May 2008

The upgrade. The expense. the Disatisfaction.

May 31, 2008 02:42

Realisation time. After 4 and a bit years of playing, now I can finally hear the difference between different instruments, and the effect of different bows.
but I really wish I hadn't developed this level of sophistication.
Now my little 3/4 violin sound weak and desperate. My teacher has a vibrant and gorgeous little ancient Italian. When she plays my violin to demonstrate stuff, I can hear a dreadful difference. Under my ear, my violin sounds okay (apart from a total lack of resonance as it hits 6th position on the D and G strings). From a couple of meters away, it sound so hollow. Bleh.
In blissful ignorance the sound hasnt worried me until now. But NOW, I have to start thinking about how to afford the upgrade. I really hoped I'd get a few more years before I'd notice.
And its a bit difficult to justify spending whatever its going to cost, when some weeks we are seriously running on empty at the end of the pay week. I guess at my approaching the 1/2 century age I should be setting other priorities.
On the up side of this, is that now I can approach to playing some really fine pieces. 6th and 7th grade is so much more fun, and I loved 5th grade. I'm midway through Handel IV sonata (D major), but will let it go for a bit because I just don't have enough speed for the 2nd movement, or enough vibrato control to get what I want in the 3rd movement (I love the sequence of intervals gradually, painfully making you wait until it resolves), and the piano accompaniment is just so satisfying. I've really enjoyed hearing my progress on the V sonata (A major), it is fairly playable now.

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