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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
 Posted - 02/08/2008 : 5:50:24 PM
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After 10 years plus of playing the guitar I decided it's time to learn what all the fuss is about regarding Andres Segovia. (Actually I didn't want to study about Segovia earlier because of the sway he seems to have over players.) I am now learning a lot, including some very interesting trivia, two item of which I would like to share with the patch:
- Segovia had intense performance anxiety which lasted throughout his life. He would typical get over the anxiety during the playing of the first piece. Sometimes, however, things didn't work out that easily. In fact, in a recital to honor his 80th birthday, he played his first piece a second time, because he was so anxious, he blew it the first time around.
- Segovia, essentially self-taught, practiced a minimum of 3 hours every day, in 1 hour to 1 1/4 hour increments, unless he was sick or travelling. This included well into his 80's. (When he was younger, he practiced longer.)Before a recital or concert, for about 3 days before the concert, he played the pieces multiple times, ate a very conservative menu and went to bed early. Sometimes he messed up his performance by experimenting with new fingering at the last minute. Of course "messed up" for Segovia is more like incredibly good for most of us.
Sometimes I get to fanatizing that these great Masters do what they do without much effort. It's good to be reminded of reality.
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`Ilio Nui
`Olu`olu
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 06:27:10 AM
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Raymond,
Have fun on your Segovia journey. He was a very cool guy. Back in the mid to late '60s there was an off-the-wall, beatnik-hippy coffeehouse in Saratoga called The Brass Knocker (later The Family Toad) that was a musicians hangout. On any given day you could hang and play with any number of well known Bay Area musicians; most of them before they became famous. One of the folks who habituated the place was Segovia, mostly practicing off in the corner, but he was always engagable in conversation. In that situation, he was just one of the guys. I never knew of his stage fright.
Dave |
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Larry Goldstein
Lokahi
267 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 07:45:36 AM
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I'm reading a recently published book that I think anyone who enjoys classical guitar, or plays guitar, will like.
The title is "Practicing - A Musician's Return to Music." It's written by Glenn Kurtz, a Ph.D in comparative literature. Ostensibly it's about a man who abandoned his quest to become a world class musician upon realizing he lacked the drive, ego and talent. Yet it's an articulate narrative that explores many aspects of music and self; a fine companion to "Zen Guitar."
Example chapters include, Perfecting My Mistakes, The Sweetest Chords in the World, and A Most Misunderstood Instrument.
Larry |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 07:53:02 AM
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You mean Andres Segovia? In Saratoga practicing?
This may interest you, Raymond.
It is a link to a person I think is the greatest calssical guitar player ever, a pupil, paying homage to Segovia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giLe3DHIzJk
There are two parts. Part two should be somewhere close.
p.s. I saw Segovia at the Milwaukee Perfroming Arts Center when he was in his late 70's. |
Bob |
Edited by - RWD on 02/10/2008 08:00:38 AM |
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bbenzel
Lokahi
USA
130 Posts |
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RJS
Ha`aha`a
1635 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 1:31:24 PM
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Bob, Thanks for the youtube links. I've been staying away from there 'cause I don't have that much time to waiste, but those are GREAT links. Worth every second.
Bill - You must have Chapdelaine book (I forgot exact title now but something like New Mexican pieces, postcards or portraits.) For me very challenging but very very nice. |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 02/10/2008 : 2:33:50 PM
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Bill
That master class video was intense! |
Bob |
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Auntie Maria
Ha`aha`a
USA
1918 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 06:37:37 AM
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Jeff Peterson did an absolutely MASTERFUL guitar piece -- a tribute to Segovia -- as part of Aaron Sala's Hawai`i Theatre concert this past Friday night.
And we cannot forget one of Segovia's most famous students -- Charo!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7LRVHZboz4 |
Auntie Maria
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kaniala5
Akahai
USA
65 Posts |
Posted - 02/11/2008 : 07:55:33 AM
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If you want to see Segovia teaching a masters class in a public venue - go to the Wong Audio Visual Center at the University of Hawaii and look him up. There is a video of him giving a lesson in what looks like a town square in Spain. He is teaching a young man a long complicated piece in sections and there are a bunch of people sitting without instruments politely listening to every note and word.
I forgot the piece, but it is one accompanied by an orchestra so Segovia is explaining when the student needs have more volume in his playing and why..........UH has a lot of other interesting archived tapes of instruction by other musicians as well.
All you need to use the library is some form of picture ID. If you are not a student, you can use the media in the room (they have all the machines there listen with) but you cannot check them out of the library unless you pay a sort of membership fee. It was $60 dollars about 10 years ago. |
Look for reasons to be happy rather than excuses to be miserable. |
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