).
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10 comments:
That has to be the oddest thing I have read in a while! But it was funny. You will probably have to explain to me how that deals with the piece in person. Chances of me getting it on here are far and slim. Good work Mandy!
hahahahah rita lives!
(and so does the story!)
homework for Jonathan: Find allusions from the story to the piece.
:)
i think this is the coolest blog ever.
:)
It's Rita's! Of course it is. She could make canned Tuna cool.
that's saying something..
speaking of rita, how is new york?
houston... eh, the weather is crappy.
Uhh. New York is amazing. Ask Rita. It is the best city on this earth. Mayybe a few European Cities can give it a run for its money, but it is in the top three; and that is indisputable.
i have never been.
the top city on my list is san jose, costa rica.
everyone (even the old people) is up walking the square til two.
quite amazing.
how are auditions for the camps you want to go to going?
I enjoyed Mandy's story - interesting assignment for a new student. My daughter plays viola in the Houston Youth Symphony, and her conductor Mrs. Vandiver strongly favors a Galamian bow arm. Our current teacher (who is really quite fabulous) favors a traditional Suzuki bow arm. Mrs. Vandevir is so convinced of the Galamian superiority that she suggested we contact you about an audition and potentially changing teachers. Thoughts?
well. i can tell you from experience that mrs. rita is amazing. she is hands down the best teacher i have studied with. i leave ever lesson happy, challenged and with a better understanding of what i am playing and music in general. she is young and can connect with students but has tons of experience at the same time.
i played in hys for two or three years... sinfonietta/phil... i dont remember. about the bow arm, i would suggest doing what your child finds the most complimentary to their sound and provides ease in various bow strokes and tonal color.
hey rita. i think you need to update.
What is she having difficulty with specifically? Spiccato? Legato? I'm not a proponent of one way or another particularly although I guess you could say my arm looks somewhat "Galamian." I also started violin at age 5 with the Suzuki method. Really it is more a question of what works for the individual player. Feel free to contact me through the UH Moore's School of Music website if you favor a less public forum for bow issues!!
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