The Bridge - Connecting Violin and Fiddle Worlds,
I am very excited to share with you my forthcoming book, to be published in the late Fall.
In my profession as a violinist in Florida, I come across all kinds of stuff that might be fun or interesting to discuss. Classically trained in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, now I teach both violin and fiddle. I teach the O'Connor method and other methods as the need arises. I do not teach Suzuki. I am specialized in Baroque violin and am a member of the Alachua Consort. I love exploring what's out there. Thus I also play in a Greek band, EMBROS, on electric 5-string.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Amplifying violins takes musicians for a ride...
Last night, at a concert, I was very troubled by the power of the sound system and the "breaking" of the sound of one of the most beautiful instruments around.
A violin or fiddle...no matter what you call this gorgeous instrument, has a voice that is delicate. The bow touches the strings and transforms the energy in a palette of sound colors. These are deliberately and very carefully chosen by the master violinist or fiddler. The bow makes the sound and that can be an incredibly rich experience. Without the bow and the mastery of the bow a violin does not sing.
A violin sings though. And it is this singing quality that may best be described in poetry by masters of the language. As I realize I find myself short of words to describe it. It is the finesse that makes a fiddler a fiddler, a jazz violinist a jazz violinist and a classical and baroque violinist just who they are. Artists of the instruments and of the music they play.
When the instrument gets amplified it is this aspect that needs to be treated with the utmost respect. I have learned that one of the difficulties may be (or is) the continued sound coming from the bow. This versus the strumming of a guitar for instance. Interesting. I am not a sound technician. I think though that in this day and age - as more often violins are amplified - this is to be one of the more routine issues to deal with. Another area that affects the amplification is of course the acoustics of the room (hall).
I remember my "fight" with amplifying my violin in the band. I could not hear myself and thus I would play "hard". I pressed my bow deep into the string for that was what I knew to do. It caused me to force the sound and made me ultimately unhappy. I would crank up my personal sound level and the band would vilify me! I understood. The sound in itself was nasty (like curdled milk). The violin would burst over any acceptable level and destroy the overall sound of the band.
I believe that for my purposes I have mostly fixed the problem. I am close to my own personal monitor and hear myself really well. I have good equipment and I do not need to get out of mid range. I believe I can use my bow expressively again and can get much closer to what I can do without amplification.
Over-amplifying a violin is hurtful. An over-amplified violin can scream. At such a moment the sound "breaks"; sound clashes against sound. And the best players find their music, their art - killed. Notes, articulation, expression...not heard but blurred. Last night I heard some of the best fiddlers around. They were over-amplified and (not:"or" ) there was too much treble in the system. Their instruments screamed. I could see their mastery, but not hear it. I was glad to see them and yet the amplification made me cry inside.
A violin or fiddle...no matter what you call this gorgeous instrument, has a voice that is delicate. The bow touches the strings and transforms the energy in a palette of sound colors. These are deliberately and very carefully chosen by the master violinist or fiddler. The bow makes the sound and that can be an incredibly rich experience. Without the bow and the mastery of the bow a violin does not sing.
A violin sings though. And it is this singing quality that may best be described in poetry by masters of the language. As I realize I find myself short of words to describe it. It is the finesse that makes a fiddler a fiddler, a jazz violinist a jazz violinist and a classical and baroque violinist just who they are. Artists of the instruments and of the music they play.
When the instrument gets amplified it is this aspect that needs to be treated with the utmost respect. I have learned that one of the difficulties may be (or is) the continued sound coming from the bow. This versus the strumming of a guitar for instance. Interesting. I am not a sound technician. I think though that in this day and age - as more often violins are amplified - this is to be one of the more routine issues to deal with. Another area that affects the amplification is of course the acoustics of the room (hall).
I remember my "fight" with amplifying my violin in the band. I could not hear myself and thus I would play "hard". I pressed my bow deep into the string for that was what I knew to do. It caused me to force the sound and made me ultimately unhappy. I would crank up my personal sound level and the band would vilify me! I understood. The sound in itself was nasty (like curdled milk). The violin would burst over any acceptable level and destroy the overall sound of the band.
