From the Mouths of Babes

[Studlover (imported)]

I was 40 before I learned to read music. Within a year, I was writing rather bad chamber music. At 47, I built a clavichord from a kit, took lessons, and became fairly competent at playing it. At the university where I taught, I had access to a Challis harpsichord on which I practised at every opportunity. I longed to own one, but they are terribly expensive.

When I was 68, I inherited enough money to buy a harpsichord and took lessons for several years. I don't play it any better than I do the clavichord, but I get great satisfaction out of it. I confess to being a better listener than a performer. I have literally thousands of recordings, including Edison cylinders, over 3,000 78-rpm recordings, about as many LP's and somewhat under 1000 CD's.

Music, as you might guess, has always been an important part of my life, yet, as I said at the outset, I didn't learn to read music until I was 40. To this very day, I can't sight-sing. I have no idea how a score sounds until I play it . Unfortunately, the public school system when I was a child (1930's and 1940's) emphasized sight-singing above everything else, and I couldn't do it. I grew up loving music but unable to read it or perform it.

I taught myself to read music with the aid of an old Auto-Harp. As the foregoing reveals one can begin to study music in middle age and learn it well enough to get great satisfaction out of it.

Interesting how you talk about the public school systems forcing sight-singing. A doctoral dissertation came out about that time that talked of how unnecessary it was to sight-sing. Since that time it is barely taught and the solfeggio system has gone down the tubes. Today, in music education the kids get more of an appreciation course. But most school only give music to elementary once a week for 30 minutes. It's almost borders on criminal.

Glad to see you took the initiative to learn music.

Studlover

[A-1 (imported)]

A-1, it is encouraging to hear the confidence you display as an adult. Adults CAN learn a musical instrument IF and only IF they get past the myth that "I am too old and only children can learn quickly." That can get me on a rant.

My oldest student was 72 and learned as quickly as his 8 year old grandchildren.

I am a pianist and teacher of the instrument. I have spent my life in music since I was 14. (No life before 14).

Yes, music IS wonderful and in a way it's probably our "salvation" to sanity no matter what one's tastes are.

Tragically, the arts are being cut in the schools believing that it is not necessary. Another rant I could get on.

Studlover

O.K., guys, no snide remarks, O.K.?

I like Hammond organs, Studlover, do you play the organ, too? It seems to be something that I have gravitated toward later in life. Both the B-3 type hammonds with Leslie 122 type speakers and the X-66 which has a contemporary sound are favorites of mine. I own several Hammonds...

I have a yamaha CVP204 (http://music.yamaha.com/products/main.h ... 4D9018FF4D 67E?productId=111) which is quite an instrument and was the lowest priced version tht did everything that I wanted to do.

I struggle, but I can play both by ear and by reading music. I can sit and play for 2- 3 hours without any music in front of me whatsoever. I have impressed several music teachers in my area with my ability to do this. (They think that I have a photographic memory, but I am really just playing by ear. ) A few have figured out what I am doing, though.

I prefer to play by ear because I can learn a tune so fast that way, however, it turns out to be in the key of C, G, or F more often than not. OF course, with the clavinova, which can be raised or lowered an octave by half-steps, I can convert a song that I learned this way to any key. My philosophy is that if I can sing or hum a tune, that I should be able to play it on this particular piano.

I find myself playing more and more out of fake books that I have purchased because it is faster to sight read than it is to learn a song by ear, however, you don't know it by sight reading and cannot play it without the music in front of you. Plus, you have to make up the chords to play with your left hand and it nnever sounds exactly like it is supposed to sound. However, an untrained ear does not know the difference.

Of course, an accoustic piano is not that versitile, but I can do O.K. on one of these also. I cannot make my feet work properly on the organ pedals , but I am working on it. I have been playing these for 5 years now.

Studlover, I still cry when I watch Mr. Holland's Opus... (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113862/) what about you?

