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BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences?
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Subject: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 06 Mar 00 - 11:25 PM What have been your most satisfying musical experiences-- you know, that one night when every note ached with beauty as never before... the time you were playing one thing and a new song popped out in the middle of it... What floats YOUR musician boat? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Troll Date: 06 Mar 00 - 11:34 PM It's got to be the time I performed a song on stage not knowing that the man who had written it was there. It was received well by the audience but afterward the songwriter came backstage and told me how much more he liked my araingment than his original one. An all-time high! troll |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: GUEST,Axeman Date: 06 Mar 00 - 11:39 PM Communing at the altar of my idol -- Richard Thompson. Playing his acoustic guitar... playing ANY guitar! -Axe' |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Callie Date: 06 Mar 00 - 11:51 PM I once playing a large-ish gig with my quartet, attended by lots of musicians I respect. My group supported a group I similarly respect. We played the best we've ever played and we were on an absolute high. We thought we were the greatest. THEN we set off for the second 'gig' of the night, singing Timorese songs for a group of Timorese people holding an all night vigil on the night the elections were held in Timor. The performance held such a deep significance for the people there, to hear us singing their own songs in their language, in a country which had historically inflicted much injustice. There was lots of crying and a strong feeling of community. We were thanked profusely and treated like royalty, while we ourselves felt acutely embarassed at being praised so highly for having done such a small thing that was so easy for us. The significance of that event really put the evening's previous performance - and much of what music's all about - into perspective. It was not exactly a happy merry event, but definitely the most significant musical expereince for me. --Callie |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Mbo Date: 07 Mar 00 - 12:03 AM I don't really perform so....but I was getting unimaginable giddy singing "Dedicated Follower of Fashion" on Hearme last night! OH YES I WAS! OH YES I WAS! I guess I'm still a giddy-goof! --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: rangeroger Date: 07 Mar 00 - 12:13 AM I was at a campout in southern California with a group of people I didn't know.I was under a huge Oak tree with one or two I did know, singing "Johnny I hardly Knew Ya". When from close behind me,5 or 6 people joined in with absolutely beautiful harmony vocals. Nearly stopped me dead in my tracks. But I managed to finish the song,tears in my eyes and goose bumps covering my skin. rr |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: GUEST,The Beanster Date: 07 Mar 00 - 02:34 AM I'm not a performer any longer, so have no stories from that vantage point. But as an audience member, I remember one very late night at the Main Point in Phila. eons ago when Buzzy Linhart--remember him?--played a really moving (as in poignant) song called "Willie Jean." After he finished, there was no applause. It was the weirdest thing. And then, boom! They went wild. It was so amazing. I've never seen anything like that before or since. I'll never forget it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Mar 00 - 02:41 AM Keep 'em coming folks... these are wonderful... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Escamillo Date: 07 Mar 00 - 03:25 AM Once I was singing "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child", this time my mother (76 then) was among the audience. She was motherless, and she is in the age when one may expect that the long and lonely trip approaches. There were a couple of seconds I felt a strange thing in my throat and I couldn't sing. Recovered, I continued very emotionally affected, and afraid that the performance was ruined. To my surprise that was the warmest and loudest applause I received, though nobody knew the reason for my "flaw". I'm happy to find people who like to share emotions more than listening to vocal perfection. Un abrazo - Andrés |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Mar 00 - 03:30 AM Well I had a strange and intriguing experience a few weeks ago while driving. On the radio was Just a Closer Walk, and I'm sick of it. Out of my mouth comes a whole new melody using the radio material as a backgound chorus. It wasn't a harmony I was singing, it was a whole valid melody with which the radio harmonized perfectly, like a gospel chorus behind me. Frankly it was an improvment. It made me wonder if we can do this more often. Maybe everyone else already knew about this and I am just late to the party. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 07 Mar 00 - 03:51 AM Singing in a music festival, in a huge 12th Century abbey in the middle of Dorset, attached to which was the boarding school my first love attended. The Saturday morning mass was sung to the Mozart Coronation setting, with the anthem "Let all mortal flesh keep silence" to the Gustav Holst arrangement = a descant that rarely drops lower than a C above middle C. It took me about 2 weeks to come down from that - I was light headed, my hair was on end, goosebumps that wouldn't go for an hour and such a feeling of closeness to creation that I have never experienced since. LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Mar 00 - 04:05 AM LTS: YES!!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Wesley S Date: 07 Mar 00 - 12:16 PM I can think of a couple. The first was around 1970 and I was singing at an anti war { Viet Nam} rally on the steps of the local courthouse when I saw a man across the street taking my photo with a long lens. With my overactive imagination and ego I could envision my photo ending up in an FBI file somewhere, near the other photos of "radicals" like Pete Seeger. One can only hope. About that same time period I was rehearsing a song with a couple of friends, George and Richard, and the rehearsal took on a life of it's own. A four minute song lasted 45 minutes { remember - this was the 70's}. And it cooked. It was like we had ESP. We were dumbfounded. The performance that night was an anticlimax. And lastly a couple of months ago the group I sing with went to a nursing home. We did our usual folk/bluegrass/gospel stuff which included some singalongs. Afterward a sweet little old lady came up to me and grabbed my arm to thank me. She said that " we don't get to sing around here - how come the only people who get to sing nowadays are the people on TV or the radio??" I didn't have an answer for her. But we'll go back. It reminded me why I don't miss playing in bars.
