classical guitar lesson + extra hour

Hi there, well, I decided to take another two extra hours per month. The reason is quite simple. One hour per week is not enough.Altough, I have to pay for that, Simon's lesson always worth for it. We spent first hour to develop and review some of my techniqes(right and left hand).In second hour we went step by step throughout a whole piece(Homenaje).

quartet rehearsal

Hi there, as it usually happens we practised La Boda and Romanso by Torroba. In my view, we did well. However, we have to more focus on details such as tone colours, dynamics and phrasing. Although, Simon was satisfied, we still have lot of to catch up.

improvisation class

Hi there, well, as it usually happens we practised blues scales including D mixolydian, F mixolydian as well as Ab mixolydian. Today we also played a short piece called Samba Mixolidio by Simon Wan Der Walt. Simon gave us an opportunity to have an solo improvising in mixolydian modes during a song.I have to say it was the main problem for me. Well, I have to practise more improvisation with backing tracks I guess.

lesson with Simon Thacker

Hi there, well another lesson with Simon Thacker went well. We did various exercises based on right hand techniques including arpeggios, tremolo, repeating notes, planting fingers as well as rhythmic variation on the thumbs. Last couple weeks I have been concentrating more on right hand. The reason is very simply I have never practise right hand as I should thereby right hand is weaker then left hand. I do not want say that I did not practise left hand at all. Simon chose chromatic scales, shifting position for left hand technique. There was one problem which I did not release until Simon mentioned it. My left hand putting too much pressure on the board therefore we focused on releasing tension.

my first programme notes

Fantasia que contrahaze la harpa en la man era de Ludovico Alonso De Mudarra (1510-1580), Not only he was one of the greatest Spanish composer and vihuelist (vihuela is a type of six-string course guitar) of the sixteenth century, he also introduced many innovations in the instrumental music. In his first published books Tres Libros de Musica en Cifras para Vihuela(1546) can be easily found the originality of conception as well as the novelty of the sound. Those innovations are splendidly reflected in his masterpiece Fantasia que contrahaze la harpa en la man era de Ludovico. Mudarra was impressed by one of the best harpist at that time- Ludovico El Del Arpa, whom the Fantasia was dedicated to. Not only the Fantasia imitates Ludovico’s harp, it also has the style which was so typical for him. Although Mudarra wrote numerous fantasias, the harp-like sound effect can be heard only in this particular piece. Due to this effect the fantasia has been famed among lutenists, guitarists and vihuelists for many centuries. The technique which was used to imitate harp-like sound effect is based on arpeggios (a group of notes which are played one after another). Moreover, the composer emphasised a harmony by combining musical notes that are considered as unpleasant for most people, also called a dissonance (kind of disharmony). This was attained by using a d- sharp on the second string along with an open e so that both sound simultaneously. Consequently, he reached some of the harp-like features. Mudarra decided not to follow an imitating counterpoint method (note against note, which was a commonly used pattern to compose fantasia). In fact, he used more sophisticated method based on the syncopated rhythm. Therefore, the composer achieved an extraordinary forward motion which allowed him to develop a fluency and clarity. Although Mudarra’s Fantasia contains an extremely wide range of emotion, it is performed in a balanced way with no extra added dynamics (loud, soft) or tone colours. Therefore a typical regularity of renaissance art was evidently involved. Bibliography: This programme note is based on the article Mudarra’s Harp Fantasia written by John Griffiths http://www.vihuelagriffiths.com