More Peak Moments in Performance

Subject: More Peak Moments in Performance
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Apr 01 - 01:42 AM

We have had threads like this before, and why not have another. Threads where we share as musicians about the times when it all... goes... RIGHT. And I had one of those times today I want to share... so please share yours, with me.

I had a small triumph playing in church today that, due to its being so overdue, was actually a very big one. I played autoharp in a trio with Hardiman on violin and our choir director, a fine musician and organist in her own right, on her cello she is just learning to play. I was in a trio of peers... at the Sunday AM service, not the Saturday night service where I do certain things as a leader. They had no idea, the Sunday people, that I could do that. They haven't respected non-classically-trained music much... They were speechless.

It was... easy. I was the one of the three of us who was comfortable enough to look up and out at the people before we started, to smile welcomingly at them... though the one most "out of my element." I made it my home... I played from the place where I play on Saturday nights, both in terms of inner me and outer location.

I played the whole space itself as one of the instruments... just as I had realized the Chieftains' singer did in a recent TV performance. My strings were using the whole church as the soundbox, and that was what I listened to as I played, that full effect of the sound going out and coming back to my sweet-spot where I play from. The other players played to me... so I was actually wrapping their sound in mine and making mine as big as the church itself.

The piece we played really needed what I did. What I did was so quiet and so restrained and rich in tone... I made it thrum almost below hearing, the sound going round and round our big wonderful acoustics like deep dark bells tolling. No pick. Fingers snapping the bass strings like an electric bass guitar, but soft-touched. With amp, but barely.... just tolling, in an arrangement of chords I came up with myself. (Hardi and Marian were playing a slow, dirgey round. "When Jesus Wept.")

I actually had the most complicated part-- they had a single thing they did four times, thoguh crossing parts twice. I had it different each time of the four repetitions! And making the rhythm for them as well, with their crossing too, and covering their boo-boos. Making it all fit.

It ended on that moment of the players knowing they have just left it all on the floor. And the people knowing it too. That hush when you stop and let the tones die off in the air. It could not have been caught on tape... had to be there. It was so good. Like the PERFECT rehearsal you never QUITE duplicate when THE DAY comes.

It was so pretty.

We plan to do more. And I want to do Bach's B minor mass, the choral parts, acoustically, with instrumental quartets taking the vocal parts.

~Susan

Subject: RE: More Peak Moments in Performance
From: Dharmabum
Date: 02 Apr 01 - 10:26 AM

I recently spent a weekend playing music with some friends that I thought went rather well,wink,wink.

DB.

Subject: RE: More Peak Moments in Performance
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Apr 01 - 10:46 AM

Oh really. I suppose people who weren't there would like to hear a bit more about it. Why it was like that for you. Etc. Unless you think they are mind readers. (Wink, grin, wink)

~S~

Subject: RE: More Peak Moments in Performance
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Sep 01 - 11:29 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: More Peak Moments in Performance
From: Marymac90
Date: 05 Sep 01 - 11:59 AM

I loved your description of your terrific trio's triumph, Susan, with you having the most difficult part, and the people listening so attentively, who didn't previously know you're so talented!

Marymac

Subject: RE: More Peak Moments in Performance
From: GUEST,Celtic Soul
Date: 05 Sep 01 - 12:09 PM

Ah...there are quite a few!

My favorite venue is a coffeehouse we do. The people are the best. I think they would laugh if we recited the phone book! The sound has not been perfect (sound guys there have varying levels of experience, and don't get the mix right), but with a crowd like that, who cares? My main concern is that people have a good time. I would like to have the music be perfect, but a wrong note, a less than perfect mix, or a misstart here and there are not really a big issue if everyone is having a good time (us included).

There was another performance we did that I wished to GOD we had gotten on tape. It was a scream, and from what I heard on the tapes (not studio quality stuff) our sound guy made, the music sounded good to boot. I will forever be kicking myself for not having that one on video or audio in it's entirety.