Reading: Practicing by Glenn Kurtz

[falseta]

Hey everyone.. I am hooked on a new book I found at Amazon.com called "Practicing - A Musician's Return to Music" by Glenn Kurtz...

I am about half way through it and cant put it down... It is a really well written true story of a Classical Guitarist and his struggles with guitar, practice, performances, etc... Its amazing how many fears, struggles and challenges guitarist share in common.

If you are looking for a new book to read definatley give this book a try!

Amazon.com: Practicing: A Musician's Return to Music (Vintage): Glenn Kurtz: Books

Let me know if you have any books you recommend!

[Black Sheep]

This is all tongue in cheek... but please don't start posting comments on books... I have a stack I have not read yet and am a little compulsive when come one suggests a title!...

So yes... I have ordered 'Practice...' and I'll let you know what I think. Though someone else outside of Flamenco circles suggested that title to me as well, which has me believe you're onto a great book...

In the meantime anyone who is playing Flamenco should read Federico Garcia Lorca... I carry 'In search of Duende' with me all the time to read when my wife is trying on dresses/shoes or when I'm waiting to pick up kids from school/parties etc.

Everyone should read some Lorca....

[falseta]

Thanks for the recommendation! A soon as I finish this one I will be ordering "In Search of Duende"...

Here is a link for those who want more info:

Amazon.com: In Search of Duende (New Directions Bibelot Series): Federico Garcia Lorca, Norman Thomas Di Giovanni, Christopher Maurer: Books

[Black Sheep]

Well, I read 'Practice' and when I had finished I opened the book again at page one and started again... this time with a little pad of 'post-it' notes next to me to mark passages I wanted to quote, think about some more or there was something mentioned there I wanted to follow up. It's a great book and mirrors my story (except I never reached the height he did before giving up...)

And it made a missed opportunity I suffered last year even more pointed... The Romero Family came to Adelaide for the International Guitar Festival and I had tickets for the concert and their master class... and missed them both due to work commitments!

So apart from rereading practice, I started reading Twila Tharp's book on fostering creativity... both books are linked by their comments on 'Amadeus' Milos Forman's adaption of the play about Antonio Salieri's torment and anguish in the presence of Mozart's seemingly 'God-given' talent...

I can recommend both books...

[deteresa]

Originally Posted by Black Sheep

I carry 'In search of Duende' with me all the time to read when my wife is trying on dresses/shoes or when I'm waiting to pick up kids from school/parties etc.

haha...

Lorca is incredible. One of those great Spanish surrealists like Miro, Dali, etc. I don't know if you've seen any of Lorca's drawings but they remind me a lot of Miro. I have Poema del Cante Jondo, In search of Duende, Poet in New York, and a couple of anthologies. I lend them out to my guitar students if they show a real interest in Flamenco

[Black Sheep]

I bought a complete works of Lorca collection at Christmas and may of his drawings are reproduced here. I agree with the similarity... delightfully naive, but remind me of 'Solea'... sort of alone, but happy to be alone in the moment if you know what I mean.

One of my favourites is 'The guitar'

'The weeping of the guitar
begins.
The goblets of dawn
are smashed.
The weeping of the guitar
begins.
Useless
to silence it.
Impossible
to silence it.
It weeps monotonously
as water weeps
as the wind weeps
over snowfields.
Impossible
to silence it.
It weeps for distant
things.
Hot southern sands
yearning for white camellias.
Weeps arrow without target
evening without morning
and the first dead bird
on the branch.
Oh, guitar!
Heart mortally wounded
by five swords.'

... still my guitar gently weeps

I have introduced a colleague to Flamenco through Lorca... he came to me with a Leonard Cohen song 'The Little Waltz'... "Ah yes... but have you heard it in the original Spanish...' and so his journey into 'Cante Jondo' began...