Share a cuppa?

[Historylover]

So very sorry to hear last year wasn't so good, @Appleblossom, but pleased that your workshop was a highpoint in it. I have been enjoying life as much as my constraints allow. My car is a joy to have, almost a year old, and takes me to my sport three days a week. They are such a varied and pleasant group of retirees, and I can't believe it is all going so well. I guess you're now excelling at recorder too. Lucky you. I've had to concede that I'm not musical but I thoroughly enjoy other's abilities. It takes such a long time to excel and the interim is just too frustrating at my age and temperament. Your workshop sounds to have been wonderful. So good to see you still broadening your musical experiences. Half your luck.

I hope the year ahead shapes up well for you.

[Appleblossom]

@Historylover 

It is great you are active and able to get about in your car.

Exercises and physio are core in my life...

Music practice comes with its issues. I have hand and neck issues so ... Gently Bently. Went to Hand rehab this week and he gave me soft splints to help support my hands holding recorder.  

Take care 

[Historylover]

I have a serious right-hand issue too. It took me a little while, but I figured out it is a repetitive stress issue caused by too much mouse usage on my computer. I've been using a stiffish wrist/hand support and pulled it over my knuckles to immobilise my fingers to a certain degree. It's working so far and giving me back some control of my fingers, two of which became uncontrollable and were quite painful. Your splints sound as if they do a similar function. I'm just trying to do a self-fix to save money. Cheers.

[Abner]

It's contentment @Appleblossom.. I'm feeling it too, I've just had very satisfactory practice of my trumpet and my recently acquired euphonium which I have just begun learning, and of which am quickly becoming very fond.  I practised for over an hour.

[Appleblossom]

@Historylover Hugs

@Bow @Alittleorange @Ru-bee cheers

@Abner yes much deep contentment. I am preparing for the organ at the moment from a book with lots of good arrangements of popular pieces … Allegri, Pie Jesu… I am lucky enough to be able to play and have an outlet.

For recorder I am doing a couple suites by contemporary Australian composers for 2 different ensembles.

Yes it also gives purpose and social interaction and a dopamine!

[Abner]

Who are the Australian composers you're doing @Appleblossom ?  And yes, music is very enriching, and the organ is a really complex instrument to play.  Did you know that the actor who played Lurch in the original series of The Addams Family was a very accomplished organist and harpsichordist?  And that the actor who played Colonel Klink in Hogan's Heroes, Werner Klemperer, was the son of the conductor Otto Klemperer, and was himself a very accomplished violinist.

[Abner]

The name of the actor who played Lurch escaped me for a minute, but hiis name was Ted Cassidy @Appleblossom .

[Appleblossom]

Benjamin Thorn and Lance Eccles are the Aussies.

 @Abner Haha… They are 2 shows I do remember. I have an AMEB version of Addams family for students… and yes Klink and Klemperer. 

[Abner]

I haven't heard of those two composers @Appleblossom, I'll look them up on Google, I've also got the Hogan's Heroes March in one of my jazz books.  

Speaking of Hogan's, I'm playing a Nocturne of Earle Hogan's called "Harlem Nocturne", it's beautiful!

Which pieces by Benjamin Thorn and Lance Eccles are you playing?

[Appleblossom]

The Nordic Forest - Thorn

The Night Sky - Eccles

It’s for recorders, not mainstream. @Abner I will look up the Harlem Nocturne.  I am half Dutch and remember my grandmother talking about Haarlem in the Netherlands …. Words are fascinating curly critters… lol…morphing this way and that. lol

I love words and music… different parts of the brain… why I also like to sing