Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Yeah, I love music. It's pretty much the bomb.

I have been furiously knitting these past few days to get a scarf done for someone as an early Christmas present. To beguile the time as I knit, I've been listening to a lot of my classical cds, and have realized again just how amazing music is.

Here are some of my old favorites. Some of them are pretty long, but listen to them as you're cooking, reading, doing housework, schoolwork, whatever. It's worth it.

Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture- music doesn't get anymore thrilling, beautiful, and heartbreaking than this. Listen to all three parts.

Paganini's Caprice No. 24 - pieces like this, performed like players like this, are the reason I play the violin. 3:13 is the best part, so be sure to listen all the way through if you start it.

The Girl with the Flaxen Hair, by Claude Debussy -
I played this two recitals ago, but it didn't sound quite like this, I'm afraid.

Eine kleine Nachtmusik, (Allegro,) by Mozart - one of the first orchestral pieces I remember hearing as a little girl, and it still makes me tingle from head to toe.

Each of the Four Seasons by Vivaldi are wonderful, but I've been listening to Winter for obvious reasons. And I love the gradual crescendo throughout the entire piece.

Finally, (because I have to stop somewhere, not because I'm running out of suggestions,) if I had to pick a piece as my favorite from now til death do us part, I would probably pick Humoresque, by Dvorak.

Oh, the memories Humoresque brings back. Ellie and I played this together at recitals about half a dozen times or more, (meaning that we practiced it several hundred times, give or take a few. I'm not exaggerating much,) and somehow I never grew tired of it. I think she did, but to be perfectly fair, her part wasn't as enjoyable as mine, seeing as how she played the accompaniment. (Played it really, really well, by the way.) We had lots of fun at those recitals. Sometimes we played without a tremor or even one sharp or flat note, and sometimes we had to actually stop in the middle and go back a little ways 'cause we messed up so badly. Our nerves were our best friends at these events. Speaking of which, y'all wanna see some pictures of us way back when? You do?

Owww!! Ellie, stop pinching me. I can show 'em if I want to. Sorry 'bout that. Okay, here goes.

Notice, please, that in the last one, we were wearing matching, red, sparkly, shirts. Oh, you already noticed that? Just making sure. Somehow, at this recital, Eleanor's black shoes were left at home, so she played in her stocking feet. Good times, good times. Is that why she looks like she sucked a barrel of lemons right before the picture? And I look kinda drugged. But we thoroughly enjoyed it all. Except for the nerves part. Which was a pretty big part of it.

Eleanor? I love you. You're a fantastic accompanist.




p.s. I really like this song. Thanks, Katie C. for introducing me to it. Songs about brown eyed girls are the best.

10 comments:

Cordelia said...

So, I have half credit for introducing you since it was my ipod with which she introduced it to you, right? ;) I love that song too. And you're sparkly red shirt. Can I borrow that someday?

Katie Larissa said...

I'm a sparkly red shirt? Are you sure? :)

elliebird said...

oh. my. word. ok. i literally started guffawing at the last picture. i think i snorted too. that is absolutely hilarious of both of us! we really need to find those shirts and save them for our little girls. so classy. good times, good times.

good music choices, too. i love the first one especially.

beatrice said...

wow. that is one angry face there, eleanor.

Anonymous said...

wow




that is ...amazing


or something like that

Emily said...

Awww, y'all are SO CUTE!! Little girls playin' music together-so sweet.
And by the way, I've NEVER heard you play. You violinists aren't like pianists that seem to run into an instrument to be forced to display upon everywhere you go. I must come up with a suitable bribe.

Katie Larissa said...

I really, really don't like to play for people. Except Mama, and, oddly enough, strangers. Strangers don't bother me; I guess because I could care less what they think. But if I mess up in front of friends... yeah, I'm just a little prideful and paranoid. I'll play for you some day, Emily. Promise.

Emily said...

I can understand that strangers thing. Makes sense, actually.

Cordelia said...

Oops. Grammar fail on my part. I meant "And YOUR sparkly red shirt". Don't tell Mrs. Mary Jo, please. It would destroy my reputation, you know.

Katie Larissa said...

I'll take it to the grave, Courtney.