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[Sep. 5th, 2008|09:07 pm] |
earthquake!
the bureau in kahn's room shakes with a boom.
"cheers! north beach falls into the sea! " |
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[Sep. 3rd, 2008|09:05 pm] |
Coming home and watching the RNC on the tiny, ancient black-and-white TV with the coat-hanger antenna, in a haze of cigar smoke.
Feeling overwhelmed--this election is so strange. I'm supposed to return now to baroque music and neuroscience study and both of those things seem remote and silly in the midst of this. |
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| question for viola people |
[Jul. 25th, 2008|06:12 pm] |
For viola-playing people:
What's your favorite interpretation of Bach's 4th cello suite (especially the prelude) on viola? Or cello, for that matter?
I just listened to the Michael Zaretsky version (viola) and thought it was...missing something. I really want to hear a violist play this piece like it has some meat to it.
Bonus points if you know an awesome interpretation on gut strings.
Thanks! |
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[Jul. 22nd, 2008|08:27 pm] |
I can't believe it took me this long to realize Randy Newman is the best songwriter ever.
I'm going to go learn every Randy Newman song now. |
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[Jul. 14th, 2008|06:07 pm] |
I am dreaming of my future sailboat,
and dreaming of reading more good books like the present one while inside the sailboat:
"Bach, the Fencing Master: Reading Aloud from the Cello Suites" by Anner Bylsma.
This book reads like a journal, literally--it reads like listening to someone's thoughts, play-by-play, as they explore the cello suites in their own home. About half the book is reproductions of bach (and anna m.) scores, and scribbled bowings and notes.
My teacher recommended it to me, and when I asked what it was about he said, "well, it's about the cello suites, but it's not, it's about everything, it's about life! I don't know." He's right!
The funny thing is it reads much like the cello suites do--something that feels all your own, like it was made specially for you to enjoy, but also makes you feel desperate to share it with every person you find.
I scored three other amazing books at the music library today. It was really good luck. |
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[Jul. 5th, 2008|05:03 pm] |
I had a surprisingly amazing july 4th. bernal hill in massive dreamy clouds of fog, lighting up from independent fireworks in every direction. good people and irish coffee.
today i am battling craigslist. shit happens. |
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| Lutoslawski--more silly music posting |
[Jun. 29th, 2008|07:33 am] |
In case I get cynical about certain kinds of music again, I should remember to listen to that Lutoslawski quartet.
I put it on this morning thinking thinking it might be unlistenable now, since I'm not so enamored with modern compositional "tricks" and concepts. Without all that, I worried it would sound empty to me.
turns out it is still achingly beautiful. and note-for-note perfect.
I'm betting I'd feel the same way about Gorecki if I put it on.
I guess a few bad apples spoil the bunch, sometimes.
hm. |
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[Jun. 27th, 2008|01:28 pm] |
Today is a pretty good music day, and I think I came upon something musically last night, too, even though I was blocked most of the day. I forced myself to just go down, turn on the recorder, and wank off of the piano for about half an hour, just to see if there could be some fortuitous mistakes/random bolts of inspiration, and I think there may have been a few.
Today I think is doo-wop time.
I saw a movie last night (projected on a big wall outdoors in oakland) called Girls Rock, which is a lame title--but it was about a rock'n'roll camp for girls in Portland, age 8-18. My two favorite moments:
A 9-year old jewish autistic crazy super-spazzy too-smart/precocious girl who was madly into distortion and screaming and sonic youth, and who played her guitar with her teeth and couldn't be told to stop, had a noise song with lyrics that went:
"HOW DO YOU TUNE A TACO!!!"
Oh my god, this girl is a GENIUS. Genius, genius, genius.
she also wrote (apparently) 14 songs about her little tiny dog pippi, including a really creepy slow one called "sleeping giant pippi."
