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Percy - Posted - 12/12/2008: 19:36:29
("Legends of the Fall" composed by James Horner, as played by Jay Ungar and Molly Mason on their "The Lover's Waltz" CD... I've tried to mix it so you can hear my fiddle above the background music...
I finally did it -- I played in public today. At work, we were having our Christmas party, so I held a "Captive Audience Fiddle Recital" in one of the offices. Admission was free, but you had to pay to leave! I raised $50 for "Honor Flight Network" (a group that transports WWII veterans to see their memorial in DC).
I played this piece along with "The Lover's Waltz," "Waltzing With You," and "Angeline The Baker." People were coming and going so I could just repeat as necessary.
I actually didn't shake and tremble... for the first time. Maybe it was because of the cause I was raising money for -- that seemed more important than any mistakes I might make.
Wakicuza Wasake - Posted - 12/12/2008: 21:41:36
I have yet to let anyone herar me play other then the one posting I've put here. My wife has never even heard a note yet. I dream of the day I pull out my fiddle at one of our fires and start playing, to see the look on the faces of those I have enjoyed listening to their music for so many years, the ones who inspired me to finally take the plunge and buy a fiddle... the same ones who have no idea I have done such a thing......
I envy you, and look forward to that day I feel confident enough to even play for my family. Your cause is worthwhile and I commend you for your efforts. As a (younger) vet myself, I know you are appreciated.
Congrats on the successful performance, and many more to come.
This Dawg''s never too old to learn new tricks. :)
Brian
Tennessee Tom - Posted - 12/13/2008: 00:47:04
quote:
Originally posted by Wakicuza Wasake
As a (younger) vet myself, I know you are appreciated.
I would second that. Great work, Percy!
Cheers,
Tom (USN)
fiddlepLuker - Posted - 12/13/2008: 02:13:05
Percy,
That's AWESOME! With additional icing on the cake from your kindness to support a good cause! C O N G R A T S T O Y O U........
~fiddlepLuker
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 02:38:01
Thanks so much guys... and for those who are vets -- thank you for your service.
My dad was a 30-year Navy man.. veteran of WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He passed away before the memorial was finished. I would have loved to have had him see it. I was able to see it a few years ago -- it's truly a beautiful place.
When I heard about Honor Flight, I knew I needed to do something... so I'm going to start raising as much money as possible for it.
So I guess that's why I could play... working for a higher purpose.
As for the tune, I still have some work to do. It actually jumps up in the 3rd position and I can't do that yet. But hopefully that will come soon -- and of course, I have to get that vibrato thing going. Those are my next two big challenges. By this time next year, I hope to make this tune really sing!
Hi Strung - Posted - 12/13/2008: 03:59:25
Percy, that's wonderful!!!
"I actually didn't shake and tremble... for the first time. Maybe it was because of the cause I was raising money for -- that seemed more important than any mistakes I might make."
This statement made me really think about my stage fright.
We are to play at the Irish Cultural Center this Sunday morning (outside) when they open their new library. President of Ireland is to be there. I'm terrified and have thoughts of not going.
On Saturday the 20th we are to go to an assisted living home to play and I can't wait! No fear here.
I believe I get the worst stage fright when I know I'm being critiqued and judged. I need to be able to look at every performance as if it's for a worthy cause, then maybe my stage fright will go away. Hmm, won't be easy.
"If you only knew the things I want to say and don''t, you''d give me some credit."
~Maud Montgomery
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 04:12:39
When you play the music -- try to think of something that moves you in the direction of the music -- NOT the music itself. That seems to be working for me.
It's like watching a music video in your head. If you're playing happy music -- think of a memory of something that makes you feel that way... the same if your playing something melancholy or sad.
Take yourself away from the performance and travel somewhere else. Practice the tunes until your fingers know them and they'll play themselves.
That's what I did yesterday... while I was playing those tunes -- I was mentally standing in the WWII memorial thinking of the men who saved the world. So what if I made an "oops" here and there. Compared to what they did, my little recital just didn't seem all that important!
