Sarasate

September 8, 2010 at 6:49 AM

-Back to Alaska-

After a week long, intense practice binge with my new bow, I felt ready to meet with my accompanist for our first run-through of the fall recital line-up. An uncommonly sunny fall day surrounded me as I hummed fiddle tunes on my way to her house; golden aspen leaves whirled like confetti in my wake. It had been way too long since I'd seen Maria, and I couldn't wait to show her my projects. Her recently reconstructed studio is one I secretly covet, with its high ceilings and perfect acoustics, which lend plenty of room for the hearty voce of her grand piano.

We shared about our summers, about how rainy it was, and how none of our old ensembles play together anymore. First on the menu, appropriately, was Brahm's G Major (a.k.a. "Rain") Sonata. After the first movement had us just about in tears, we concluded that Brahms might be a bit too dark for the upcoming community fund-raising concert; such seriousness should be reserved for my own November recital. We need something more light-hearted! How about some Sarasate? To be sure, his Caprice Basque is perhaps the absolute antithesis of heavy: all spicy and flirtatious, it's unable to be taken seriously at all.

Unfortunately, the difficult passages refuse to be played in anything but the most audacious mood. It took me twice through the harmonics and arpeggios to begin to overcome some of my timidity, for them to even remotely resemble what I'd hashed out back in the studio. I couldn't help but apologise to Maria, which only made things worse.

No, you gotta play it like you don't care--like you're dancing coquettishly with a stranger, and you're wearing a stolen red dress.

Hm, I need a red dress...

From Bill Busen
Posted on September 9, 2010 at 3:03 AM

Emily finally made my Facebook Quotes section.

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