Music of the Day .. (And this one...

... is one of the top favorite performances of all time.
Hungarian pianist Georges Cziffra (Gryorgy Cziffra)

Everytime I hear this recording (or youtube), it pulls me back to the core spirit of why I play music. The music was written by my all time love, Franz Liszt (He is the first person I will going to visit in the afterworld, you don't know how much I am looking forward to that day!) actually, this is more like his official published version of previous, private version called  Petite Valse Favorite which he wrote for his lady friend, Marie Kalergis.

The first version score shows unusual and non standard expression marking such as "as you play." or "as I play sometimes" in French, it is probably meant for Kalergis who was also an accomplished pianist, they must have had many musical moment together, till her untimely death at relatively young age.
Every time I see that score, I feel like I'm reading Liszt's sweet nothing love letter to his lover, or his best friend who had been his lover. (Likely around the year this original was published around 1842 or 43.)

This version, Valse Impromptu, played here, was revised and published about ten years after, 1852,  much more polished with brilliant trademark Lisztian embellishment. Still romantic, and Cziffra here, probably being played this piece gazillion times, added his own twist here and there which is superbly done with great taste. I must say Liszt would have been enjoyed this rendering very much...

Cziffra usually known for his technical accuracy and virtuosity, however, here, such stupid label has nothing to do with the exquisite execution: it simply brings you to the sublime moment of bliss and pleasure.

There are many other recordings of this piece by another virtuoso such as Artur Rubinstein which is also stunningly beautiful. But for this particular piece, I think Cziffra renders the true intention of Liszt, of how and why this song was written in the first place.

Liszt, who was keenly aware of his lack of basic education in early years, always had been attracted to extremely intelligent and talented women, Kalergis was not an exception.  As his all other lovers and mistresses, she was multi talented, with an ability to command multiple languages. (what's with all those women seems to be gifted enough to perform Liszt's difficult pieces! And they are not even musicians.) There has been a rumor that she might have been a Russian spy which could not been confirmed other than Liszt's insinuation in his correspondence to others at one time.

Handsome, extraordinary gifted musician and beautiful spy.  ...

Paganini and what not (from Libertine: IV.

Libertine: IV.: A friend of Mine, lutist by profession, time ago told Me about a movie he saw by chance also suggested by a friend of his, violinist, in a c...

The scary great Klaus Kinski portrays Paganini in this film. I happen to have this VHS (took a while to find it!) and I probably watched twice. There are weird interpretation of some events of Paganini's life and the script... sucks.

Well, if you are watching and doing nothing else, that is.

It would probably be fabulous, if you are having an orgy or training your slave or something. It makes a great ambient film, because it moves so slow. Camera just follows Kinski, dressed in black for minutes at a time... then some scenes turns pornographic without any compelling reason at all. Yes, it is made with European sensibility. And it is not for the most of contemporary American value-whatever they maybe. (LOL)

+++

I'm not a film critic, so that's that.

I am blogging this, because this was posted by SL creator, Alia Baroque's new blog, and I really like his aesthetics and idea behind this idea. I always thought that there can be a great value attached to the expression of one's eroticism and sexuality, however, it is very difficult to find something that satisfy my twisted tastes.

Almost 10 years ago (!) I was trying to write erotica just because I could not find anything that I wanted to read. The project was sort of abandoned, when I seriously started historical research in order to write some small scenes. (ha. ) In short, I got hang up on reading and studying random stuff, and didn't get to back to it. Then, I started taking up my instruments that were forgotten for decades, which led to the decision to go back to college, which continuing as of now.

In my SL career, there are times I used the title "Libertine" for a while, and I think, I have been a Libertine for the most part.

I have this idea of Libertine since I was a teenager, that some aristocratic man who is extraordinarily intelligent and articulate, yet, his broad interests and tastes were so hard to satisfy, he sort of wasting away from every possible angle. The ruthlessness and sensitivity combined, he can be the most charming at the same time he can be the most crude man in the room. He hates his own heritage to a point, yet, he very well knows he is also benefitting from it.

So on and so forth... sounds like someone you know?

oooh.

Freddie's next project is actually a Paganini's piece. Grand Concertata#2 for guitar and violin.

Wandering elf

It's been awhile since I sit in SL for hours on end. Making a Holiday card was the task of the day, so with full on Elf regalia and even my boots on (inside joke) I was able to get few shots.

Some strange nostalgic reason, I decided to impose New Years greeting in Kanji. It is not intended for specific cultural Holiday event, as I really don't do anything in real life either. The elf is just roaming his world, stopping to think about others, that's all.

