Letter to my violin

Dear Violin,
I've missed you. I don't really mean to take advantage of you only when I'm teaching or gigging without giving you the time of day or letting you play real music. I can imagine you have been so completely bored. I hope you're not suicidal.

You probably didn't know this, but the reason I brought you out and practiced for an hour tonight is because the other week at scrapbook club I had to confess to my friends #1) that I don't practice. Ever. and #2) that my kids don't get as much exposure to music as my friends seemed to be thinking, as evidenced by our conversation. Also, there is a ward talent show coming up and even though I don't really want to, I think we should probably do something. (You don't know this yet, but Weston already ordered us the music for Orange Blossom Special.) So I think it's getting to be time for me to put away the sour grapes that I can't be as good as I used to be because I have little ones to look after. My mom always helps shed good perspective on that front. She reminds me that all I have to do is start practicing again when my kids get a little older if I want to get everything back. And also that keeping up a talent is worthwhile just for my own sake, and for the service I can render with it, regardless of whether or not I can measure up to myself or anyone else, because that's not what it's about.

But another reason I wanted to practice was to reassure myself that I can still play those octaves in tune. I had to go into the garage and dig out my box of violin music that I thought I wouldn't need for the next 6 months to get my Carl Flesch scale book and my Kreutzer, Dont, and Rode etudes to try to find some good octaves to play. And you didn't let me down, except that your E string was a little too harsh on my un-calloused pinky...not that I'm blaming you. It's me. Really.

Wasn't it so nice to play the Bach g minor Adagio again? I think the only reason I can say it was nice is because we used to practice that thing so much that it would probably never leave my fingers....even if I wanted it to. But it made me happy. Now THAT's real music, don't you think?

I brought out the 2nd movement of the Bruch concerto, not because some people foolishly consider it the "first" real concerto a student should play (aside: That idea is totally absurd, and the reason most people don't like the Bruch is because they have heard it slaughtered until dead in performance so many times...but it does also make me smile when I remember my 160R student trying to play it and looking at me with evil eyes with her violin on her hip because I was making her break down her shifts instead of telling her how wonderful she sounded for the entire lesson....as all 160R students expect you to do..remember?), but because it happens to be on my list of Emily's Most Favorite Beautiful Music. And when I really remembered how beautiful it is, I decided to play along with a recording (Perlman's being the most accessible). We had so much fun together, even though we slaughtered so many shifts tonight. We'll have to try again tomorrow, and actually take some time to work through them all. Don't you think it would be worth it?

Well, I just wanted to let you know I had a good time. No sour grapes tonight. And I want to make a committment to you but I don't think I will actually put it in writing tonight. I don't want to break your heart again.

Thinking of you,
Emily

Darth Vader's Theme brings a tear to my eye

Background #1: My film repertoire these days consists mostly of kids movies. All too often I have found myself actually shedding a tear right at that moment at the end where something emotional happens. If there are other adults in the room I have to try to be discreet. Let's see if I can name some examples:

Lady and the Tramp~ I have cried TWICE at the part where Jock and Trusty are chasing down the pound wagon to save the tramp after he has been falsely accused.
Shrek 2~ They play "I Need a Hero" at the climax when Shrek is riding on the giant gingerbread man to try to intercept Fiona and Charming before they kiss and it's too late and their lives will be ruined. Quite the tear-jerker.
Cars~When Lightning McQueen gives up the race in order to save the other car that gets pushed off the track. (Sorry, I've only seen it maybe twice so I don't remember all the details of the story that well....I just remember that I cried.)

Background #2: I am PREGNANT.

So, we borrowed the original Star Wars trilogy from some friends because I thought if I'm going to let my kids watch movies while I'm wasted on the couch I might as well start introducing them to some classics. The trilogy set also came with a full DVD of special features including the making of, which of course I watched.

Anyway, I was impressed with, first of all, how much of a genius George Lucas really is. His vision was so far above anything and everything that existed in Hollywood in the 1970's that he really had to work hard and pull teeth and hair and everything else in order to get Star Wars to be even close to what he wanted. And consequently, he changed the course of filmmaking dramatically.

Second of all, how genius John Williams really is. George Lucas said that after all the filming and editing and everything was done and he took it to John Williams, Williams' music was the only thing in the process of making the film that exceeded his expectations. George Lucas's filmmaking aside, I think the music makes the movie.

And the conclusion to this story is that I was shopping at Costco last week and randomly pondering the genius of these two men who made Star Wars and I CRIED! In Costco. Pushing my cart and my kids around. Something wrong with me? I'm not sure.

Easter Sunday

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday and actually got the boys to smile in a few pictures.










Peter did a great job giving the Easter Lesson to the family.