It's all in the mind-set

Today I had this discussion with a few students. One mentioned that if she played a piece by memory, she would not trip up and the usual spot, not when she reads the notes, a voice would say in her mind "this is where I trip up", and it happened... exactly like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

It got me thinking. Did I have such a voice? How did I get past all those tricky bits? Why did I pick the tough music to learn? There I have the answer. I pick some of the toughest music to learn simply because I have seen others do it, and I want to play those as well. I see those fancy moves techniques and I say "I want to be able to show off like them, too". Sure I come across those tricky bits, and sure I tripped out... but I never had the voice that says "here is where I trip up". If anything, the voice usually say "I'm going through this", and afterward, "YES I did it!".

In between practice, the music, the challenging part, would go through in my mind. At first I just let it "do it's thing", because it can be such a distraction especially when I need to do something else. Then I noticed something -- when the music flows through in my mind, it also "trip up" and exactly the places that I have difficulty. Well that does NOT make sense, does it? I mean, I was not even playing the violin, it's all in the mind! And it is doubly annoying to have an unwanted melody in the mind, plus the mistakes. I mean, at least I can have a nice and smooth tune, can't I? So I set about to deliberately direct the melody in my mind to be smooth and flowing, and erase the mistake. I did this out of spite, if nothing else, without realizing it is exactly the way to reprogram my brain. Of course any time I can have a "perfect version" just by listening to a recording, a CD. The difference is, when the melody flows through the mind, all the associated memories of fingers, shifts, bow movements are actually being "reprogrammed". e.g. If I keep running out of bow to do that slur, my mental action would show that I have plenty enough bow to do it, and that translates to the ability to actually do it on my next practice.

Bear in mind, though. This is not a short-cut. I don't just "reprogram" and it worked out perfectly the next day. I still need hours to practise. The difference is, I got the result I want, I can go show off that fancy move, and I don't have the voice that says "I'm going to trip up here".

Day dreaming does help, it seems. ;) Just don't do that 24/7.

Vivaldi Summer

Just listened to Vivaldi Summer, played by Pinchas Zukermann. Very interesting playing. I have also another recording done by St-Martin-In-The-Field, who was said to play Baroque music (or specialized in Baroque music) with period instruments (not modern instruments). They actually sounded a little rough in this Summer. Zukermann's rendition sounded with more finesse. Really enjoyed listening to it.

New Web site

There! I finally got around to set up a web-site, with domain name same as this one. No doubt this blog site is a whole lot more functional than the other site. I suppose I just like the more flexible design and additional features available. Do drop by http://www.theviolinhouse.com to check things out.

Operas... molto espressivo

Voice is our most natural and frequence choice of expression. It is no wonder that many composers chose vocal music as they mature. All musical instruments are like substitute to voice, and for accompanying voice. Violin is no exception. I just downloaded a few songs from Mozart's opera, The Magic Flute. Ah I miss all those fine singing. The Queen of the Night solo, wonderful high pitches. All the phrases and expressions sound so natural and automatic when sung. Things I can learn to adapt onto the violin.

Mahler Symphony No.5

Just listened to this recording. Well, I won't be writing a good review. I loved the 4th movement, the slow movement. It sounds somewhat like Hollywood movie music, but that would probably draw lots of criticism from Mahler fan. It is among the sweetest and saddest music I've heard. When played well, it really draws the audience into their deepest depth of soul. Yet the other movements can be light and mischievious. It is such a delight to listen to this piece of music, long as it is. It is not an easy piece to listen to. I doubt any teenager would appreciate it on the first listen-through. Oh there are always some who can "get it" right away, of course. For the general audience, I would say that the music grows with you. The more mature you get, as you appreciate music, and appreciate life in general, the more you will grow to like this piece.

Earthquake in Sichuan

It is heart-rending to see whole town reduced to rubble, and people dying. Here's a little prayer to the dead, and for the survivors. Here is the real show of survival. I haven't seen many news-clips on the rescue missions, but I bet everyone can use some music right now. Something soothing, calming. And something to cheer the rescuers on, something to keep those still trapped, keep their morale up. Some music to remind those still trapped, that rescuers have not given up hope of finding survivors, even after 4 days, and so they should also not give up surviving.

Wieniawski Dudziarz

Another Grade 8 exam music. Well, it is a show piece. Many fun parts to slide around, showing off the shifting skills, and the flare of showmanship. The challenge is to convince the students to show their confidence in the tone, whether they know the notes or not. It is funny that there are some people who do that all the time. But these are usually the rare few. If they don't do well, it leaves many in the audience cringing for them, at the same time admiring their guts to showoff something that they don't really have to show off on.

Well, that is for the audience who knows the music. What if the audience does not know the music? Playing with a flare will make it a good show, a good show that audience can appreciate better than a very orderly and tamed performance. For Dudziarz, there is nothing tame or timid about the music. There are some refined tone, some pacing, before exploding into rowdy dance tune. Leave the orderly and elegance to Baroque or Classical music.