Persistence--the nuts and bolts.

Published: Jun. 11, 2007 at 4:13 AM
Two measure down two notes to go. Over the past several months I transposed Suite in C Minor for Lute (BWV997) Sarabande from guitar to violin (e-m) on the fly.

Finally finding the written music about a week ago, I 'FINALLY' got the last two measures minus two notes structurally and consistently. It feels like I've been on a long long journey with this, and I really only have the second theme approaching basic competency as of this moment.

The last two notes in tune will be minor details, but the piece is so cool that it will take another year to add some double stops, and begin to truly make the thing my own. And the last couple measures just have so much potential in terms of what they will do for my bowing eventually, I think that will be a study of it's own because of the powerful martele like string crossings suggested--at least suggested in my treatment.

I'm finding the freedom to make something I play on guitar a similar but different creature on violin fascinating, and very very gratifying. But it came to mind, that I became so frustrated a couple months ago because of a mental block on the last two measures before my self-imposed break, that I hope it's good for me.

This hard-headed persistence thing is what got me in trouble with my southpaw to some extent, causing a 3-week hiatus recently. Like Karen's daughter a little I guess, I began again renewed and refreshed and a little more grounded in what to really focus on in my basic skills. And of course the last two measures finally became mine also.

There's a little sweet poetic justice in the fact that I'm still messing up the last two notes though, because it makes me reflect on the perspective I gained when I 'had' to make myself rest. How does one really benefit from this self-knowledge of ruts and routines, and still hope to move forward? Well, though it's still somewhat half-formed thoughts, I at least now have the experience to fall back on.

So as level one of probably four of this journey comes to conclusion, I've gained both a Sarabande, and some perspective on persistence.