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Peg Date: 07 Mar 00 - 12:30 PM Once I was performing in Faneuil Hall in Boston (touristy spot downtown, buskers must audition to play there) with a harpist. I forget what all we sang but one song was "Come By the Hills" and introducing it I said it was a song that tried to remind people of the beauty of Ireland during the troubles, etc. some such thing. I noticed a woman in her fifties or sixties standing there who had been there for a while listening with others. After that song she came up to me, introduced herself as Kitty O'Shanahan, and went on to tell me in a delightful brogue that she was visitng her family in America, and she had never heard anyone sing so beautifully and had never heard anyone say such beautiful things about Ireland. She went on to say "I'm extendin' ya a personal invitation to come and stay with me any time ya like, it's County Clare (I think that's what she said), Kitty o'Shanahan, just ask for me, everyone knows me, ya can stay as long as ya like!" I just thought that was a lovely response... peg |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: kendall Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:01 PM There have been so many..certainly the chance to record for Folk Legacy. Also, a night in Scotland when I took a chance and sang Lassie wi' a yellow coatie, and the whole room sang along with some of the most beautiful harmonies I have ever heard. One other, singing Rolling Home on the TODAY SHOW with Portland Head Light in the background. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:10 PM Let's narrow the focus a bit. What peaks did you reach in the last week or other recent period still fresh for you? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: rangeroger Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:10 PM Praise: Listen to Tom Rush's version of Just a closer Walk. It may give you a newer appreciation of it. Although singing something new along with the radio is a great idea. rr |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: kendall Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:13 PM And singing Flower of Scotland at the Black Bitch in Linlithgow with another room full of good singers. It was just a few days after Roy Williamsons death, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: annamill Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:16 PM rangeroger, you must come to FSGW this October. Talk about vocal harmonys..Gads! We would all sit in the cafeteria after dinner and have concerts and sings. It was glorious! Imagine about 150 talented people all putting music together at the same time. Now, I wish I could say that my most profound musical experience came from something I did, but listening to others at the FSGW gathering is what did it for me. (Had some really great ones at my house too) Cannot wait til this year!! Love, annap |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: catspaw49 Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:19 PM About a year ago I put in this one and in many ways, its still the best............. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Clinton Hammond2 Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:25 PM Playing for a Liberal ralley here in Windsor with my good friend and fellow soicialist Len Wallace... Sharing smokes and laughter outside the stage door about how much we were getting paid to play for a party we'd never support, then strapping on the stage smiles and whipping the crowd into a lather with old and new labour songs... We grabbed our money and ran before we could be interviewed... LOL! Then the next day gettting calls from friends and relations all over the province asking why the hell I was on the news!! LOL!! I guess the coverage was a little broader than I expected! Hehehehehe I walked around with my chest out to here for weeks! LOL!!! {~` |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: catspaw49 Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:38 PM Don't know where I screwed that up, but it my first post at 12:33 PM on that thread....well, at least I got the right thread!!! Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: annamill Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:41 PM The blue clicky thing took me right there 'spaw. It was a great story. Love, annap |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Axeman Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:41 PM I should've added earlier my other pinnacle... singing the theme song from the film, "Milo and Otis", with my 6 YO son in front of a crowd that included Pete Seeger. -Axe' |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: sophocleese Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:45 PM Last Thanksgiving our local folk society was providing the entertainment at a craft. We were in the loft of the renovated barn. My partner and I sang Glencoe and the whole barn went quiet to listen and aplauded thunderously afterwards. Singing Blow the Wind Southerly at a friend's wedding and having gorgeous harmonies joining me from the audience. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: MK Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:45 PM Three particular ones come readily to mind. When I had my 5 piece band years ago (and we were playing a lot of jazz and pop) my wife (who was also the singer in the band) would always call out a particular tune in our first set when we would be playing dining rooms. One posh dining room we were working in at the time was the Black Knight Room of Toronto's Royal York Hotel. The room was dimly lit and with our stage lights on, it was difficult to see the audience. My wife announced that we were going to do our rendition of a tune popularized by Tony Bennett called Just In Time and before I could count in the tune, the man himself Tony Bennett comes up onto the stage, smiles, gives me his key for the tune, and counts in the tune, and then proceeds to sing it (wonderfully) with our band, and then trading verses with my wife and even doing a bit of scatting with her. He also performed The Best Is Yet To Come with us. (I couldn't bear to ask him to do San Francisco.) It was one of those magical moments. When we finished the set, he invited us over to his table, bought us a round of drinks, and told us how great we all sounded and that that was why he wanted to come and sing with us and he hoped we didn't mind the instrusion!!!! I also got him to autograph a couple of charts I had of some of his tunes. Bennett happened to be in town, staying at the hotel and was having dinner with the guy who handled the P.R. for the Royal York, Gino Empry. Another time, we were performing in a different club in Toronto, when the movie Dirty Dancing was the craze, and unbeknownst to us, Bill Medley was in the club, having returned from a concert performance and was staying in this hotel. As soon as we started in on the vamp for I've Had The Time of My Life, he came up onto the stage and performed the entire tune with our singer. The club went nuts. It was also fortunate that we were doing a dead lift of his arrangement and in his key so it was tight and sounded totally rehearsed. Hell of a nice guy. Another amazing moment. Fortunately one of my brothers was in the club and witnessed this and was rather impressed. I was glad he was there to see this as more often than not, people figure you're just bullshitting them when you describe an event like this. Lastly, when my wife and I got married, we were in the midst of a steady engagement in another supper club in Toronto, and had to work on the evening of our wedding (which was a simple civil ceremony done at Toronto's old City Hall during the day.) Got to the club early and had dinner with my parents and inlaws, and a lady who handled all the P.R. for this supper club and whom we were already friendly with informed us that Burton Cummings was in the audience and that perhaps if we didn't mind, he might want to come up and sing a few tunes with our band later in the evening. How could I say no? We did our first set, which was a pure jazz and standards set, and Burton clapped louder and longer than anyone else in the club which had about 300 people in it at the time. At the end of our first set, he invited us to his table, bought us drinks, hit on my wife (he was rather drunk but friendly-drunk at the time) and talked keyboards and road stories with me. The following set and, for the rest of the night, he played with us as I had a baby grand piano on stage in an L shape to a bank of synths. I let him have the piano and I handled the synths. We did two solid sets of Guess Who material (and being a Guess Who fan sure came in handy as I knew all his tunes), and we also jammed on various blues and rock n' roll tunes. He sounded phenominal and his voice was in great shape. He closed the evening alone performing a solo version of Stand Tall which had just been released as a single at the time. Suffice to say, the club went nuts all evening; the patrons considered us Gods for playing and being able to back him up, and to this day, we tell people that Burton Cummings played at our wedding! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Jon Freeman Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:50 PM There are the times in sessions where music just seems to turn into magic. If I remember correctly, some of this was mentioned in a thread about a "floating feeling". Every time it happens, it is a peak. I suppose if I had to list one event, it is this one. I was in a local folk club and met somebody who I hadn't played with for a long while. She asked me if I would get up and play with her and I agreed. The fisrt set was the Lark in The Morning and something else and was OK but a little shakey. We then did Farewell To Ireland and something just clicked and we had total confidence and understanding of each others playing. I was going for triplets that I would not normally attempt on the banjo but they were working and her concertina playing was superb. It must have sounded good because I have never known such applause and shouts for more for anyone (including professionals) in that club. Anyway we just looked at one another smiled and walked off - sort of like we knew we had had our moment. Jon |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Midchuck Date: 07 Mar 00 - 01:57 PM Some years (maybe 10) ago, when the Champlain festival was still at the State park on the shore of Champlain (which is why they call it that, even though it's now on the UVM campus), they had to shut down early in the evening because the local dwellers and campers complained about the noise if they went on into the night. One year, it was the close of the festival on Sunday evening, everyone was leaving or packing up, and my wife and I and one friend of ours, who would rather fiddle than anything, if it isn't deer season and there's no beer, ended up in the enclosure on the lawn down near the lake shore where they had group sessions. We only had an hour-and-a-half trip home, and were in no hurry to leave, so were just playing - two fiddles and me boom-chucking on guitar. I think there was one other guy with a harmonica too. We got to playing "Margaret's Waltz," and one couple who were going by started waltzing on the grass. You had the lawn down to the lake, then the lake, then the Adirondacks with the sun going down over them, and this one couple dancing..... Peter. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Linda Kelly Date: 07 Mar 00 - 04:06 PM I wrote a song at Whitby last year, the first I had written for a very long time, about my husband who used to be a trawlerman and whose ship the Kingston Peridot had sunk with the loss of hands in 1968. He escaped because he decided to miss that trip. I sang it at folk club one night and a woman I knew vaguely asked me if she could use it for a play she was directing ,and subsequetly it appeared in the Hull Truck Theatre's production of Northern Trawl, -I was reasonably proud of that, but even more so when I saw my husband's reaction to the play- a man not given to emotion he was moved beyond tears. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: poet Date: 07 Mar 00 - 04:33 PM Performance wise We played a st Patricks gig in a local big enough for Eighty people and there were over 150 in there dancing and singing on the chairs tables and even the Bar, I couldn't speak for three days. But the most moving was a concert I organised during the folk festival for as many of the handicapped people of Guernsey as we could fit in the Hall. the main act was a Cajun Band and everyone was dancing in their own way. except one young lad I dont know a name for his diability but he had NO co-ordination and he was crying with frustration because he knew what was happening. Anyway I'm a big strong lad so I locked wrists with him and forced him to a simple step slide stamp step slide stamp, after about five minutes of this he suddenly realised that he was actually doing it himself and he smiled at me. you have to see a smile like that to understand but I can still see it now. Graham (Guernsey) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Peter T. Date: 07 Mar 00 - 04:57 PM I have had some peak theatrical experiences I was part of, but as a non-musician I have had some recent peak listener experiences. The most surprising was a pure accident. I am a student of Rick Fielding's, and one lesson a few months ago, I forgot to bring a tape, and he leant me one of his. The first part was filled with the lesson, and I took it home and put it on, and worked away. At the end of the lesson there were a few seconds of dead air, and then there came the sounds of early versions of Rick's new album that he was still working on in the studio. The first song was "Sir Patrick Spens" with very simple guitar and fiddle, (a song I had never heard). It was completely stunning -- great experience, in the privacy of my own home. yours, Peter |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 07 Mar 00 - 05:01 PM Ahhh.... even just skimming all of your posts is wonderful.... I love how so many of them are about the responses of the people, singing, dancing.... yes. Us too. We need to look at this more often, and linger. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Jon Freeman Date: 07 Mar 00 - 05:10 PM Another one that is always a peak for me used to happen occasionaly when I went busking. A young kid could be walking down the street and spontaniously start to dance to the music and youd see the smile on their face... it was worth more to me than money in the hat when it happened. Graham, loved your story. Never been there but I can imagine the pleasure that must have been created. Jon |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: catspaw49 Date: 07 Mar 00 - 05:12 PM We've had a number like this before Praise and they always draw some interesting stories from folks who missed the last one. I'm just a lazy SOB, so I use a blue clicky for my favorite. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Jon Freeman Date: 07 Mar 00 - 05:16 PM You have got me tinking now Praise, another one that I have experiences has occured when I have been out late say during a festiva and you see someone crying or obviously upset. You sit dow a little distance from them and start playing gently. I am no great player but I have seen a few people cheered up that way - music can be magic... Jon |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: GUEST,The Beanster Date: 07 Mar 00 - 07:57 PM What lovely stories, these are. Keep typing, keep typing...! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Caitrin Date: 07 Mar 00 - 08:51 PM My musical high point occurred at the New Years Eve service at a youth event in Hendersonville, NC. The event (Winterlight) is for high school students, and happens every year right after Christmas. The closing service before the dance on New Years Eve is always exciting and emotional. I was in the small choir for the service, singing with two fine musicians, Fran McKendree and Sam Hensley. On the last few songs, the entire congregation of 200 people were standing in the pews and singing at the top of their lungs (not a usual occurrence in Episcopal churches, for the most part). I don't know how good it sounded, but it was just about as much fun as I've ever had. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Bill D Date: 07 Mar 00 - 09:06 PM well, as a TOTALLY amateur autoharp player, I don't do a lot of stage stuff..but at an open sing here a few years ago, (just local folk)..in walks Tom Paley..