A-1

[tugon (imported)]

Back to the thread. This is the one that meant the most to me so far.

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.

You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."

Billy - age 4

Wow!

[tugon (imported)]

I am a pianist and teacher of the instrument. I have spent my life in music since I was 14. (No life before 14).

Yes, music IS wonderful and in a way it's probably our "salvation" to sanity no matter what one's tastes are.

Yes music can help you maintain sanity. I have never been able to play a musical instrument but I respect those with the talent. I can play a stereo.

[Studlover (imported)]

O.K., guys, no snide remarks, O.K.?

I like Hammond organs, Studlover, do you play the organ, too? It seems to be something that I have gravitated toward later in life. Both the B-3 type hammonds with Leslie 122 type speakers and the X-66 which has a contemporary sound are favorites of mine. I own several Hammonds...

I have a yamaha CVP204 (http://music.yamaha.com/products/main.h ... 4D9018FF4D 67E?productId=111) which is quite an instrument and was the lowest priced version tht did everything that I wanted to do.

I struggle, but I can play both by ear and by reading music. I can sit and play for 2- 3 hours without any music in front of me whatsoever. I have impressed several music teachers in my area with my ability to do this. (They think that I have a photographic memory, but I am really just playing by ear. ) A few have figured out what I am doing, though.

I prefer to play by ear because I can learn a tune so fast that way, however, it turns out to be in the key of C, G, or F more often than not. OF course, with the clavinova, which can be raised or lowered an octave by half-steps, I can convert a song that I learned this way to any key. My philosophy is that if I can sing or hum a tune, that I should be able to play it on this particular piano.

I find myself playing more and more out of fake books that I have purchased because it is faster to sight read than it is to learn a song by ear, however, you don't know it by sight reading and cannot play it without the music in front of you. Plus, you have to make up the chords to play with your left hand and it nnever sounds exactly like it is supposed to sound. However, an untrained ear does not know the difference.

Of course, an accoustic piano is not that versitile, but I can do O.K. on one of these also. I cannot make my feet work properly on the organ pedals , but I am working on it. I have been playing these for 5 years now.

Studlover, I still cry when I watch Mr. Holland's Opus... (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113862/) what about you?

A-1

A-1, no, I do not play organ. There is sort of a rivalry in the musical world with pianists and organists. Pianists say that people who play organ do so becasue they couldn't play piano and organists say that people play piano because the couldn't play organ. I find this quite amusing, but I can say they are two different worlds.

I liked Mr. Holland's Opus. I think what I liked most about it is that it showed the appreciation of students years later. Few teachers ever know what impact they had on a student!

Studlover

[A-1 (imported)]

A-1, no, I do not play organ. There is sort of a rivalry in the musical world with pianists and organists. Pianists say that people who play organ do so becasue they couldn't play piano and organists say that people play piano because the couldn't play organ. I find this quite amusing, but I can say they are two different worlds.

I liked Mr. Holland's Opus. I think what I liked most about it is that it showed the appreciation of students years later. Few teachers ever know what impact they had on a student!

Studlover

What you say is true, Studlover.

Regarding organists, you should be aware that in pipe organ circles, the theater pipe organists and the classical pipe organists sort of had a war going, too.

These two organs were designed to do different things entirely. For a quick (well, sort of) history of theater organs see this page (http://www.atos.org/Pages/Journal/HopeJ ... nes_1.html) to find out about their inventer and how they came to be.

However, if you have not heard George Wright play a Wurlitzer Theater Organ, well, you need to complete you music collection. order this CD. (http://www.altnet.com/store/album/43101 ... index.aspx) It is cheap for the quality. If not, then be sure to sample track #14, "Great Work If You Can Get It" on the website... George Wright was phenomenal.

Happy reading and listening!