Another really young girl, 8 at the most, had a loud screaming (and catchy!) rock song whose first line was: "San Francisco sucks sometimes!" --talked about how when she has to vacation there with her mom it's really boring, and she hopes san francisco will BURRRRRRRNNN. I laughed my ass off. I think that's the song I've been trying to write for like 4 years.
A rock'n'roll camp for girls is starting in the bay, by the way, next week for the first time ever. The girls will be performing their stuff at Hotel Utah next saturday. I kind of really want to go, if anyone woulf like to join me.
Additionally I have morphed my room from the total wreck that it was into something liveable and am happy. |
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| Reasons for not going to Cal this summer |
[Jun. 20th, 2008|12:48 pm] |
I finally subscribed to The Week thismorning.
Then I (finally, finally) signed up for July Lindy Hop lessons at the Verdi Club.
And last night I attempted to draw someone with oil pastels and pen, but I think I have forgotten how to draw.
Shot two rolls of film the other day and then had my camera inspected by the fine people at the camera shop up the street.
Today it's really hot and I am threatening either to go swimming/attempt to draw again, or to do a Lodge Day. I am not sure if I have the cajones to attempt a Lodge right now. I'm enjoying the idea of doing non-music things.
I also called insurance companies and made dentist appointments.
All of these are things I normally mean to do and never seem to get around to. I think I have only gotten around to them because I am more or less completely burnt on doing my "more important" things: reading obsessively, practicing obsessively, writing music obsessively.
Also, I've been hiking a bunch, blew my knee out, but it was fixed in time to lindy hop (pretty badly, hence the drive to take lessons again) on wednesday night, and then play a (really weird) open mic at Ireland's 32 on a whim. Full moon + absurd amounts of arnica oil=fixed knee=happier karlyn.
I am happy.
Additionally, looks like blues piano classes at jazz school can happen.
I know, I know, I need to get a job.
EDIT: I just want to note that I am really really excited about Lindy Hopping all summer. |
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[Jun. 14th, 2008|07:28 am] |
My house is driving me nuts, for some reason.
Promised myself I'd stay through the summer because of the practice space, piano, and access to gear I have here. Unfortunately, I came home and the place was so trashed I can hardly concentrate to practice here. There was not a single clean dish when I returned, and somewhere atop the pile of dishes there is now a borrowed movie projector, which was hooked to VHS tapes of Twin Peaks. Someone (one of the people who doesn't actually live here) put it on, then left, and I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to turn it off. Another one of the people who doesn't actually live here appears to enjoy getting stoned and shaving off all of his body hair in our shower using my razor. My favorite roommate, who I really do like, is in the depths of depression, and woke up yesterday with intense back spasms. There's a new kitten in the backyard, who is adorable, but under constant attack from the other kittens, and I have woken up two out of three days to cats yowling bloody murder at 7 am.
All of this kind of thing was rolling right off me a few weeks ago, partly because I was unstoppably busy, and partly because I was used to the bay area and had built up a wide variety of survival techniques. I'd figured out that there was no point in being in the mood for the quiet life, because I don't have access to that. After two weeks in MN, I'm desperate to get back to work on the things I love, but can't seem to find it in me to concentrate for very long or feel overly inspired.
The search for houses, as usual, reveals that things are way out of my price range, and that I'd be compromising my ability to practice music in order to have a clean, quiet, or relatively drug free house.
what I want to be doing is driving to death valley, right now, but it's too hot and I've got no one to go with until november.
I am just awfully impatient to get back into the swing of things here. I have almost zero structure right now, which is good, but I need to remember how to use it to my advantage, rather than getting railroaded by my surroundings. Vacation at home made me let my guard down. (But god, it was nice.)
I know this is lame and unproductive bitching on the internet, but, we all have our weaknesses... |
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[May. 17th, 2008|05:31 pm] |
update: today I realized that Elvis Costello is an absolute genius. There are so few lyricists (these days, in the mainstream) whose words are actually worth listening to--he is in my top 5, for sure.
also, that exam cramped my hand like a motherfucker. Whole (big size) bluebook in less than 2 hours. By the end, I was in some kind of stupor and had no idea what I was talking about. Something about economies. Oh well, over now.
