July 5, 2005 at 9:22 PM

Shoot me; I didn't practice.
I had to get my hair cut (the idiot who trimmed me last time cut it crooked) and then I went to the library, and then I spent a few hours trying to find sheet music for "Cuckold Comes out of the Amery" from Master and Commander. I did not succeed. One would think that with great music like that, they'd have a sheet music collection. But NO! Not even a stray MIDI file to convert. *mumbles*
I've been listening to Rodrigo's Concerto de Aranjuez today. I LOVE the Adagio. The one Rodrigo wrote at night when he couldn't sleep from worrying about his ill wife. Very VERY pretty.
I was very un-American yesterday and refrained from playing any patriotic tunes for our neighbors. I feel that NO STRING PLAYER (not even violists) should have to stand the torment of playing Sousa. Am I alone on this? I mean, come on...Stars and Stripes was written for band not orcehstra. I've had to suffer that one just a few too many times (including an obnoxious rendition of "Jingle Bells Forever"...need I explain?)
So the most American thing i played was Orange Blossom Special. Gotta love that one. The only problem is that my copy (it's a score, actually...comes with a banjo, guitar, and bass) is 12 pages long. It makes for a lot of page turns. Either that or you lay it out on top of the piano and dance around it.
And then I polished mio babbino caro (*cough* uh, yeah, my violin) so now my bedroom aka Cell 27 (Count of Monte Christo) or *THE LAIR* smells like...well, we all know what polish smells like. But the saleslady told me "The smellier the gunk, the better it works." Hm.
So, yeah, that's my blog for today. Have a nice Fourth recuperation day you all!

From Sydney Menees
Posted on July 5, 2005 at 9:47 PM

I agree with the Sousa thing. We had to play Stars and Stripes Forever forever in orchestra last year! ACK! It didn't sound right (well obviously because it was written for a band)!

From Lauren Canitia
Posted on July 6, 2005 at 2:37 AM

lol, I enjoyed reading your post! ... "Cell 27 / The Lair" ;-)

From Carley Anderson
Posted on July 6, 2005 at 1:00 PM

Aw, Natasha, don't feel bad...you made me feel a LOT better about my 1 hour of practice yesterday. I'm hoping for a better day today.

From Patty Rutins
Posted on July 6, 2005 at 8:31 PM

You should check out the link from Laurie's blog, to the violinist who has turned Sousa into Paganini.

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on July 6, 2005 at 11:01 PM

When I was a little kid, Jorge Mester brought the Louisville Orchestra to the little town I lived in, and opened the concert with The Star Spangled Banner. The only chance many people there would ever have to hear it by an orchestra. I still try to think of that when I have to suffer through a part-time MTV dj howling it before the ball game.

From Annie W.
Posted on July 7, 2005 at 1:33 AM

I definitely agree with the Sousa comment. Let's just make it that any song with the words "marching tempo" or "fanfare" are relegated solely to the band.

From Natasha Marsalli
Posted on July 7, 2005 at 3:21 PM

Yeah, Mester conducts the Patriotic Pops stuff down here (he's the conductor for the Naples Philharmonic) and it breaks my heart to see all the pretty little violinist all breaking their necks over The Stars and Stripes Forever. So depressing...

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July 5, 2005 at 9:22 PM

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