Twelvefret - Posted - 12/13/2008: 04:54:23
quote:
("Legends of the Fall" composed by James Horner, as played by Jay Ungar and Molly Mason on their "The Lover's Waltz" CD... I've tried to mix it so you can hear my fiddle above the background music...
Thank you for reminding me of this beautiful song, Carol.
chuck
"Good artists copy. Great artists steal."
Pablo Picasso
A baby is God''s opinion that life should go on. (Carl Sandburg)
The people who are most sure of themselves are the most dangerous.
Nothing''s going to work just because you want it to. You got to make the damn thing work. (Thomas A. Edison)
He who ****s in the road meets flies on his return. (African proverb)
"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best." - Henry Van Dyke
"Don''t blame me, I voted for Sarah". chuck naill
"A gentleman is a man who knows how to play the banjo... but refrains from doing so."
Mark Twain
You only have power over people so long as you don''t take everything away from them. But when you''ve robbed a man of everything, he''s no longer in your power - he''s free again.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918 -2008 )
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 04:57:06
Chuck -- it IS gorgeous that's for sure. The funny thing is, I hadn't heard it before last weekend. I came across it and thought it was beautiful so I started working on it. Then I got to thinking, a movie with that kind of soundtrack might be pretty good as well -- so I watched the movie for the first time. OH MY -- the movie is as beautiful as the music!
squawkeye - Posted - 12/13/2008: 05:02:54
Funny - I was playing Ashoken Farewell the other day (on piano, actually) and then found myself thinking how similar it sounded to Legends of the Fall, and so I started playing the two as a medley. I then started to wonder if James Horner had been "influenced" by Ashoken Farewell - I wasn't aware Jay Ungar and Molly Mason had recorded a version of it, but that's quite a coincidence. Do you know any of the history behind how they came to record their version, Percy? It was written by James Horner, correct?
Edited by - squawkeye on 12/13/2008 05:03:36
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 05:18:50
It was written by James Horner -- but for the film soundtrack, Jay and Molly were recruited to play it. I'm not sure why or how they got involved...
I've written to Molly -- asking her if they would ever consider making a "play-along" CD of their beautiful music. I know I'd be the first in line to buy one!
fiddlepLuker - Posted - 12/13/2008: 05:41:30
"I've written to Molly -- asking her if they would ever consider making a "play-along" CD of their beautiful music. I know I'd be the first in line to buy one!"
...and you would surly be in a race with me to get it :)
"As for the tune, I still have some work to do. It actually jumps up in the 3rd position and I can't do that yet. But hopefully that will come soon -- and of course, I have to get that vibrato thing going. Those are my next two big challenges. By this time next year, I hope to make this tune really sing!"
...well for some reason I don't see this being as big a challenge for you with your drive and desire!
~fiddlepLuker
squawkeye - Posted - 12/13/2008: 06:02:49
Interesting - then I'd say James Horner must've at least been inspired by Jay and Molly's music when he wrote that theme. Its always been one of my favorite soundtracks, but I never knew they were a part of it (though I wouldn't have known who they were when I first listened to it over 10 years ago!)...
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 06:14:49
Other than "Ashokan Farewell," I had never heard anything of their music (that I knew) until I took up the fiddle a year ago. Then I suddenly "discovered" them and now all I can think is "This is the kind of music I want to play."
Of course I get attacked a lot because it isn't "old time." But you know what? I don't care. It's beautiful stuff. And if I could play like Jay, I would die a happy woman!
bj - Posted - 12/13/2008: 06:53:25
quote:
Of course I get attacked a lot because it isn't "old time."
I'd be interested in you pointing out those "attacks". To my knowledge this has never happened on this forum, though I admit I don't read everything.
^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^
Motto for the Week- Mottos are overrated.
Me on the Web --
http://doneinstyle.comMy inspiration:
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh14633812588807237
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 07:01:21
BJ -- you sure like stokin' the fires, don't you? I'm trying to stay away from you. I ask that you reciprocate. This is my thread. You were free not to read it.
bj - Posted - 12/13/2008: 07:06:07
Carol, I asked a legitimate question about a provocative statement you made, and this is, after all, a public forum. Now, did those attacks happen or not? It's pretty simple, Carol.