I found some kind of state park by the highway near the bay bridge. It looks like some sort of wetland/wasteland by the highway, I have lways been intrigued by it when I'm on the bus across the bridge. Last week I noticed there's a tiny sign furhter on that says it's a state park, and what looks like a walkway that is only about 2 blocks long, followed by some weird construction sites and more wetlands. I really really want to go there. If anyone else in Oakland wants to come with me, let's do it.
Close to finish line...feeling a LOT better now that that final is over. I had been dreading it. |
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| my aim is true. |
[May. 17th, 2008|07:06 am] |
2 things that make this study morning, and last night, good:
1. Salman Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories." In the first chapter, everyone is living in a sad town that's forgotten its name, next to a "mournful sea full of glumfish."
My copy of this book has writing on the inside of the cover, because it was given to me for my 15th birthday by my boyfriend at the time.
"I can't love evil germs,
I can't love smelly poo,
I can't love satanist sperm,
but I sure as hell love you!!!"
I still find this endlessly funny.
2. Elvis Costello's "My Aim Is True."
I am not that often in the mood for Elvis Costello, but when I am, it's the best thing ever, nothing like it.
I have a final in 48 minutes. It is saturday morning. |
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| Kev Hopper |
[May. 13th, 2008|10:39 pm] |
Last time I posted I was still formulating an opinion on Kev Hopper's "Saurus"; now I am in love with it.
(Who was it that posted anonymously on my last entry about this album?) |
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| MUSIC!!! and links where you can listen to stuff! |
[May. 9th, 2008|04:44 pm] |
I'd like to post about the fact that I went on a huge CD binge over the course of 4 days last week.
I haven't bought a CD in fucking ages, so this is really really exciting.
I think this has something to do with the fact that I temporarily ditched my rhapsody account, but rhapsody has conditioned me to crave new music. Even the anti-consumer in me thinks this is a really good thing. Here's a list!
I've lovingly provided you with links to samples in case you're curious (highly recommended):
1) Stump: The Complete Anthology.
I saw these videos online (thank you, hardcore john!), and the next day went to get the anthology. Either its release (slotted for 2008) was delayed, or something (?) because you still have to buy this on ebay from overseas.
In any case, this is like captain beefheart meets the birthday party meets talking heads meets fred frith meets irish folk punk. please enjoy:
Buffalo
Charlton Heston
the album hasn't shown up in the mail yet, but i have no doubt of its brilliance.
2) Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber: The Rosary Sonatas (Andrew Manze, violin, and Richard Egarr, organ and harpsichord).
Even if you think early music is lame, please click on this. This is the best damn music ever, and the recording is SO GOOD.
Start with track one.
(*non-rhapsody users: you may need to create a free account. then you should get 25 free plays.)
3) The Darjeeling Limited soundtrack (the new wes anderson movie).
Wes Anderson movie soundtracks never fail. Most of this one is by Satyajit Ray and other Indian artists (ali akbar khan!) and film composers--no mark mothersbaugh this time. But it's really, really good. 22 tracks of lovin. Also includes debussy, beethoven, and the rolling stones. *AND* three whole songs by the kinks.
uh, tracks 16, 2, 5--every track on here is excellent.
4 and 5) Kev Hopper: Saurus
Kev Hopper: Stolen Jewels
...so I found out that the bassist from Stump eventually got sucked into the free improv scene in london, started using samplers, and eventually learned to play the musical saw and made a bunch of albums with it. I thought--holy shit!
Stolen Jewels--the samply one--is not that good, at first listen. Saurus has such a good album cover that I wouldn't care if it sucked:
but actually, it's pretty good. It is not nearly as weird as I expected, and I'm still formulating an opinion.
