·:[ CelliMuse ]:·
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Dv just impresses me, you know? Sing him a tune and he can pick it out on the piano in no time flat; have all the right inflections and the harmony, even. Give him a paper full of notes, though, and you’ll get a long loud sound of displeasure, generally.

I started him out with a very simple version of “Oh where, oh where can my little dog be?” called “My little doggie.” The problem is that he knows the song and “My little doggie” just wasn’t up to snuff. He complained that it wasn’t how the “real” song sounded. It was just two staves long & I wanted him to play the notes he was reading. He did; and was NOT happy with it at all.

So.

I began hunting for the full song. I found it in a very old music book - one that is even printed in color! It’s a full over-sized page long with six staves. I brought it over to him, showed him and he practiced that tune for a full hour. That’s just unprecidented! It’s like pulling eye-teeth to get him to play for 20 minutes from notes on a page, normally. Needless to say, I am very much impressed that he has that kind of focus when his mind is engaged. With him, if it’s not right, it’s not worth doing, apperantly.

Sorry to be away for so stinkin’ long. It’s been horrendously busy around the BoydHouse and I’ve been remiss in updating about what’s going on. So. To business!

Firstly, we’ve a whole new set of répertoire, including cello duets and piano/cello duets! I’m sooooo proud of us (D, Dv, and I)! So, here’s our music that we’re working on now:

Cello:
Part of Your World, composed by Alan Menken (lyrics by Howard Ashman)
Kiss the Girl, composed by Alan Menken (lyrics by Howard Ashman)
The Little Star (cello duet), composed by WA Mozart
Lightly Row (cello duet), a folk song
The Clock Shop (cello duet), composed by C. Hohmann
Twilight (cello duet), composed by C. Hohmann
Lullaby (cello duet), composed by Carl Maria Von Weber
Dream Waltz (cello duet), composed by TH Henning
The Last Leaf (cello duet), an old song (really, that’s what the book says!)
PART of The New World Symphony (cello duet), composed by Antonin Dvorak
Ode to Joy (piano/cello duet), composed by
Harp Song (piano/cello duet)

Piano:
My Bonnie
My Little Dog
this list needs to be updated - but Dv has the books in HR right now!

How’re we doing? Well. Actually, we’re doing fairly well. I’m pleased.

This is pretty self explainitory. So I’ll just give the link to you!

I’ve recently encountered notes that have a little X instead of a round “head” to them and wondered what they were all about. Once again, our instructor comes to the rescue and teaches us how to understand the notes!

That was a tough one for us when we were getting ready to get D and Dv set up with their instruments. Even $350 is a lot to pay for a cello that might not be played! And the piano! Well, with tuning every six months, let’s just say it felt like quite a risk. Upon reflection, it’s a risk I’m definately glad we took - for both kids - but we also let them lead us. These instruments were their chosen instruments rather than some decree coming from a parent, grandparent, or aunt.

However, if you’re wondering what to do and when to do it, take a look at this article. It should give you a little better understanding of the what, wherefores, and whys.

So, we’re on a role now. It’s time to read about Time Signatures and how they impact the way a piece of music is played. I wonder if this applies to improv as well?

This must be the how to intended for conductors. If you look at the lesson, you get a whole new respect for the person holding nothing but a stick and a conglomeration of papers with notes on it!

It’s been quite a while since I first pondered what that little # is supposed to mean on the second-line-from-the-top-of-the-bass-cleff-staff. Hahaha! I know that now that it means you’re supposed to play F# (third finger) rather than F natural (second finger)…

However, I’ve never quite seen a how to like this one on how to read a key signature. It would have come in very handy when I was trying to puzzle out what end was up!

Nah, not for really, but it sure looks like it, thanks to audio and video technology! Giovanni Sollima plays Sogno ad Occhi Aperti (Daydream):

• PART 1
• PART 2