Study Level - Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Mark
and since I'm planning to go for a degree in Music Composition, I was
wondering if anyone could give me an idea of the level of studies at which a
composition such as Recuerdos de la Alhambra by F. Tarrega or Moonlight
Sonata by Beethoven should be performed flawlessly. I do understand that
there is no universal criteria for determining something like this, and that
the level of study could be highly individual especially at a college level,
but I 'm trying to see where I'm in the whole scale of expectations. I do
understand that the quality of performance is an important factor to be
judged, but I know that the complexity of a piece should also be a factor.
Is this something a freshman should have mastered long ago? Any info would
be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Mark
Dale
> composition such as Recuerdos de la Alhambra by F. Tarrega or
> Moonlight
> Sonata by Beethoven should be performed flawlessly. I do
> understand that
I don't think Moonlight and Recuerdos are in the same league because of
the advanced technique required by Recuerdos. Anyway, the best teacher
that I ever had referred to Recuerdos as a "thirty year" piece because
it takes that long to master it. I've been at it for ten years off and
on and I play it pretty well. I hope it doesn't take another 20 to
master it!
Dale
* Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet's Discussion Network *
The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet - Free!
Jim
years and am terribly frustrated because while I can play lots of other pieces
fairly well, this one just defeats me.
Numerous times I've felt like quitting, because I just can't seem to play this
piece smoothly and cleanly. I have all the fingerings, and find that if I use
only a two note tremolo (m-i) I can play it reasonably well. There are other
tremolo pieces that I can do to my satisfaction, but this one...
I've been experimenting with a reverse tremolo, using i-m-a instead of a-m-i. I
can get good speed that way but am unable to put proper emphasis on the melody.
If there's any way you can hear Luis Suelves' recording, you'll be amazed at
the speed of his tremolo. I think he's doing it i-m-a.
Michael Lawler
> wondering if anyone could give me an idea of the level of studies at which
a
> Sonata by Beethoven should be performed flawlessly.
In England we have the grading system (grades 1 to 8), before performance
and teaching qualifications. The tremolo technique is first encountered
during grade 4 studies, although only at a very slow speed (crotchet = 66
with notes written as semiquavers).
To perform a quick tremolo piece requires much more skill though, and at a
guess I would imagine a piece such as Recuerdos played well (perhaps not
flawlessly), with good interpretation, would meet grade 8 standards.
Regards, Michael.
ChrisJ3371
I have never played the Beethoven to offer an opinion, but the Tarrega
is completely dependant on one's ability execute the tremolo technique. Other
than the tremolo, Recuerdos is fairly straightforward in the left hand, but
whether or not a person is good at tremolo will determine if the piece is easy
or difficult. Good
luck!
Chris
Dale
dal...@aol.comnospam (Jim) wrote:
> I guess your comments about Recuerdos are "encouraging." I've been
> at it for 20
> years and am terribly frustrated because while I can play lots of
> other pieces
> fairly well, this one just defeats me.
> Numerous times I've felt like quitting, because I just can't seem
> to play this
> piece smoothly and cleanly. I have all the fingerings, and find
One trick that has served me well is to practice tremolo while holding
quarters between i-m and m-a at the knuckle. This sounded like insanity
when I first heard about it, but it helps tremendoulsly. Its a great
way to minimize unnecessary movement.
doug jones
"Mark" <mark...@mail.com> wrote:
> Since I haven't had any formal training in classical guitar since I
was 9
> and since I'm planning to go for a degree in Music Composition, I was
which a
> composition such as Recuerdos de la Alhambra by F. Tarrega or
Moonlight
that
> there is no universal criteria for determining something like this,
and that
> the level of study could be highly individual especially at a college
level,
> but I 'm trying to see where I'm in the whole scale of expectations. I
do
> understand that the quality of performance is an important factor to
be
> judged, but I know that the complexity of a piece should also be a
factor.
> Is this something a freshman should have mastered long ago? Any info
would
> be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark
>
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Guiremac
holding quarters between i-m and m-a at the knuckle (snip)
.Dale,
This sounds like something I might want to try, but clarify for me how you
hold the quarters. Literally squeezing them between your fingers or balancing
them somehow on your knuckles?
