Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] My version of Summertime played on Beta harp



Playing slowly (and well at the same time) is difficult. Flaws in timing
become evident and the ability to sustain tension (and thereby interest)
becomes a challenge. When I think of Summertime I picture a quiet pond on a
hot, sultry, hazy day when it's hard to summon enough energy to do much but
hum a lullaby. Occasionally a fish will jump or a few bubbles will arise on
the pond, but it's just one of those days I remember as a kid before we all
had air conditioning.

-- Barts

On Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 2:29 PM, <EGS1217@xxxxxxx> wrote:

>  Excellent point, Barts....as a matter of fact...doing some research into
> the song (also one of my all-time favourites)(gee, my list is growing
> <G>)....I learned (knew it peripherally but hadn't really focused on it
> before)....that it was written by Gershwin to be sung operatically in Porgy
> & Bess.
>
> ....so I watched a performance of it sung that way on YouTube - and perhaps
> it was merely the particular singer's presentation, but I did not enjoy it.
> Probably the first time I haven't liked hearing the song.
>
> One of the most moving versions I've ever heard was that of Ella Fitzgerald
> in Germany on tour in the late 1960's...
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkOuLZ2zcY0
>
> and with Louis Armstrong
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yKgAEkCKxY
>
> My observation (and purely subjective opinion) is: that it's easier to
> 'sing' it slower - but much more comfortable for an instrumentalist to play
> faster or 'jazzed up' ...even just a little. It's a difficult tune to play
> really slow on any** instrument  without some 'fills' (or frills).
>
> **unless you're Louis Armstrong on trumpet, of course  ;)
>
> Elizabeth
>
> P.S.  Jason Ricci also plays (or used to play)  a gorgeous diatonic version
> of this song which I thoroughly enjoyed, but decided to table it after
> hearing SmoJoe's chromatic version, and felt perfectly comfortable heaping
> praise on SmoJoe's YouTube of the song. Our Jason is a class act who
> willingly gives kudos and credit to other players, and is almost never
> negative.
>
> SmoJoe - 'Summertime'
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu8Jt7DKMOk
>
> "Message: 9
> Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:34:56 -0400
> From: "Alfred Barten" <vr1139@xxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] My version of Summertime played on Beta harp
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID:
>     <47ffd8b30810191334s3868316bh8abbcfbd0e70e1f1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Perhaps it's a testament to the greatness of the song that it can be played
> credibly so many different ways. I think of it as a lullaby, as somebody
> already mentioned, but if you take it out of its original context and treat
> it as a piece of music in its own right, it's still great. Summertime is
> one
> of my favorites.
>
> -- Barts
>
> On Sun, Oct 19, 2008 at 10:02 AM, robert mcgraw <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
> >
> > I really have enjoyed all the recent diatonic versions of "Summertime."
> >  Terrific playing for sure, but...for my ears, this is a tune that simply
> > sounds better on chromatic.
> > WVa Bob
> > _________________________________________________________________
>
>
>
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-- 
Alfred Barten



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