^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^
Motto for the Week- Mottos are overrated.
Me on the Web --
http://doneinstyle.com
My inspiration:
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh14633812588807237
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 07:11:55
BJ -- Let's just leave it. You and I cannot play in the sandbox together. You are trying to bait me -- again. Perhaps your time would be better spent practicing.
bj - Posted - 12/13/2008: 07:17:05
So, in other words, instead of answering the question with the evidence of when you were attacked, which would be a simple way to show its truth, you instead accuse me of baiting you, which is really not the case, and resort to this:
quote:
Perhaps your time would be better spent practicing.
I guess that's our answer.
^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^
Motto for the Week- Mottos are overrated.
Me on the Web --
http://doneinstyle.comMy inspiration:
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh14633812588807237
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 07:25:30
BJ --
FHO used to be a warm, wonderful, inviting place -- until you joined. We NEVER had these kinds of "slanging matches" until you showed up here.
Now, I'm going to ask for the last time, please leave me alone. Do NOT respond to my threads. You are not welcome.
bj - Posted - 12/13/2008: 07:56:58
quote:
FHO used to be a warm, wonderful, inviting place -- until you joined. We NEVER had these kinds of "slanging matches" until you showed up here.
Now, I'm going to ask for the last time, please leave me alone. Do NOT respond to my threads. You are not welcome.
Carol, you just accused the oldtime community of attacking you for not playing oldtime. I quote:
quote:
Of course I get attacked a lot because it isn't "old time."
All I did was ask you for the evidence of this attack you say happened. You wouldn't, or couldn't, produce it. My question was not an attack, it was a question about a provocative statement you made. It was not a slanging match, it was a question about a provocative statement you made.
This is a public messageboard, Carol. And if you don't want me to respond, there are two things you can do. I'll leave it for you to ascertain what they are.
^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^
Motto for the Week- Mottos are overrated.
Me on the Web --
http://doneinstyle.comMy inspiration:
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh14633812588807237
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 08:16:06
WHY did you even read my post about my new tune? Did you think I would be playing an old-time cross-tuned old time MODAL tune? Of course not -- you were "checking" to see if I would write something you could attack. That is your style. That is who you are.
When someone posts a tune entitled "Bobby Crossing the Road an Hour Before The Train," I don't even open those -- 'cause I have a feeling it's not going to be my style. But you HAD to check mine... knowing it was going to NOT be anything of interest to you -- but HOPING to find something to argue about. It is who you are. You are free here to clammer on and on and on because you are not a nice person. There is nothing I can do about that -- because as you say, this is a public forum.
I'm sure you will have the last word, you always do. In fact you always have the first, middle and last word on most threads. Congratulations on ruining a great place. Someone asks about where to find the best Carpathian fiddle woods -- and there you are -- one quick Google search and you have the expert answer!
Let me tell you there are many of us here who are on to you... and your games. I am done playing.
OTJunky - Posted - 12/13/2008: 08:24:24
A clash in cognitive styles I guess - intuitive vs. analytical.
Percy feels she's been attacked for focussing on "pretty" music rather than old time fiddle tunes - probably based on reading "between some lines" and an impression of the forum's general tenor.
bj wants the "hard" evidence for it and thinks the only two choices are respond or leave...
Probably the challenge here is figuring out how - with these two different but equally valid cognitive styles - people can find a way to help one another rather than repeatedly fighting to a figurative death. But that's not an easy thing to do given the differences in how the two of you approach things. fiddlepogo and I have had similar fights about bowing.
Good luck though.
--OTJ
"I can barely fiddle on four strings. Why would I want five?"
Edited by - OTJunky on 12/13/2008 08:29:50
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 08:30:03
OTJ -- I'm sorry everyone is being dragged into this... But it's more than a "style" problem I'm afraid. As I said earlier, we just cannot play in the same sandbox... for whatever reason. I just want to be left alone -- to chat with the people I do care about. I don't understand why BJ looked at this thread... she doesn't like this type of music. I just want to stay away from her, but it doesn't seem like that is possible. In my original post I did not mention anyone by name -- and most people would have just bounced over my comment.
