FAERIE’S AIRE and DEATH WALTZ: The Silliness of Absurdity

A few days ago I watched a  world premier performance of  FAERIE’S AIRE and DEATH WALTZ (from a tribute to Zdenko G. Fibich).

The performers, the Colorado State Music Teacher’s Association,  are an appealing group of older music teachers.  They certainly do a great job.  Watch it, it’s worth a giggle for more than one reason.

Copies of the score by John Stump have been bouncing around the www for some time

Death of Great Japanese Assimilator of Instrument Design

News from the US today that famed guitar builder Taku Sakashta has been found killed. This builder’s wonderfully crafted instruments really epitomise, for me, the skill required to successfully assimilate design.

Read the article here.

Have a look at his instruments – guitars of essentially American invention are given a subtle design twist making them unmistakably Japanese.

I’ve often admired his mandolins – in particular the famous Mustang with its reverse scroll. This is what an F Style usually looks like.

Does innovation like this die with the innovator?

Rant no.1: There’s that pause and then (dah dah dah) The Other

Often I’ve just finished a performance or I’m somewhere at a social gathering talking music and someone will ask me:  “What instrument do you play?”.

A simple question, yet I hesitate. Because I know that trouble is ahead. It goes like this:

1) my answer:  “I play the mandolin.”

2) questioner pauses

3) questioner hesitates, then:  “Wow [or similar expression] that’s so cool”

4) I wait in (dark) anticipation

5) questioner again:  “You know, my grandad played the banjo”

6) me:  “Great” except I’m thinking:  “why do I have to know this ?!!!”

Every time.

Now you might think me unfriendly or even ungenerous to think such thoughts. 

Hello World – my opening address:

Welcome to this blog and congratulations for pausing here.  I’m Brendon and I’ll be using this blog to track my thoughts and ideas as I try and make sense of my thoughts and ideas.  Bear with me.

Prepare yourself