From Rhonda
on
church musicians and money and links
Barry sent me that link for the practicing blog awhile back, and I’m not sure I buy it either. It also contradicted what I think are some fairly basic assumptions about practicing, and my experiences.
From jupiterj
on
church musicians and money and links
I was thinking about this article. I find something very different about practice techniques for piano and those for organ. There is a physicality to piano playing that I don’t cultivate in my organ technique. In my organ technique I sometimes feel the cleanest notion of touch when I am moving much less and attempting a different kind of sympathy with the instrument. By the way, I’m curious what “basic assumptions” pop to your mind about practicing as well as your experiences.
From Rhonda
on
church musicians and money and links
Had to read it again to remember. It was the part about hands together, and about number of repetitions. A couple commentors had the point that certain aspects of how the best players practiced might have more to do with the fact that they were highly skilled players – especially with the hands together. It doesn’t make sense to me to devaule hands separate practice, though maybe the point is more to not keep practicing with hands separate longer than necessary. Obviously, for organ playing, separating hands is really important and useful. Also, I wondered about the number of times of repetition being irrelevant. Though when I went back and read it, it occurred to me that bad practicers will just repeat and repeat, ad nauseum (perhaps even mindlessly), where as good practicers are intentional about what they are doing and why.
I did think the part about how they approached mistakes and tricky passages was interesting and helpful, and meshed with my views on that, and liked the part about the top three stratigies.
It makes sense to say, these are techniques the best players used in practicing, but not as much to say, these things didn’t seem to play a part in how they practiced, because the why of that might be due to a whole bunch of different things.
since you asked…
From jupiterj
on
church musicians and money and links
Thanks for talking a bit more about this. I am curious about practice habits, that’s for sure. I find practicing more and more for me about understanding the music. Thus hands separately helps me see stuff happening in the music more clearly for some reason. I put aside some of the execution problems to review the meaning of the parts or something like that. For me it’s also a question of building my own confidence in my ability. The number of times I repeat a section helps me do this. And of course the repetition cannot be mindless treadmilling to be helpful. My brain stops this and points out inconsistencies and slight errors. Of course thinking too much in performance is not helpful. Yesterday I was doing final prep on today’s prelude. I sort of a have a rule of thumb of four repetitions lately. For me this is a confidence thing. Did I prepare sufficiently? I did it a minimum of four times everyday for the past two weeks. That’s something, right? But yesterday I was fiddling with tempo and accuracy and interp. One of my run throughs (which I timed) I deliberately pushed the tempo a bit. Accuracy went down. Then I played through at a bit slower tempo. Higher accuracy. After all this I did the piece one more time slowly. This is something I do with repetition anyway. The last time through something, my goal is accuracy usually a bit slower. In my mind, I am leaving the piece intact until I visit it again.
From Michelle Smith Kingsley
on
looking for "small but intense points of intimacy and expression"
Oh Wow! As I age I seem to drift from focus and thinking of the human condition & opt to only consider that right in front of me. Me, my family, my house, my town. Your questions crystallize the continued struggle to be human in all of its beauty and gore–of things large and small. I’ll hang onto these few minutes. Thank you.
From jupiterj
on
looking for "small but intense points of intimacy and expression"
Hey Michelle, thanks for reading! As I begin each day reaching first for my current book of poetry and then later the online news reports I am reminded of a high school teacher who once challenged me to ask what was more relevant to life: poetry or today’s news. Ultimately they are both relevant to me. In fact I think that art and the brutality of life need each other to be complete.
From Rhonda
on
a good colleague for jupe
Woah! Headlining your blog yesterday? I’m flattered!
Also, love the Crouch quote.
From Sarah
on
everything takes longer with windows 8, thanks again microsoft
It might be worth checking ebay for a used Mac mini… In my last job, we were using Mac minis which were five years old that still ran better than the pic at home (which does not have windows 8).
From jupiterj
on
everything takes longer with windows 8, thanks again microsoft
Mac Mini is a desktop CPU, right? It needs a keyboard, monitor and mouse. What Apple/mac laptop would you recommend?
From Sarah
on
everything takes longer with windows 8, thanks again microsoft
Yes, the Mac mini is like a CPU. I think Apple only does one laptop called MacBook – but there are various incarnations, like iPods with their ‘first generation’, ‘second generation’ etc. To be honest I know nothing about the MacBooks because they have always been too expensive to contemplate. I believe all macs operate very similarly. I’ve worked on old Macs (G4s I think they were, iMacs which have the cup and screen in one, and Mac minis) I think the Mac mini is the cheapest easiest way to transition… I think I have Matthew convinced now, so the next time our PC officially dies we’ll be switching… I’ve thought about picking up a used one just for me.. If I do, I’ll let you know how it goes. I’d be worried about getting anything older than the Mac mini (the G4s and such are probably too old to be amazingly useful) I’m afraid I’m not an expert on these thing…. But if you have Mac questions, I can probably get my old college friend Kris to answer them on facebook for you. X
From Sarah
on
everything takes longer with windows 8, thanks again microsoft
Oh, Emily has had at least one MacBook I believe… Maybe ask her what she thinks. I seem to remember her cursing it when I visited
From Rhonda
on
new ideas
For what it’s worth, I really loved Gilead, and enjoyed Home, and hope to read the next one about those same characters (Lila?) that’s just recently come out, as soon as the rush dies down at the library. Housekeeping was interesting, but not quite as much my cup of tea.
