Back from the morning matinee … 19 other students and I first performed two pieces together (a french 16th century “Pavane” and a nice summer piece “Dance of the Mosquitos”) … I was the only viola, there was one contrabass, three celli and the rest all violins. 13 students (including me) were then to perform solos (or duets, trios & quartets), so between a lot of classics (Bach, von Weber, Mozart, Uccellini, Küchler, Pachelbel, Leclair, Kabalevsky & Vivaldi) and a funny bavarian folk tune performed by accordion, 2 violins & a cello – I and the “Viola of Doom” screeched along the tunes of “I’ve seen hell” … for the really brave (and deaf) ones: have a look at the vid 😉
North & South in Franconia … I've seen Hell … from FrauVonElmDings on Vimeo.
I’m really a bit uncomfortable, when I know, that what I have to deliver can & will not be perfect … but as so much people told me recently, that they’re feeling “to old” to start learning an instrument at all, I thought it might really inspire and encourage folks to give it a try, when they see what can be done in just a half year of practising. I’ve started this “string-project” just before my 45 birthday in the last week of january this year. Since I read my first Sherlock Holmes novel when I was about 12, I wanted to play a stringed instrument … instead I played the Melodica for one year, wooden flute just by ear and then my gran taught me to play the piano. But as puberty hit fully I started worshipping the church of disco and quit playing music myself. But deep within this “dream of strings” remained. By hearing a viola/violin duet last year I fell in love with the sound of the viola and as I discovered that they also are available in different sizes (and as a lefthanded version) that was that. I’m really short and so I play a half size “leftie” viola now, which is the size of a full violin!
So this really happened to be my “RAndom act of kindness” for day 4 – inspiring others by not being afraid to let my own imperfectness show. As Osgood says in “Some like it hot”‘s final scene “Nobody’s perfect.”
PS: for the ones interested in art/architecture: the church dates back to the 12th century and was originally constructed as a fortified church, the choir in which I am standing was added around the year 1440, the crucifix is a late gothic masterpiece from famous Tilman Riemenschneider and the oil on wood painting on the left side of the altar shows Adam & Eve with an interesting detail: a large pointer-type dog is sitting in front of them (early 17th century, from Nuremberg painter Paul Juvenell d.Ä.).
PPS: my “RAndom act of kindness” day 3 was – again – not really noteworthy: I just did NOT set an ant trail on fire whom I discovered going past the front door … as long as they stay outside they can do as they please, it’s their garden too 😉
sparkhouse1
Wonderful! Good for you!
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frauvonelmdings
You must be one of the deaf I mentioned, right? 😉
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sparkhouse1
No, not deaf! Selective listener maybe? It wasn’t perfect but kudos for getting up there and I’m very impressed with your skill so far!
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frauvonelmdings
Thank you 🙂 … it will be better next year … hopefully with real vibrato then – not the stage fright shaky hand version 😉
In fact I’m now considering buying a good e-piano and additionally renewing my piano skills so I can accompany myself… during the past 30 years I never realized just HOW much I’ve missed playing music … it’s all coming back – fascinating 😉
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sparkhouse1
I used to play the flute, and loved it. Then stopped and haven’t played in a very very long time. I don’t even remember how anymore. You did great, I even recognized that the music was from North and South, lol.
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frauvonelmdings
LOL … I’ve practised “Misty Mountains” some time ago, which sounds really nice on the viola and sent the soundfile to a friend and while she listened to it, her son shouted from the other room “hey, that’s that song from the Hobbit, isn’t it?” … he is my personal hero from now on 😉
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suzy
wow, ich bin beeindruckt!!!
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frauvonelmdings
Danke 🙂 Du hast also scheinbar auch auf “selektives Hören” geschaltet? 😉
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