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

["Alfred Barten" <vr1139@xxxxxxxxx>]

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