Lately, I'm considering to naturalize myself into US. Technically, I have good 8 years or so, till I have to update my Visa or Passport, however, the deteriorating Japanese civilization just making me sick of it altogether. I see no reason at all to retain my nationality at this point.

I don't hate Japan, but their closed culture in due to their specific language barrier is putting the whole nation in a solitary state, which prevents them from benefiting from the positive global change.
They are like sheep herd. They just follow around themselves. They don't even know who or what they are following. There is no direction at all. The sheep next to you going to the left, you just blindly follow, and then some other sheep pushes you from behind, you go forwards.

Their cookie cutter education system mass produce the highly functional robots which can follow the programmed command in a precise manner, however the individual unit has no ability to process the big picture of the task by itself. They are not taught to analyze the facts, or critically assessing the facts in order to determine its new direction. They just follow whatever everyone is doing.

What ticks me the most,

The FUCKING JAPANESE are now making up THEIR version of recent history, that they did not invade China nor made sex slaves out of Chinese/Koreans, and now THEY are the VICTIMS of whatever the CONSPIRACY they SAY the Chinese/Koreans are concocting.
That's not all, now they had the NERVE to tell that they want to know the TRUTH, not the propaganda that USA made it up for the rest of the world.

You know where this is going, right?

Yes, "I give you the FUCKING TRUTH, and you won't LIKE IT"

Consipiracy of William Huang

I am not sure if this subject is in any way related to SL, but I have to wonder this phenomenon is anything to do with current culture.

The notriety of American Idol contenstant, William Huang is something that is really odd to me.

These people are incapable of acknowledging their actual capabilities in the certain subject.


First, I thought it was William Huang's conspiracy to stir up a controversy, in order to fund himself his college education which he suceeded. UC Berkeley Engineering student cannot be incapable of understanding his own capabilities, otherwise, he wouldn't have succeeded to be a good student with remarkable academic accomplishment.
One needs to be able to reflect your own ability, and strive to make oneself better. So it does not make any sense that Huang does not know his lack of musical ability.

... Anyways, then look what he has done to American population...

Yesterday, a student came into my music lab, asking for help on her final performance piece on her beginner piano class. She says she need "a little help to find out her hand position."

First of all, there are no "hand position in piano". Maybe in string instruments such as violin or guitar, that you could say it is a first postition or hand in 5th fret position or whatever. But Piano, there are no set position.
Which alarmed me that she must have missed a lot of class, and at this point, Friday before the final, it worried me.

She showed me the piece, so I asked her to play it for me.

What happened next is just made me almost scream. She started to look at her score and tried to figure which note she should play.  Without making a note on the piano, I had to stop her.

"I am sorry, I don't know how to tell you this, but I don't think you will be able to play this piece by Tuesday as your final. You look like you have never played this piece, and at your level, it will take another year or so to be able to play this. "

Obviously, this student was misguided by their instructors and her parents. Her reply was unbelievable and I have to congratulate myself for not throwing her out right away, while keeping my composure.

"But no one will be able to instantly play, and I am not that level."

Fucking obvious. I know exactly how Simon Cowell felt when he heard William Huang protested that he never received professional training.


I tried to be calm and went on to explain it to her.

"I am sure you are talented musician, and you are correct that no one would be able to do that, (Some can, but for the sake of the argument) that is why we practice for hours, days, to be able to play the piece. Especially the beginner like yourself needs some preparation to perform this on final. "

Now she tries to challenge me by saying...

"I got an A on mid term although I missed first few weeks of the classes. My teacher gave me this piece last Tuesday. And I played this piece long time ago, so I can play this, if I practice. "

OH Great, then, you don't need my help.


You know what? Fuck those stupid "Self Esteem education" okay?
Teach them to value making your own effort, and and reward them for their achievement and accomplishment.  
Those  curriculaum which "everyone can get a sticker" for their unsbustantiated/empty self confidence is nothing but a hindrance to their future. 


My last words for the student?


"You need to acknowledge your own ability now, in order to make yourself better.  You have  quite a way to get to where you want to be, and I cannot make you a better musician in 4days. I am not really sure what your instructor have told you the standard of expectation for the final piece, but any music instructor I know in this school does not accept your performance as a passable level. You should have prepared. Good luck for your final. Practice a lot for next several days."




The professors can't help them, that is why they are sending them 5 days before the final to me ?And they expect me to fix delusional, untalented student? Something is wrong in this picture. 


Okay, I will tell it to them. I have no problem telling the truth.