More photos from Iserlohn
Category Archives: Music
David Russell’s Tips for Guitarists
While I was looking for David’s video of “My Gentle Harp”, I came across his site and David Russell’s Tips for Guitarists which been around for a while, but it took me ages to discover them – they are very simple and wise, and cover a surprising amount of ground with good humour and grounded common sense. I hope you will find these tips from an experienced musician who is also a great artist and human being helpful. Continue reading
Apostolos Paraskevas Recovery from Focal Dystonia
My friend Apostolos Paraskevas has written two articles on recovery from Focal Dystonia.
He was very excited about his recovery and will be happy to share with anyone after the publication of the articles in Classical Guitar magazine.
There will be more about this most common and distressing syndrome amongst many professional guitarists.
Apostolos says:
I was struck almost overnight by focal dystonia (FD) to my right hand after a concert. Continue reading
David Russell’s Elegy for the victims of the Santiago train accident
Link to David Russell playing Celtic melody
“Estamos en duelo por el trágico accidente de tren en Santiago, la ciudad donde María Jesús y yo nos conocimos y que está tan cerca de nuestro corazón. Nuestro sentido homenaje a las víctimas y nuestro apoyo moral a las familias y a los supervivientes.”
“We are in mourning for the tragic train accident in our beloved Santiago (Spain), the city where María Jesús and I met. A Celtic melody in memory of the victims and our moral support to their families and the survivors.”
“My Gentle Harp” arranged by Gerald Garcia
Get the music here
John Williams the guitarist’s music site
I have often been asked for the music of my transcriptions and original pieces and I have wondered how best to make them available.My main concern has been that for many people in the world published music has become too expensive to buy, even if one can find it – John Williams
Avid Sibelius fan
SO hands up those of you who were thinking of a particular piece of music software originally written by the brothers Finn rather than a retiring reformed bald alcoholic who created music by slowly transforming thematic elements, and burned most of his unfinished works, including the fabled 8th symphony (what is the next version of Sibelius software going to be called? This does not bode well for the future).
Known by the typical Finnish and Swedish name “Janne” to his family, when he was a student he began using the French form of his name, “Jean”, inspired by the business card of his seafaring uncle. He went on to become Jean Sibelius, the world famous composer and champion of Finnish music as well as one of the most popular 20th century symphonic writers. Continue reading
Hans Gál – recording project
Gál was born in 1890 to a Jewish family in a small village just outside Vienna. He was trained at the New Vienna Conservatory where later he taught for some time.
With the support of such important musicians as Wilhelm Furtwängler, Richard Strauss and others, he obtained the directorship of the Mainz Conservatory.
Gál composed in nearly every genre and his operas, which include Der Artz der Sobeide, Die Heilige Ente andDas Lied der Nacht, were particularly popular during the 1920s.
Although not exactly a household name in the guitar world, he did compose many works which include the mandolin and guitar, some of which are for mandolin orchestra. Continue reading
More Biberian – Guitar Concerto
Concerto de Mars – Jacques Bondon
Here’s a rarity – it’s piece I used to listen to a lot on an LP.
It is performed by Konrad Ragossnig and the Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux and is by the impressionist/eclectic French composer Jacques Bondon.
It’s great to hear it forty years later.
Alternative performing venues part 2
The alternative performing space I like best is Goldberg’s room next door to his boss Count Kaiserling. The Count was an insomniac and used to get Goldberg to play the clavichord to while away the night – no iPod or TV!
I often wonder how Goldberg must have spent his day and when he had time to practise! Of course, this would all have been a footnote in history if Forkel, Bach’s biographer had not written that Count Kaiserling had commissioned old Bach to write his eponymous set of variations for Goldberg. The Count was reported to have said, frequently ‘Dear Goldberg, do play me one of my variations.’
A few years back, where would you have been able to listen to the following guitarists in a more or less regular series for free? Xue Fei Yang, Johannes Moller, David Leisner, Alison Smith, the Eden Stell Duo, Gerald Garcia and Alison Bendy?