Practice Notes (5 days summarized)

Was down in the county recovering from earaches, so I'm generalizing here. Have averaged a little over two hours each day, with the least yesterday (Tuesday)--about an hour and a half. I've been mastering the first six variations of etude o45. I have the Schubert's and Bach's Maria in memory, and am fine tuning the bowing. I have had Caccini's in memory, but haven't been focusing on it these past days because first, it is easy; and, next, I didn't have the music with me. Generally, my playing has reflected my physical state of mind. I spent several hours with Ms. McGuire while there, and she helped me with bowing some. We did the Maria's and she gave me some more pointers on general topics. Bach's and Schubert's continue on their path towards expressiveness. She helped me significantly on note attack and I began applying it immediately. She slowed the Maria's down to a speed that was almost too slow for me, though I think actually much closer to the speed with which they were intended to be played. I do not know who produced the midi that I have of Bach's but as noted before, it's very very fast.


Have started helping Ms. McGuire revamp either her's or Allen's violins with new strings and whatever. I gave her my beginning bow as hers needed rehaired and/or the tension assemblies need repair. One thing at at time.


Things are coming along pretty nicely, though I'm impatient as usual. It's like little small steps as a product of sheer effort at times, but when I get new approaches like that with the note attack in conjunction with focused bowing, I feel the progress.