I believe that for my purposes I have mostly fixed the problem. I am close to my own personal monitor and hear myself really well. I have good equipment and I do not need to get out of mid range. I believe I can use my bow expressively again and can get much closer to what I can do without amplification.
Over-amplifying a violin is hurtful. An over-amplified violin can scream. At such a moment the sound "breaks"; sound clashes against sound. And the best players find their music, their art - killed. Notes, articulation, expression...not heard but blurred. Last night I heard some of the best fiddlers around. They were over-amplified and (not:"or" ) there was too much treble in the system. Their instruments screamed. I could see their mastery, but not hear it. I was glad to see them and yet the amplification made me cry inside.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Violin, Fiddle and all that Stuff : 19th International Women Composer Festival
Violin, Fiddle and all that Stuff : 19th International Women Composer Festival: Women Composers; why discuss these separately from the many (famous) male composers? Do we really need to bother featuring them separately?...
Thursday, March 5, 2015
19th International Women Composer Festival
Women Composers; why discuss these separately from the many (famous) male composers?
Do we really need to bother featuring them separately? Maybe a good question, since that action may lead to a sense of separatism.
And then I notice every year how amazing the works of some of these "women composers" are. I wonder: have they been ignored as they were just "women"? Alma Mahler, the wife of Gustav, yet a composer in her own right...In previous years I have performed music by Barbara Heller. Stunningly pure and of intense beauty. That was a 20th Century piece, commenting on the plight of women - imprisoned...war time. Haunting. It was with intense pleasure I played this and I felt honored to have been given the opportunity.
Now we are preparing the music for a concert that could have taken place at the court of the summer palace "Sanssouci" of King Frederick the Great. Women composers even then; some of them with particular vision in their compositions. I smile as we rehearse these pieces in preparation for our concert. The most common commentary one can hear during rehearsal is the amazement: "She is so far ahead of their time! Her music is so exquisite!" And indeed it is with great joy I practice music by: Anna Amalia, Camilla de Rossi and Elisabeth Claude Jacquet de la Guerre. A new sonata for violin and harpsichord: incredibly exciting! Light, French, playful and challenging.
I understand that in earlier days my colleague and friend was told: there are no manuscripts to speak of, of compositions by women composers in that era. And here we are, enjoying every moment of the rich music repertoire waiting for us to bring to life.
I am glad we pay attention - special attention - to the women who composed and who compose the most beautiful music. This music deserves to be part of mainstream music as we know it. Yet this music will not come forth if we - musicians - don't bring it in the limelight of the stage.
Do we really need to bother featuring them separately? Maybe a good question, since that action may lead to a sense of separatism.
And then I notice every year how amazing the works of some of these "women composers" are. I wonder: have they been ignored as they were just "women"? Alma Mahler, the wife of Gustav, yet a composer in her own right...In previous years I have performed music by Barbara Heller. Stunningly pure and of intense beauty. That was a 20th Century piece, commenting on the plight of women - imprisoned...war time. Haunting. It was with intense pleasure I played this and I felt honored to have been given the opportunity.
Now we are preparing the music for a concert that could have taken place at the court of the summer palace "Sanssouci" of King Frederick the Great. Women composers even then; some of them with particular vision in their compositions. I smile as we rehearse these pieces in preparation for our concert. The most common commentary one can hear during rehearsal is the amazement: "She is so far ahead of their time! Her music is so exquisite!" And indeed it is with great joy I practice music by: Anna Amalia, Camilla de Rossi and Elisabeth Claude Jacquet de la Guerre. A new sonata for violin and harpsichord: incredibly exciting! Light, French, playful and challenging.
I understand that in earlier days my colleague and friend was told: there are no manuscripts to speak of, of compositions by women composers in that era. And here we are, enjoying every moment of the rich music repertoire waiting for us to bring to life.
I am glad we pay attention - special attention - to the women who composed and who compose the most beautiful music. This music deserves to be part of mainstream music as we know it. Yet this music will not come forth if we - musicians - don't bring it in the limelight of the stage.
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