11-08-12 POSTED FOUR NEW SONGS
Posted by Vincente E. Woodward on Thursday, November 8, 2012
Just a quick note to inform that I have posted four new songs.
All four are by J.S. Bach.
The first is the very famous (and hacked)
Prelude for Violincello Solo
from Suite Number 1 for Violincello Solo.
I wrote some notes above the piece
which explains what I think.
I will refrain from repeating them hear, at this time.
The other three pieces are little gems
from Bach's Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin.
They are very popular with classical guitar players,
being very fun to play,
while being somewhat challenging,
both technically, and conceptually.
The Sarabande is a very nice "mellow piece".
The main melodic contour
rises to a level of harmonic
and contrapuntal complexity
which is uncommon with this type of writing,
until Bach got ahold of it
and showed what could really be done,
as he laid the foundations
for the next several centuries of music,
and then disappeared from history
for nearly one hundred years
to be resurrected at the now famous organ recitals
during the late1800's,
which paved the way for the resurrection
of Baroque music during the 1930's
(think Wanda Landowska concerts
with the first "modernly" built harpsichord),
and then coming to further fruit
during the 1970's (think Switched On Bach),
and now becoming abundantly fruitful
in a way few of us would even have dared to imagine.
I also wanted say a brief word on the coupling of the minuets.
This is something which is believed
to have become a vogue of sorts
several hundred years ago.
I believe it was Domenico Scarlatti
who first really made a habit of this,
with his incredibly influential harpsichord sonatas.
As historians dug through old manuscripts
they began to see numerous examples of songs
which seemed to be made to be played together.
The repeat of the first minuet
is simply a way of accentuating this fact,
plus gives a nice opportunity
for tonal and timbral contrast.
Also, tempo contrast can be effective,
as I am trying to do here
(hopefully successfully).
The violin pieces are actually a lot of fun to play.
I hope some of that youthful energy comes across
as I try to press the envelope a lot,
but hopefully without going too far overboard
(is there such a thing?)
Got to get going.
Time to inspect some construction work
which I am paying for.
It's been fun.
w/love to all
vw
9:18 a.m.
11-08-12
Wednesday
Ventura, California, USA
p.s.
the weather has been ridiculously beautiful.
We have had one beach day after another
for about ten days now.
I am beginning to feel even more spoiled
than I usually do.
Hope for more of this.
I say that as huge grey clouds
are filling the coastal sky
right outside of my office window
which overlooks the coastal waters here,
with the islands in the distance.
Looks like rain?
Yes, it is.
All four are by J.S. Bach.
The first is the very famous (and hacked)
Prelude for Violincello Solo
from Suite Number 1 for Violincello Solo.
I wrote some notes above the piece
which explains what I think.
I will refrain from repeating them hear, at this time.
The other three pieces are little gems
from Bach's Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin.
They are very popular with classical guitar players,
being very fun to play,
while being somewhat challenging,
both technically, and conceptually.
The Sarabande is a very nice "mellow piece".
The main melodic contour
rises to a level of harmonic
and contrapuntal complexity
which is uncommon with this type of writing,
until Bach got ahold of it
and showed what could really be done,
as he laid the foundations
for the next several centuries of music,
and then disappeared from history
for nearly one hundred years
to be resurrected at the now famous organ recitals
during the late1800's,
which paved the way for the resurrection
of Baroque music during the 1930's
(think Wanda Landowska concerts
with the first "modernly" built harpsichord),
and then coming to further fruit
during the 1970's (think Switched On Bach),
and now becoming abundantly fruitful
in a way few of us would even have dared to imagine.
I also wanted say a brief word on the coupling of the minuets.
This is something which is believed
to have become a vogue of sorts
several hundred years ago.
I believe it was Domenico Scarlatti
who first really made a habit of this,
with his incredibly influential harpsichord sonatas.
As historians dug through old manuscripts
they began to see numerous examples of songs
which seemed to be made to be played together.
The repeat of the first minuet
is simply a way of accentuating this fact,
plus gives a nice opportunity
for tonal and timbral contrast.
Also, tempo contrast can be effective,
as I am trying to do here
(hopefully successfully).
The violin pieces are actually a lot of fun to play.
I hope some of that youthful energy comes across
as I try to press the envelope a lot,
but hopefully without going too far overboard
(is there such a thing?)
Got to get going.
Time to inspect some construction work
which I am paying for.
It's been fun.
w/love to all
vw
9:18 a.m.
11-08-12
Wednesday
Ventura, California, USA
p.s.
the weather has been ridiculously beautiful.
We have had one beach day after another
for about ten days now.
I am beginning to feel even more spoiled
than I usually do.
Hope for more of this.
I say that as huge grey clouds
are filling the coastal sky
right outside of my office window
which overlooks the coastal waters here,
with the islands in the distance.
Looks like rain?
Yes, it is.
