never-ending gallery

[LisaLCFan]

I liked that Richie Havens video— a lot of compelling energy there!

Fretting with the thumb — as Mr. Havens does—is certainly not something one finds in classical guitar as a rule, but there are exceptions, for some classical players borrow techniques from other genres, or they cross genres in their playing style and music. I have heard it said, by various teachers of classical music, and even by some classical virtuosos (guitarists and other instrumentalists) that one should try to learn to play an instrument by the rules first, because it helps to hone one’s skills (if one cares about such things), and then one can break the rules when and where it seems fitting! That has always struck me as good advice!

Rodrigo wrote some of the best classical guitar music of the 20th century— I have always loved his music, to listen to, although most of it is very difficult to play (he was blind, incidentally). Paco Pena is a very famous and exceptional Flamenco guitarist — I prefer Classical guitar music, although a bit of Flamenco is enjoyable. Despite your guitarist’s poor posture, etc., it sounds like he was interesting (I like people and things that are not ordinary, and I have a strong personal interest in that sort of guitar music)— I probably would have liked to have heard what he played.

EDIT: If anyone is interested, here's a great classical guitar piece by Rodrigo, called "Fandango" -- it is the first in a set of three -- "Tres piezas españolas" -- and it's jolly good! (The other two pieces in the set are wonderful, too).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkac3cQrM3k

The excellent guitarist is a Canadian, Drew Henderson (and he's playing a guitar made by another Canadian -- it was recently Canada Day here, and so I am being patriotic with this selection!).

[Geoffrey]

thank you so much for that video, lisa. i loved it. how wonderful it must be to have such musical dexterity. when, in my later years, i finally met up with my father again, he had a big collection of spanish records, el cordobes poster and sombreros on the wall - even spoke some of the language. he liked rodrigo's music, and also played a lot of manitas de plata. nice memories

i would like to write more, but it would end up being too much. thanks again, for being here, and for spending time on sharing some of your insights and information.
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another sketchbook page. wishing happy days upon anyone reading this.

[LisaLCFan]

thank you so much for that video, lisa. i loved it. ...

i finally met up with my father again, he had a big collection of spanish records, el cordobes poster and sombreros on the wall - even spoke some of the language. he liked rodrigo's music, and also played a lot of manitas de plata...

Glad you loved the music! Spanish guitar music is so wonderfully evocative, whether it is the detailed compositions by classical composers such as Rodrigo (and many others), or the more raw flamenco music, it can transport one to another time and place!

As for el cordobes, I attended a bullfight once, and I was emtionally traumatised by the cruelty of it.

[Geoffrey]

As for el cordobes, I attended a bullfight once, and I was emtionally traumatised by the cruelty of it.

that would not have been in your home country. i assume you anticipated some cruelty, but hadn't realised its repulsiveness. i've hiked through spain, but reading hemingway was the closest i came to a bullfight. growing up in rural england and wales i saw horse riders with hunting dogs who thought watching a fox being torn apart was an exhilarating experience. the human species, particularly the male, seem to delight in killing as a sport.

when one thinks of the wonderful food and music of spain, bullfighting is definitely a stain on the culture - and should be outlawed.

[LisaLCFan]

As for el cordobes, I attended a bullfight once, and I was emtionally traumatised by the cruelty of it.

that would not have been in your home country. i assume you anticipated some cruelty, but hadn't realised its repulsiveness….

It was actually in Mexico where I attended the bullfight, and I was quite young and very naive about many things, including the realities of bullfights. I thought that it was going to be like a theatrical performance—fancy costumes and dance-like choreography, just an entertaining spectacle! (My previous experience of bullfighting was from Bugs Bunny). I honestly did not know that the bulls were going to be tortured and killed! I was aghast and sick to my stomach when I realised what they were doing! I did not stay long — I could not watch any more of it once the horror of it was apparent. It is totally barbaric, and I completely agree that it should be banned, along with every other so-called sport in which beautiful innocent animals are maimed and killed for human amusement.

[Geoffrey]

naivity can be attractive, and bugs bunny is great. making mistakes is a good way to learn, and the people i like best are all animal lovers.
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unsigned sketch, so no idea who did it.

few here will know which song inspired this text

[LisaLCFan]

few here will know which song inspired this text…

It’s come to this? Yes, it’s come to this. I have read psychological assessments about people who are always testing others. You may not realise that it is an irritating habit, and can make people feel uncomfortable, even if they know the answers.