(he was in town for a concert and just 'dropped by')...so when my turn came, I did "The Storms Are On the Ocean", and at a good spot for a break, just nodded in Tom's direction and he did a lovely fiddle break...WOW! Just like it is supposed to work!...made my day! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Sorcha Date: 07 Mar 00 - 10:51 PM Just had one. Once a month my band plays at the local Nursing Home. Talk about a captive audience! Anyway sometimes they're all zoned out, but tonite was one of the wild ones. Most of them were dancing, several residents and staff members were doing wheelchair Roller Derby, WOW it was just a great nite, and the residents are so appreciative. We played a real gamut of stuff: Gal I left Behind, Angeline, Just Because, Angry, Wreck of th e Old 97, Danny boy, Irish Eyes, gadzooks. Some other favorite moments: The first time I heard Christmas in the Trenches it was live, by John the Man in Winfield at midnight........When I got to hear Eugene O'Donnell play Celtic Lament live, in Scottsbluff, NE, no less. 1,000 people singing and signing Great Sorm is Over with John McCutcheon and Linda Tilton on the Winfield Main stage.......... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Mbo Date: 07 Mar 00 - 11:00 PM I guess it would have to be when I performed in Raleigh--it was one of only 3 performances I ever did. I played for the President and administrators of The North Carolina Community College Board, as well as well-respected artists/art teachers from all over North Carolina. I got to play my OWN song, "MacGregor's Gathering", a real footstomper, or so my composition teacher said. It was kinda fun knowing that other people were hearing my music...but really most of the listeners where seniors who perked up when my friends did their opera/operetta/art songs, and ignored me altogether. Not a happy day for others as well...it was the day of the Columbine High shooting. Not a nice thing to come home to, after visiting another part of the state for only the 3rd time in 20 years. --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Barky Date: 07 Mar 00 - 11:01 PM I have a couple, actually. First: My first gig with this blues/jazz band I helped create. We had the parents and some friends over at this wonderful music based house, and we played some good songs, really well, such as Sing Sing Sing, and Cleveland Rocks, and Girl From Ipanemananamdenda. (I think you know what I mean, I just don't know how to spell/pronounce it!) That was really fun, especially since I had solos on each one! Gosh... the memories.
Second: hasn't happened yet. But for future reference, said group above (San Diego Brass and Electric) are going to a selective jazz competition up in Fullerton next month. lotsa fun.
THird: But not least. OOOOH not least. This doesn't really involve me directly. Kinda. Well.... ANYWAY! I went to this concert up in LA. It was incredible. It was based on Moby Dick, and the woman staging the whole art thing was a singer/pianist/violinist. I have been obsessed/in love with her ever since. Can you guess who she is? No? Mon dieux, it's Laurie Anderson. If you don't know who she is, I recommend you find out. Oh My God. ~Barky |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: rangeroger Date: 07 Mar 00 - 11:34 PM Spaw: Read your Clingman's Dome story and loved it. Several years ago my ladyfriend at the time was at a primate conference at Emory University in Atlanta.I flew out from San Diego to go backpacking with her on the Appalachian Trail. A gal she had met at the conference who lived in Atlanta decided she wanted to go with us. The three of us loaded up (in more ways than one) in her MGB and drove to Clingman's Dome parking lot.Left the MGB there for a week while we traipsed about in the forest. Our last night on the trail brought us back to the closest campsite to the Dome, about a 3-4 mile hike away.Well there were about 15-20 people there.Weekenders from Atlanta or therabouts. rr |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: rangeroger Date: 08 Mar 00 - 12:02 AM Sorry about the double post. Went to correct a spelling error and goofed.However now that I look at the error,it was probably Freudian in nature and meant to be. rr |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 08 Mar 00 - 12:08 AM Ah, the lives we lead, and yet we still appear normal as we go about in the world. I could be next to any of you in line at the market and not suspect these memories live in you. Think about that next time you're at the market, all the stories you are surrounded by..... Of course some of you would be instantly outed as folkies, f'rinstance any who travel ocarina-prepared. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: rangeroger Date: 08 Mar 00 - 12:16 AM I just went back and read my post.I seem to have lost a large section of it. Mainly about a guitar being passed ala song circle. When I got the guitar I sang John Prine's "Paradise". Now back to my previous post which is still in progress. rr |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 08 Mar 00 - 12:24 AM rr, I had granted you were at least TRYING to make sense! *BG* |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Bill D Date: 08 Mar 00 - 12:12 PM I have posted this before,,,but for sheer poignancy, nothing beats having heard "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" played on one of Mother Maybelle's autoharps 2 days after her death was announced...whole room full of folkies singing along...not a dry eye in the place |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Timehiker Date: 08 Mar 00 - 06:58 PM Several years ago I attended a "westerntreff", a meeting of western hobbyists, in Germany. I think my wife and I were the only Americans there. The camp was full of folks dressed as cowboys, Indians, Civil War soldiers, fur trappers and what have you. On Saturday evening, just after supper, it began pouring rain, and the one large picnic shelter on site was crammed full with these folks. I took my guitar and sat at a table with a few people I knew and we'd talk a while, then sing a song, then talk some more. Everyone at the other tables seemed to be involved in their own conversations, and no one seemed to be paying particular attention to us. During a lull in our own conversation, I started "Mull of Kintyre" and before long, it seemed everyone in camp was singing along on the chorus. I know this is similar to the spontaneous participation other folks have mentioned in this thread, but there's nothing I've experienced quite like it. This was the first time that had ever happened to me and most of the people singing couldn't speak or understand english very well, but they could sure sing that song! Take care, Timehiker |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Dan Evergreen Date: 08 Mar 00 - 07:26 PM On the Edisto River around a campfire with canoes pulled up on the shore and the firelight reflecting on the tents, with a guitar and a banjo and lots of singers trying to drown out the cicadas, singing anything and everything, and my worn-out little girl snoring in the tent. Thanks for asking. I had temporarily forgotten. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 08 Mar 00 - 07:34 PM There are no duplicate human experiences-- post on, friends, post on. Do you try to tell these to friends and they don't get it unless they're folkie folk too? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Froodo Date: 08 Mar 00 - 07:51 PM Being new to the whole world of open mics, my highlight was my first time performing solo. I've played with several rock n' roll bands over the years and have had many highs and lows. But, I recently parted company with my electric guitar for a 100% acoustic based approach to music...which means no more band for a while. So I learned some tunes, wrote some tunes and headed up to Marin for a bitchin' open mic. My very first one. I was quite nervous when it was my time to get on stage. But, I nailed the first number, then nailed the second one too. But the hightlight for me wasn't my performance. It was knowing that people did in fact like what I did. One of the players that night, who I've seen play before and really admire, approached me and we talked music and exchanged ideas and so on. Another lady asked me to join her band. So on and so forth. The kindness of the folks that night got me so pumped up. I was happy to be respected by musicians that I respected. And I'll take that any day over stressing about whether or not our audience purchased enought drinks at the bar during our set. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Mbo Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:16 PM Well corblimey! It was SO memorable I plumb forgot it. My community college was having a Karoake contest. I summed up the courage to sing in public...and looking through the songbook, found "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" by ELO. I was SOOO excited! I stepped up to the mike...I was sculpting with alabaster that day, and I was covered in alabaster dust...then that oh-so-familiar piano and strings started up...My cue came, I opened my mouth "Midnight--on the water.." All of a sudden, all fear fell away. I wasn't nervous Mbo anymore, I was Jeff Lynne on the stage at the Winterland in '77! Oh it was gorgeous! Wow....I didn't care if the stupid kids my age were yawning and looking bored...I was the king for 4 minutes and 21 seconds! --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: GUEST,Seamus Kennedy Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:17 PM In 1979, Paddy Reilly, the Celtic Folk and myself were asked to perform for the Pope in Trinity College in Washington D.C. We were singing Lord of the Dance when the Pope came walking through the crowd. My wife was holding our son who was 10 months old at the time. As the Pope neared us, I took my guitar off and handed my son to the Pope who kissed him and handed him back to me. Well, my wife and I just fell apart, crying, dancing and hugging our son tightly, till Paddy Reilly who had just shaken hands with the Pope said," Right lads, back to work!" |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Sorcha Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:23 PM Oh WOW Seamus, what an experience for you! I'm not Catholic or Christian, but I understand what this must mean for you! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:29 PM !!!!