One trick I use, is to tune the 2nd and 3rd strings to same note then
totally mute those two strings to create a percusive sound, then listen as I
play tremelo trying to strive for eveness of tone between P and fingers. ( P
playing 3rd string, fingers playing 2nd). I try to imagine I am listening to
a drummer playing a roll while I do this exercise.
Tim ( really interested in the quarter thing)
Josef Lichtscheindl
> This sounds like something I might want to try, but clarify for me how you
> hold the quarters. Literally squeezing them between your fingers or balancing
> them somehow on your knuckles?
Yes, please.
And what are "quarters" in your meaning? I am german with moderate english and
"quarters" do not seem to make any sense to me in the way you describe your
technique. Is it a kind of coin or what?
Regards
Josef Lichtscheindl
Dale
> > This sounds like something I might want to try, but clarify for
> me how you
> > hold the quarters. Literally squeezing them between your
> fingers or balancing
> > them somehow on your knuckles?
> Yes, please.
> And what are "quarters" in your meaning? I am german with moderate
Ah, my apologies for the confusion! The idea is that you hold (or
squeeze) a coin between your knuckles while practicing tremolo. The
size of the coin does not really matter as long as you can hold them in
place.
Guiremac
exercise to aid in developing good tremolo:
Dale,
The note that I tune the 2nd and 3rd strings to would be either both B or
both G so that when they are muted they have the same sound (kind of like
tuning two snare drums to the same note). When I practice tremolo on those
strings I think of the vocalization that horn players use for four note
groupings "diga diga", which places emphasis in the 1st and 3rd note (p and m
fingers respectively). This helps me from stressing my a finger which I am
naturally prone to do and creates that uneven galloping tremolo that CGist
shun. So, the whole point of this exercise is to help develop an even tremolo.
This is something I made up for myself but I suppose someone else might
benefit from it. Let my know if it is helpful to you.
An easier way to do this is to just touch the 2nd string above the tenth
fret and the 3rd string above the fourteenth fret with your left hand,
effectively canceling out the notes (cause they are not fretted) yet creating
tuned percusive strings. I do that because it is easier than retuning.
I have tried your coin exercise and have been unsuccessful; I think my
fingers are too skinny. But you have mentioned "knuckles" as the part that
holds the coins. I have assumed you mean by that, the first unwebbed joints
from the hand which allows for the fingers to hold the coins between them, but
if you literally mean knuckles then I am still a little confused because
knuckles are on the back of the hand and are unable to grasp things. I did try
to "balance" quarters on my knuckles but that requires unnatural repositioning
of the hand. So my fingers are too skinny then right, or did I still not do it
right? Let me know because it sounds like a cool idea.
Tim
GuitarsWeB
Paul
Dale
"knuckle"! According to the dictionary on my desk, it's "the rounded
prominence formed by the ends of two adjacent bones at a joint". So I
guess that means that each finger has three knuckles. That doesn't help.
The idea is that you hold the coin between the first joint located
between the first and second phalanges (the first being the one
attached to the metacarpal). Here's a cool anatomy page.
http://www.ama-assn.org/insight/gen_hlth/atlas/newatlas/hand.htm
This should work even if you have thin fingers. While practicing, all
of my fingers are slightly touching. I found that when I play (without
the coins) my fingers don't touch, but remain very close together.
GuitarsWeB
tell you for sure. A KNUCKLE is the part of the coupler that holds the cars
and engines togeather. What did you think it was, some part of a guarter.
Paul McGuffin
Mark
This is the Info I was looking for.
Thanks again,
Mark
Michael Lawler <mic...@lawler30.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:83p0sj$dio$1...@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> > wondering if anyone could give me an idea of the level of studies at
which
> a
> > composition such as Recuerdos de la Alhambra by F. Tarrega or Moonlight
> > Sonata by Beethoven should be performed flawlessly.
>
Mark Tajima
Andrew Schulman
Andrew