She had to make an issue of it - because we can't play in the same sandbox.
I just wish she would leave it at that.
bj - Posted - 12/13/2008: 08:32:49
quote:
WHY did you even read my post about my new tune? Did you think I would be playing an old-time cross-tuned old time MODAL tune? Of course not -- you were "checking" to see if I would write something you could attack. That is your style. That is who you are.
Um, no, it's much, much simpler than that. I was curious. I wanted to hear what you're doing. And guess what? I think you're doing fine, which I would have said earlier if I hadn't been distracted by your provocative statement.
^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^
Motto for the Week- Mottos are overrated.
Me on the Web --
http://doneinstyle.comMy inspiration:
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh14633812588807237
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 08:35:49
Whatever.
bj - Posted - 12/13/2008: 09:06:04
quote:
bj wants the "hard" evidence for it and thinks the only two choices are respond or leave...
Um, no. One choice is for Carol to stop making provocative statements that essentially slam the OT fiddlers (or is it just one OT person? I hate to sound paranoid but geez, she's demonizing me!)
^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^.^
Motto for the Week- Mottos are overrated.
Me on the Web --
http://doneinstyle.comMy inspiration:
http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh14633812588807237
Edited by - bj on 12/13/2008 09:08:23
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 09:45:46
Whatever.
OTJunky - Posted - 12/13/2008: 10:07:10
quote:
bj wrote:
Um, no. One choice is for Carol to stop making provocative statements that essentially slam the OT fiddlers (or is it just one OT person? I hate to sound paranoid but geez, she's demonizing me!)
quote:
Percy wrote:
Whatever
Since I'm not emotionally vested in this particular issue, I can't say whether or not you were being demonized or - if you were - whether or not it was conciously or unconciously done.
I do have some sympathy for your feelings in this regard though. I've been in similar situations where I've chimed in on a bowing thread to suggest things were being over-analyzed and have been characterized in return as an "every which way bower" - arguably a pejorative characterization..
Most of us are still beginners and it's usual for neophytes to be sometimes over-zealous "defenders of the faith" - either because we've discovered something we think is essential and need to pursue, or because we're insecure about our approach and fear it might be wrong. It requires a substantial dedication based on faith to fuel the work needed to master this infernal instrument and humans don't generally react well when some basis for their faith is called into question.
I think the art of posting under these circumstances is still evolving on the forum. And I notice that the more experienced players who've gained some mastery of whatever they wanted to master generally don't get involved in these kinds of long running feuds.
My own conclusion about it is that about the best that can be done when you see some post you disagree with is to just say so in a subsequent post - being careful to avoid adding fuel to any potential fire by including some pejorative characterization of the original post or poster. Then let it go. Sometimes people are just in a different "place" and aren't prepared to wrestle every issue to the ground.
And totally ignoring some post that you think will lead the thread astray is sometimes the best option.
I don't know if this is the ultimate answer. But I do know that we have plenty of evidence both from this forum - and from every other internet forum - that these long sequences of accusative personally oriented flame messages just don't accomplish what the participants hope they accomplish.
And I'm sure the other posters are sorry to see any thread degenerate this way.
--OTJ
"I can barely fiddle on four strings. Why would I want five?"
Edited by - OTJunky on 12/13/2008 10:14:34
Twelvefret - Posted - 12/13/2008: 10:10:17
quote:
And I'm sure the other posters are sorry to see any thread degenerate this way.
Hells bells, forget BJ. Lets talk about Molly and Jay's music. It's right there is the OT genre to me. I would say a combo or English and Scots-Irish or type 1 and 2.
chuck
"Good artists copy. Great artists steal."
Pablo Picasso
A baby is God''s opinion that life should go on. (Carl Sandburg)
The people who are most sure of themselves are the most dangerous.
Nothing''s going to work just because you want it to. You got to make the damn thing work. (Thomas A. Edison)
He who ****s in the road meets flies on his return. (African proverb)
"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best." - Henry Van Dyke
"Don''t blame me, I voted for Sarah". chuck naill
"A gentleman is a man who knows how to play the banjo... but refrains from doing so."
