Poetry Tree and an Unfamiliar Stringed Instrument
Two things I wanted to say:
1.) Five lines of mine are hanging from a Poetry Tree in a walled garden in Logan Botanical Gardens, in good company. Have a look here.
(photo from the Walking with Poets blog)
And 2.) I need help.
A character who has decided I am writing about her appears to be a viola player. At the moment, however, I don't know anything about violas or viola music. I need to learn, so that the inside of this viola-playing character's head can be properly dressed, so I'm turning to you. From the ones who are practising hours a day to the ones whose viola has been gathering dust in their cupboard since the Norman Conquest. Talk to me. Tell me why you love the viola. Tell me what your favourite viola music is. Who your favourite violist is. Tell me stuff only a viola player would know. (There's a secret society, right?) I look forward to hearing all and sundry!
And 3.) (nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition) thank you for reading!
posted by Joan Lennon @ 5:53 AM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I love the idea of the poetry trees! Like a sculpture trail it will add extra interest to a walk! Enjoyed your lines too: have been missing your poetical Flatcappery.
Re: violas - ythis mkay not be much help, but one of the characters in one of Jilly Coopers bonkbusters plays a viola - I think it was Flora in Score! There's quite a bit of 'behind the scenes' stuff in it about attitudes to the various instruments in an orchestra. And I'm pretty sure a bit about why Flora loves her viola and chose it over a violin ...
Research can take you in strange directions ...!
Sorry Joan, I misinformed you - I think it was Jilly Cooper's other orchestra-based bonkbuster, Appasionata ... :-)
Hello Joan! The viola is the Lada of the orchestra. There are gazillions of viola jokes. http://web.mit.edu/jcb/www/viola-jokes.html
The jokes are based on the fact that in the past most viola players started learning the violin and then moved to viola for some reason other than a passion for the instrument, e.g. lack of application/talent - you get the picture. This is of course totally unjustified these days when lots of kids start on viola because they like the sound, but the jokes remain.
Professional viola players are often very intellectual multi-talented people who play other instruments too and have enormous knowledge in non-musical as well as musical matters. Possibly a little eccentric......
Being larger and heavier than the violin, playing the viola can lead to back/shoulder problems.
The sound of the viola is beautifully mellow and versatile. Listen to the Mozart string quintets which have two viola parts. Utterly gorgeous.
May favourite viola joke is this. Q. What is the difference between a viola player and a seamstress? A. A seamstress tucks up frills.......
Many thanks, Monica!
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