A-1

[n3rf (imported)]

I heard / saw an unusually interesting program the other day on the LINK channel (direcTV) about a group of writers of music playing the accordion together - all over -

and one point was said that --- "music schools do NOT include the accordion" --- that Box that You pull on - and the music that comes out is just *** gorgious ***

I playd PIANO ones and got as far as the Moonlight Sonata but then now it is just a MEMORY to behold. N3RF

[Studlover (imported)]

What you say is true, Studlover.

Regarding organists, you should be aware that in pipe organ circles, the theater pipe organists and the classical pipe organists sort of had a war going, too.

These two organs were designed to do different things entirely. For a quick (well, sort of) history of theater organs see this page (http://www.atos.org/Pages/Journal/HopeJ ... nes_1.html) to find out about their inventer and how they came to be.

However, if you have not heard George Wright play a Wurlitzer Theater Organ, well, you need to complete you music collection. order this CD. (http://www.altnet.com/store/album/43101 ... index.aspx) It is cheap for the quality. If not, then be sure to sample track #14, "Great Work If You Can Get It" on the website... George Wright was phenomenal.

Happy reading and listening!

A-1

A-1, yes there is WAR going on within that organ circle whereas it's just rivalry between pianists and organists.

Thanks for that link. That sure brings back some memories of theatre organ. I can't remember for sure but doesn't Ohio have some sort of a revived theatre organ?

As for Accordion not being considered a musical instrument, it was classified in the same category as Guitar. I graduated from North Texas State University and it was way ahead of its time allowing a Major in Guitar. It took nearly half a century before other schools acknowledged that the Guitar was a bonified musical instrument. Perhaps, the beginning of the 22nd century music schools will ack the Accordion.

Studlover

[A-1 (imported)]

A-1, yes there is WAR going on within that organ circle whereas it's just rivalry between pianists and organists.

Thanks for that link. That sure brings back some memories of theatre organ. I can't remember for sure but doesn't Ohio have some sort of a revived theatre organ?

As for Accordion not being considered a musical instrument, it was classified in the same category as Guitar. I graduated from North Texas State University and it was way ahead of its time allowing a Major in Guitar. It took nearly half a century before other schools acknowledged that the Guitar was a bonified musical instrument. Perhaps, the beginning of the 22nd century music schools will ack the Accordion.

Studlover

Studlover,

Check out this site. (http://www.ntc-atos.org/)

This (http://www.theplazatheatre.org/event_de ... tg?id=3618) would make a nice evening out.

The Wyler Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ

The Wyler Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, Opus 2123 was built by The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company and installed in the Plaza Theatre in 1930. It started as a Balaban 3 with 15 ranks and 1,071 pipes. Today it is one of only a handful of theatre organs in the United States installed in their original locations.

Check out this site. (http://www.mckinneyperformingartscenter ... 7&did=1091)

They are still being played. If you get active in the Texas Theater Organ Society (click here) (http://theatreorgans.com/tx/hatos/) you can get a chance to play one, work on one and find out some fascinating musical history that was almost lost and maybe you would like it. It is not that hard to make the transition for a good pianist to play one of these things once you learn the stops. Their power is legendary...

You should try. You are not too old, either. Give it a WHIRL...

A-1

[Studlover (imported)]

Studlover,

Check out this site. (http://www.ntc-atos.org/)

This (http://www.theplazatheatre.org/event_de ... tg?id=3618) would make a nice evening out.

Check out this site. (http://www.mckinneyperformingartscenter ... 7&did=1091)

They are still being played. If you get active in the Texas Theater Organ Society (click here) (http://theatreorgans.com/tx/hatos/) you can get a chance to play one, work on one and find out some fascinating musical history that was almost lost and maybe you would like it. It is not that hard to make the transition for a good pianist to play one of these things once you learn the stops. Their power is legendary...

You should try. You are not too old, either. Give it a WHIRL...

A-1

A-1, WOW! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!! That was a nice way to wake up in the morning!

I am going to spend today reading those sites in detail.

And right here in my own backyard, too.

Studlover