Mark Twain
You only have power over people so long as you don''t take everything away from them. But when you''ve robbed a man of everything, he''s no longer in your power - he''s free again.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918 -2008 )
Bird Dog - Posted - 12/13/2008: 10:28:32
As I see it, you only have to wait, and eventually Ashokan Farewell and others of its ilk will become old-time. In any case, good music is good music and I don't care what you call it.
Robin
Twelvefret - Posted - 12/13/2008: 15:48:52
quote:
As I see it, you only have to wait, and eventually Ashokan Farewell and others of its ilk will become old-time. In any case, good music is good music and I don't care what you call it.
No need to wait, Aly Bain and Jay have it going here with Big Scioty.
If you remember Aly is the same guy that hung around J.P. Fraley, Mr. Jarrell, and Kenny Baker. In my opinion Carol is in real good OT company.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyj7m0QdFkMBTW, Carol, thanks for starting this thread about Jay and Mollie. Fiddle and piano are popular in Cape Breton music as well.
chuck
"Good artists copy. Great artists steal."
Pablo Picasso
A baby is God''s opinion that life should go on. (Carl Sandburg)
The people who are most sure of themselves are the most dangerous.
Nothing''s going to work just because you want it to. You got to make the damn thing work. (Thomas A. Edison)
He who ****s in the road meets flies on his return. (African proverb)
"Use the talents you possess, for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best." - Henry Van Dyke
"Don''t blame me, I voted for Sarah". chuck naill
"A gentleman is a man who knows how to play the banjo... but refrains from doing so."
Mark Twain
You only have power over people so long as you don''t take everything away from them. But when you''ve robbed a man of everything, he''s no longer in your power - he''s free again.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn (1918 -2008 )
Percy - Posted - 12/13/2008: 15:52:27
That's some great pickin' and fiddlin' there! I think Jay and Aly can play just about anything they put their minds to!
fiddlepLuker - Posted - 12/13/2008: 16:20:53
...oh man! This is it! The vibes in that room.... Just look at the smiles and facial reactions blending,,,,
~fiddlepLuker
Edited by - fiddlepLuker on 12/13/2008 16:22:25
loy - Posted - 12/14/2008: 05:52:24
Great job Carol! I have Jay and Molly's CD of civil war tunes they are fun to listen to ..lot's of talent. Thanks - Loy
fiddle and clawhammer banjo:priceless
Percy - Posted - 12/14/2008: 09:40:34
So I think it's unanimous -- at least in this thread -- Jay and Molly Rule!
manualanimal - Posted - 12/21/2008: 17:14:10
Oh yeah!! "Ashokan" was one of the tunes that got me back into fiddling a few years ago, and I played it last night at a solstice party with two other fiddlers. Still sweet after all these years.
But I've been absolutely hooked the past two months on another of their tunes -- "Fiddler's Elbow" from the Waltzing with You CD, that someone at FHO mentioned. I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. I've started teaching it to some other string players, and they also seem intrigued.
So I'm definitely in the Jay and Molly fan club.
Not familiar with "Legends of the Fall" -- any connection with the movie of that name?
When I ordered lead sheets for their tunes from "Waltzing," I asked for one of their "MacPherson's Fiddle and MacPherson's Strut" from their Fiddle Fever days. Molly wrote back, saying "Someday we'll do a CD of Jay's original tunes that haven't been recorded yet. There are hundreds...."
Percy - Posted - 12/21/2008: 17:23:56
Jay and Molly played on the film sound for "Legends of the Fall" so that's why they included it on their CD. They didn't write it, but their playing and interpretation is absolutely stunning. They are truly gifted people!
kubasa - Posted - 12/22/2008: 13:28:45
Molly wrote back, saying "Someday we'll do a CD of Jay's original tunes that haven't been recorded yet. There are hundreds...."
There are hundreds????!!!!!! I can't wait! There are certain artists that I don't even need to hear when deciding on purchasing a new CD. Jay and Molly would fit into that category.
manualanimal - Posted - 12/22/2008: 14:11:04
Yep, that's a direct quote from Molly's email. It gets me salivatin'.