I have noticed that many of the people in your sketches have disproportionately small feet. Perhaps it is a Norwegian trait. It is not one that I share.

[Geoffrey]

LisaLCFan wrote:
>It’s come to this? Yes, it’s come to this.

well done!

>I have read psychological assessments about people who are always testing others.

your choice of reading material can only be applauded.

>You may not realise that it is an irritating habit, and can make people feel uncomfortable, even if they know the answers.

quite correct. i apologise, and feel embarrassed for not having considered the psychological implications. thank you for alerting me to this

>I have noticed that many of the people in your sketches have disproportionately small feet. Perhaps it is a Norwegian trait.

now that you mention it, i believe you are onto something. it is due, perhaps, to a complex i have concerning my own shoe size - which is 47. footwear shops here often stop at size 45, but some do keep a small selection of size 46. anything larger than that is uncommon, and one's choice of colour and style becomes greatly limited - tends to make one feel like a freak.

>It is not one that I share.

so comforting to learn this. thank you for responding and disclosing your thoughts - highly appreciated

[its4inthemorning]

Oh G, what person who reads this forum would not know that song? I may be in the minority on this, but since discovering LC almost exactly 52 years ago, the first album I heard (SOLAH) remains my favorite. Many memorable lyrics in those songs.

To me a shoe size of 47 brings forth images of clowns wearing those silly giant shoes. Please tell me that they measure shoes and feet differently in Europe than in the States, I do not want to think of giant shoes every time I view one of your forum posts.

Enjoying a very fruitful day, removed several weeks worth of weeds from our onion, pepper, cabbage, and lettuce beds before the rain came. (I guess technically it has been a vegetableful day.) After virtually no rain in May, we were deluged in June and early July, hence the weeds. Everything is so green I think I am in Ireland.

Thanks, G, for referring to me as a "rascal," it makes me feel younger.

4

[LisaLCFan]

...To me a shoe size of 47 brings forth images of clowns wearing those silly giant shoes. Please tell me that they measure shoes and feet differently in Europe than in the States...

Canada uses US sizes as their standard, but almost every pair of shoes I buy has 3 or 4 different sizes listed -- both on the shoes and on the boxes -- for different geographic regions, including Europe, and so, since I buy a lot of shoes, I can translate sizes quite easily. (And, if that fails, I have Google). A Euro 47 would be equivalent to US 12.5-13.

Incidentally, more often than not, I wear a US 11.5 (men's), which is labelled as Euro 46. Euro sizes make more sense, and are more inclusive, since there is not a separate scale for men and women, but one scale for all!

...it is due, perhaps, to a complex i have concerning my own shoe size - which is 47. footwear shops here often stop at size 45, but some do keep a small selection of size 46...

My shoe size has never bothered me, despite being larger than most (esp. for females!) -- it is what it is, and I rather like being out of the ordinary! But, it is not difficult to find shoes here up to and including size 47 (I used to know a truly fabulous person who wore the same size shoes as you, and never had trouble with selection), and thus perhaps Canadians have bigger feet -- at least, the shops regularly buy more larger sizes. If you ever make it over here, you could stock up!

[Geoffrey]

i look forward to coming back to some of these messages as soon as there is a lull in my social life. meanwhile . . . wishing everyone a pleasurable week.
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genuine rough draft of an old italian painting, discovered today at a norwegian garage sale i attended

A rare find I picked up some days ago in a second-hand shop. In fragile condition, it's believed by friends to be the long-lost first draft of a work by E. Munch that he sketched on a serviette while sitting in a cafe - and taken home by a waitress.

[LisaLCFan]

...A rare find I picked up some days ago in a second-hand shop. In fragile condition, it's believed by friends to be the long-lost first draft of a work by E. Munch that he sketched on a serviette while sitting in a cafe - and taken home by a waitress...

I guess there was a lull in your social life. Aren't we are privileged? (Oh, just in case the subtleties of the language were not clear from my written text and chosen emoji, that was sarcasm.)

I will add another for your introductions to your two latest sketches.

[Geoffrey]

just arrived home.

dear lisa.

your 'language subtleties' are more than welcome,
as well as anything else you may write
- and your eye-rolling emojis quite irresistible
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i have invented a new flower. the botanical society has given it the latin name 'gefferedos incredibilus'

tourists in love

"those who know how to think need no teachers" - gandhi

[Geoffrey]

continuing the never-ending series of nonsensical pictures

[LisaLCFan]

Love the new flower — very colourful! It reminds me of a spider chrysanthemum, and/or a spider gerbera daisy.