From jupiterj
on
new ideas
I looked at the beginning of Gilead and realized I had not seen it before. It’s sitting on my Kindle and I will probably give it a try at some point.
From Rhonda
on
a little organ shop talk
Very cool about the Pasi! And glad you are coming around to Vierne.
From jupiterj
on
a little organ shop talk
So you like Vierne? Are there certain pieces that you like more?
From Rhonda
on
Rheinberger and learning more about learning the organ
…and a good suggestion it was!
We saw the film at the Knickerbocker last week – This Ain’t No Mouse Music, which was a fascinating look at the music industry, from the lens of someone who was interested recording, promoting, and selling non-mainstream, non-commercial folk and local musics. You should check it out – in addition to lots of good music, I thought there was plenty of food for thought, and some real characters!
From jupiterj
on
Rheinberger and learning more about learning the organ
Just put that movie in my Netflix queue. Thanks! I put up a pic and a few links from Huw’s workshop on Facebooger. Are you going to put pics up on the website? I check it periodically for stuff for Facebooger.
From David
on
it is to laugh
Glade you remembered Valentine’s Day for Eileene and grandma. Good job.
From David
on
it is to laugh
And it’s 75 degrees out and will most likely vear into the 80’s. Not bragging just saying.=^)
From jupiterj
on
it is to laugh
Ah yes. I don’t blame you for prefering California weather. But I have to admit that I still find the cold and the snow has its own charm and beauty. As long as one has a place to be. Best from the north and love from you Dad!
From Rhonda
on
upcoming organ pieces and links
That Buxtehude piece rocks. I’ve played it quite a few times – if you’re interested, I have a couple self-made recordings of myself playing it on some cool organs.
From jupiterj
on
upcoming organ pieces and links
Which Buxtehude? I think the one on “Ich ruf zu dir” is quite nice. Can you email me your recording?
From David
on
myopia
I read that Oliver Sacks article. It took him 80 years to get where he is, which in my opinion is right where he is supposed to be.
From Rhonda
on
jupe attends a choir concert
Well, I do need to chip in here and say that the conductor with whom I work, I think is fabulous. I only took the job because of her, and I really enjoy playing under her. She has a great musical sense, she is extremely collaborative (she really is not at all prima dona, or have power issues, or any of those other sterotypical conductor things), and for my money, she gets a pretty good sound from what she has to work with (the Taverner is a very tricky piece…) It’s so funny to me that every time you come to a concert, you comment somewhat negatively about her, because I always think that you will like her! Her musical taste is eclectic and 21st century-oriented, and I like her programming very much. But anyway – thanks for coming, and glad you enjoyed my playing!
From jupiterj
on
jupe attends a choir concert
I know that you respect and admire her. But since I don’t really understand your own aesthetic very well, I think you and I may look at many issues very differently. I’m pretty sure she could get a better sound out of that group of people. But maybe it’s just the acoustics. I am a trained conductor and have strong opinions about what conducting is. I have to ask, if she is so collaborative, why is she conducting your accompaniment? Did you notice that the other conductor who is younger that evening did not? Her conducting felt more connected to both the accompanist and the choir. Also, while I thought the repertoire choices were clever, I still think they were very 20th century in their approach to programming. I am convinced that for “academic” music to persist it must shake off the late 19th century and 20th century approach to music in general and program more honestly and less pretentiously. I recognized almost every composer and the styles. Rhonda, where was the improvisation that is so important in music? Where was the moment of “aha”? The writing of Diemer and some of the others is pretty weak. Jes saying. I know this wildly idealistic but it is how I think.
From Rhonda on church musicians and money and links
From jupiterj on church musicians and money and links
From Rhonda on church musicians and money and links
From jupiterj on church musicians and money and links
From Michelle Smith Kingsley on looking for "small but intense points of intimacy and expression"
From jupiterj on looking for "small but intense points of intimacy and expression"
From Rhonda on a good colleague for jupe
From Sarah on everything takes longer with windows 8, thanks again microsoft
From jupiterj on everything takes longer with windows 8, thanks again microsoft
From Sarah on everything takes longer with windows 8, thanks again microsoft
From Sarah on everything takes longer with windows 8, thanks again microsoft
From Rhonda on new ideas
From jupiterj on new ideas
From Rhonda on a little organ shop talk
From jupiterj on a little organ shop talk
From Rhonda on Rheinberger and learning more about learning the organ
From jupiterj on Rheinberger and learning more about learning the organ
From David on it is to laugh
From David on it is to laugh
From jupiterj on it is to laugh
From Rhonda on upcoming organ pieces and links
From jupiterj on upcoming organ pieces and links
From David on myopia
From Rhonda on jupe attends a choir concert
From jupiterj on jupe attends a choir concert