Ever take on too many projects? I have!
Tonight marks the completion of one of too many commitments I’ve made this semester: –eighteen waltzes played while another pianist is elbowing me in the left side and trying to play the same C4 octave notes I’m playing. Not only do we have to coordinate our moves, we’re supposed to be watching the choral conductor for tempi and releases.
I am one of 2 pianists playing the Brahms Liebeslieder Waltzes for the big choir on the Spring Choral Concert at my university. Can I continue to rant about this piece?
Now a pianist is used to sitting in the middle of the keyboard so that all that muscle memory can be called into play. With 1 piano-4 hands, I am seated about 2 feet to the right of center. It’s like trying to drive a car from the passenger seat. I guess this was one of those “fads” like the hula hoop and poodle skirts…
Anyway, that’s my excuse; I’ve been tied up in rehearsals. Sorry!
Now it’s your turn.
What fads have you encountered that happened on your respective instrument?
Leave a comment and share it with me…
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March 7th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
“I guess this was one of those “fads” like the hula hoop and poodle skirts…”
Right on the money there Doc.
What fads have you encountered that happened on your respective instrument?
Well, this one come to mind but, I will say that not only guitarists bore the burden.
One of the reasons, aside from cash, that I started playing in traveling, country cover bands during the 80’s was that those guys didn’t mind if you would improvise on the solos. You know, a lot of say, Merle Haggard tunes, or anything along the western swing path; there’s a little room to blow. Maybe, even throw in a substitution or two.
When the great line dance boom hit; well, it ended all room for variance. It was bizarre, if you made the slightest change to the recorded arrangement, people would get torqued off.
March 7th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Oh yeah…Finger Tapping.
I wasn’t real swift at that-another reason I started working the country circuit.
March 7th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Ah…Line dancing… I managed to miss out on that one.
I played the country club circuit back in the 80s…they’d get really mad too if you forgot the bridge or even played the tune too fast!
March 11th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Must be all that housework your wife has you doing…LOL.
March 11th, 2008 at 8:54 am
I barely have time for any housework with all the yardwork and cooking….wait, I gotta go make her another mint julep…TTYL.
March 11th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
That was a reference to an article she referred to the other day about how men who do more housework, get more sex. Hope that’s true…LOL.