One Week Out
“Make a plan, and then follow directions,” as Alan Harris taught.
It’s hard to believe that nearly a month has passed since my last check-in with this project. I have been working through Wuorinen methodically, and posting “good or garbage” video clips on Instagram every few days. In addition to Nate Smith (the 80/20 Drummer), I started watching Adam Neely, Nahre Sol, Shawn Crowder, and Leland Sklar on YouTube, which has been tremendously energizing. One of Neely’s videos included book recommendations, and, based on that, I picked up The Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick and Harmonic Experience by W. A. Mathieu. I haven’t had a chance to dive into the latter very much yet, but, even in a few weeks, the former has really freed me up. I’m curious to see where this will go.
I feel like I have a pretty good handle on the technical issues in Wuorinen; at this point, I’m thinking more in terms of architecture and direction, and, if my hunch is correct, these will help make my technique more consistent. Goodrick had a lot to say about rhythm and metronome work, which I think is paying off. The more I live with the piece, the more I find myself bending the rhythm to the overall drive and character of the sections, which I think is defensible. As I listen to my performances, the rhythmic issues seem more tied (again!) to architecture and direction, so I’m not going to sweat it if the whole works is a little closer to 90 than to 104, and drifts. People are going to listen to this, after all, and they will want to hear the waltz-time sections, the passages where the piece “falls in love,” etc.
I really like this piece a lot, and plan to keep it in my repertoire.
As this project gets closer to the right side of the Gantt chart, I have been thinking about what lies beyond… is this it? Do I go on to other rep? What other rep? Will another performance emerge (should I create one?) etc. In the past weeks, a number of pieces have appeared on the stand, behind and around the score: the other two Wuorinen variation pieces, Khse Buon by Chinary Ung, two pieces by Ralph Shapey, Siegfriedp’ by Mauricio Kagel, and Wolf by Michael Colgrass. A stack of Sacher variations came and left, and Babbitt’s More Melismata called out from the internet. I’m a little surprised Elliott Carters’ Figment hasn’t dropped by yet. At any rate, I’m still waiting to see what sticks.
In the mean time, I signed up for Eugene Friesen’s Creative Cello Workshop in June/July. Thanks to COVID-19, it is online this year and very reasonably priced. I worked with Friesen in a series of online lessons several years ago, and he and I were a good fit. Also, I have been deeply impressed with the musicianship and technical prowess of Berklee graduates, and feel I have a lot to learn. Throughout this project, my relationship with the cello has been entirely different than it was, even six months ago, and, as long as we continue sheltering in place, I might as well explore the new territory. I have no idea what I will find.