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Mbo Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:36 PM WOW! You got to shake hands with the Pope? Wow! I'm planning on making my First Holy Communion here in a few months. I know 21 is a funny age to be doing it, but I WANT to do it! Pax Vobiscum! --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:46 PM Mbo, [thread creeping..] [hey I started this thread, deal with it!] When this event occurs, think of a young man SO like yourself, my stepson. This happened when Mike was about 2. I wasn't part of the family then, but I have heard this story many times, and it's never old. In our denomination, kids receive when they are able to form the intention to receive what they are able to understand as a sacrament. Usually about 3 - 5 years old, or even later. Well, Mike would always come to the altar rail with everyone else, and receive a blessing, as is the custom, instead of the Sacrament. The story goes that this one Sunday, as his dad (the priest) blessed and then turned to pass on to the next communicant, up piped this thin but VERY LOUD protest, "But I NEED the Body of Christ!!" His time had come, and he received his first communion immediately with smiles all around. You go for it like that, dear friend. I wish we could be there. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Mbo Date: 08 Mar 00 - 08:55 PM Thanks! I wish The Pope would come too! That would make my day...no, life! --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Bill D Date: 08 Mar 00 - 09:31 PM ....somehow, I think this Pope might even know some songs...strikes me as the type.. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: GUEST,Seamus Kennedy Date: 09 Mar 00 - 12:11 AM Go for it, Mbo, it's never too late. Incidentally, when the Pope handed my son back to me, he looked me in the eye, and I said, "Mille grazie, Santitá." (A thousand thanks, Holiness.) Afterwards, when we were all talking about the experience, Paddy Reilly said, "Only an Irishman would say thank you in Italian to a Polish Pope. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Mbo Date: 09 Mar 00 - 12:40 AM Thanks for all the support guys! After so much moving and all, tonight was the first time I've been to church in 6 years. I'm not sure if I'm using the right word to describe it, but it was lots of fun. We have always carried on our religious practices at home, but now my sister and I are going to the Catholic student organization, and we get to go Mass. Back to the topic, one of the first things we did as the Mass started was sing a song called "Lift High The Cross". I had to sight read it out of the missal...turns out I'm not so bad at sightsinging after all. Boy was singing that a peak music experience! A gorgeous song...and singig with all the others! Boy, I'm glad I finally get to experience this! That was my musical peak for today! --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Mbo Date: 09 Mar 00 - 12:41 AM Yikes! Now see why I want a Dixieland Jazz Band to play "Oh Didn't He Ramble?" at my funeral? --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 09 Mar 00 - 02:36 AM Mbo-- KEEP TALKING. The posts here and on Education thread have been EXCELLENT. Don't stop. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: rangeroger Date: 09 Mar 00 - 02:49 AM Praise: Don't you guys ever sleep? It's just going on midnite here. Good night. rr Unless I find another thread or post to keep my attention. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Ferrara Date: 09 Mar 00 - 08:36 AM Bill D told me I owe it to myself to read this thread, and he's right. Haven't finished it yet, have to be at an appointment shortly. But still wiping the tears from my eyes (of laughter, and just emotion) after reading some of the posts. Especially your post, poet.... Dick, if we ever have a Mudcat book, don't forget this thread!!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Sorcha Date: 09 Mar 00 - 06:35 PM I just have to tell you about my afternoon. I went out to a one room (actually 2) school house in the Nebraska Sandhills. There are 19 students,K-grade 7; most live on ranches WAY out in the boondocks, and school is their only social life. Town maybe once a month. I took the fiddle, viola, dulcimer,mandolin, harp and sporano bouzuki. I introduced the instruments, and played a little on each one, then we turned the kids loose for touchie-feelie time! WOW! We had 4 adults,6 instruments and 19 excited kids. Most of these kids have never seen a "live" instrument in their lives, just TV ones. A few do have pianos at home, but not much else. It was Joyful CHAOS! We all had a blast. They are all so careful and the look of joy on their faces when they can play a tune on the harp is just incredible. I will have goosebumps for days over this one. I know that someday something will get broken, but everything is fixable (except maybe bows) and the joy the kids get is worth every penny of a possible repair bill.YYEEEHHHAAA! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Osmium Date: 09 Mar 00 - 06:52 PM Well probably the occasion when I led 30 odd people, definately not musicians, in an african boat song and managed to get them not to strain their voices but to sing. The night just went on and on and I know from the reaponse the day after that it was a night many of then would never forget. The power of the human voice when it's not under strain and played in unison may yet be the richest of instruments - and every one can do it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: GUEST Date: 09 Mar 00 - 07:00 PM ...how 'bout a photo of lafKat and Sorcha, together side by side in the same room? ...shouldn't be an issue since you are both neighbors... ...inquiring minds REALLY want to know...right PHOAKS? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 09 Mar 00 - 07:09 PM Sorcha-- YES!!!!!!! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: GUEST,_gargoyle Date: 09 Mar 00 - 11:28 PM Fifth Grade...
.............Winter Concert............
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>barfed all over the first chair violin.... BEFORE the performance.
It was a bad year for the flu |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Mbo Date: 09 Mar 00 - 11:30 PM Garg-- YES!!! That one was really funny! I mean it! --Mbo |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Dave (the ancient mariner) Date: 10 Mar 00 - 02:51 PM How about three examples.. I sang a duet version of Melanie Safka's song Save The Night with a lovely girl called Jane. At the end of the song there were many wet eyes and gulity looks on some faces in the audience. On another occasion I was singing the Prisoners Chorus to Beethovens Fidelio, just at the same time news came in of the release of some hostages. I can recall feeling exactly what Beethoven was trying to put into music and words, the emotion of prisoners given some freedom. Translated from German to English ..Oh Welche Lust. Gefangenenenchor (Fidelio) Prisoners Chorus
Oh what pleasure to breathe |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 10 Mar 00 - 09:05 PM Hope whispers softly to me that we shall be free and find peace... lovely |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Liz the Squeak Date: 11 Mar 00 - 03:59 PM Outsinging Ian Bruce, at the Middle Bar, Sidmouth..... We were doing 'Easy and Free', and you know the bit where it goes "drinking with meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" and I outsung him by a good minute and a half, an octave and a half above him........... Ahhhh! bliss!! LTS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: BlueSage Date: 12 Mar 00 - 03:39 AM After twenty years of performing you'd think that my peak musical experience would revolve around a stage performance. But as I think back over all the wonderful performers I've shared the stage with, all the great experiences I've had, I realize that my favorite musical memory was a winter evening spent home alone with my guitar! I had the lights out and the curtains open. Something about playing christmas songs (for myself) while I watched the snowflakes slowly drift down through the night air.... it was magic. I played until dawn. The private moments, for me, are the best! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Joe Offer Date: 12 Mar 00 - 03:54 AM A couple of times on Martin Luther King Day, we've gathered the choirs from six or seven of the churches in our area of Sacramento. We don't have to practice very hard because the songs are usually standards like "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and "We've Come This Far By Faith," and the results are always wonderful. The black Baptist church provides the preacher, and the sermon is always outstanding. One year, a young man recited King's "I Have a Dream" sermon, and you would have sworn Dr. King himself was there. AMEN!!!! -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 12 Mar 00 - 04:24 AM Amen! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Lor Date: 12 Mar 00 - 03:23 PM I feel compelled to add my 2 cents here, though I'm no musician, it felt like a "peak" musical experience to me. A couple years ago I went to the Winfield Bluegrass/Folk Festival in KS... and was totally captivated by a guy, Dave, a mandolin player. I only saw him jammin' with friends, but he was so into his music, so involved w/his instrument and with the other folks who were playing with him (he was the "leader"), that I couldn't help but stop and spend time listening to him -- guess I should also mention that he's gorgeous. This was really one of my first experiences with Irish folk music & Bluegrass music... I don't know where I'd been, but I felt like I'd come home!!! The whole Winfield experience was such a great one for me that I went back last September (and hopefully will go back many Septembers in the future). Just wish it was closer to NJ!!! Cheers, ~Lor. PS: I want to be Dave's mandolin in my next life. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: rainbow Date: 12 Mar 00 - 09:22 PM gee... usually its the kids i've taught... listening to them... that was sooo wonderful. having some young women choreograph a dance to a song i wrote... having a whole choir of kids sing holding candles... a program i had helped them put together in a chico montessori school.... the whole procession and chant and the harmonies of the children was fabulous... having the wind play my harp out in the garden.... and playing a festival right before pete seeger -- and having his kind words about our performance... and then the magic of his performance... and the power going out... and my friend who was doing sound walking forlorn through the crowd singing, "where has all the power gone...." ... and then pete getting the whole audience to sing... continuing his show with no sound until it was finished.... having an old man from scotland in tears commending us on a song, "hind horn" --we couldn't find a melody for it... so made one up... and this man cried and told us it reminded him of the olde days.. we wanted him to let us know how it was sung in his memory.. and he said, just like you sang it! magic... music... magic... music... ... lorraine
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: wysiwyg Date: 13 Mar 00 - 06:06 PM AHHHH-OOOHHH |
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Subject: RE: BS: Share Your Peak Musical Experiences? From: Mooh Date: 13 Mar 00 - 07:06 PM Oh I'd like to be smart and say it was with a certain girl and Whole Lotta Love, but that would be rude. Oops, I said it anyway. How about trapped by a downpour in the instrument lock-up trailer at the Goderich Celtic Festival with Simon Mayor, Hilary James, the group Artisan, Eileen McGann and David K, and some others including staff. SONG! My God Almighty! SONG! When it was over I thought I'd been slipped some kinda drug. There was cake for someone's birthday too. If I had a tape of that shortest of half hours I'd be the richest man alive. I'll keep going back for more, so should you. |