That is all. |
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[May. 5th, 2008|10:03 pm] |
All I wanted was for this paper to be done. Suddenly I can see that I'm nearing the finish line, and I think I'm actually having separation anxiety.
That's fucking bizarre. |
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[May. 3rd, 2008|03:04 pm] |
OH MY GOD! The Dolly Parton version of House of the Rising Sun!
She's a damn genius. |
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[Apr. 24th, 2008|12:03 am] |
A few observations from the day:
"Reading Rooms" are just what they should be: rooms perfectly suited to reading. Giant, expansive rooms with rows of oversized, flat surfaces (blank slates) to lay books on, chairs just comfortable enough, ample and pleasant lighting, quiet, and about 30 feet between one's head and the ceiling which I assume is used as extra thinking space.
"Practice Rooms", in comparison, are not nearly so well-conceived.
I have a feeling that when the semester is over, I'll be glad not because I'm burnt out on work, but on conflicting ideas. I'll have reached a point where I literally cannot internalize any more conflicts.
I'm either unable or unwilling to pull all-nighters now. Am I getting old?
San Francisco is colder than Minneapolis right now. |
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| Xtreme Viola Lessons |
[Mar. 31st, 2008|03:39 pm] |
I just had a very productive viola lesson at my house. I have a low loft that hangs over the chair my teacher sits in when he is here. My teacher stood up and whacked his (bald) head on this loft, just as he was getting up to leave, and started bleeding slightly. I dashed for ice cubes.
Shit.
Well. At least he gets paid for this. |
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[Mar. 29th, 2008|11:27 pm] |
I stayed up all night last night for no apparent reason, listening to and transcribing (for viola) Biber's Rosary Sonatas, reading Weber, and staring at the wall. I think I've been spending too much time locked in my basement making music and I'm getting weird. Is this possible? I feel like I'm never doing ENOUGH music, let alone too much. I think I'm just weirded out for some reason. Staying up all night helped, but also somehow made me weirder. huh.
I wish I could escape to SF tonight just to get out of Oaktown for a minute but I don't think it's going to happen, as public transit time ends in 20 min and I don't have a place to sleep there. I have a freakish amount of work that I must do that I didn't do over break yet--for this reason I got myself a reading chair at the junk shop. But my room is small, and the basement is dark--it'd be pleasant to go get me some city.
Anyway. Biber. Wow.
I almost got back to composing ("composing-composing", not songs or lodge things) today--now that there's a piano here. I arranged a friend's song, and practiced, and then wanted to go compose but had the feeling that I'd drive myself nuts if I tried it. So I watched half of a weird mainstream movie adaptation of a chinese opera on youtube, and. I imagine I should go read now. Yeah. |
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[Mar. 20th, 2008|11:26 pm] |
At last, I'm on spring break. This doesn't really mean I have a break from work--oh, on the contrary--but it does mean I get a break from having to show up, answer to people, and be in huge crowds of students that burn me the fuck out. The social requirements of school occasionally drive me insane; today was getting to be one of those days.
Surprisingly, even though I was feeling almost violently opposed to having to play music with and in front of others (because this is something like 'talking' to people), rehearsal was good today. I'm really happy for that.
I spent yesterday cleaning out part of the basement, which is filled with terrifying garbage, old paintings, mold, ancient amplifiers, a dozen keyboards, broken cymbals, and legions of california spiders. It was something like spelunking. I woke up that day--it was cloudy and quiet--pissed that I STILL didn't have a piano here, and that it was time to do something about that. So I cleared a piano spot in the basement, and then I secured a piano, very cheaply, all in about 5 hours. It's being delivered tomorrow morning, just in time for break. I am so, SO relieved and excited. This means I can get back to writing.
My other task for break, which I accomplished tonight, was to find a suitable cafe for workitude, partly since I don't have to be on campus for ten days. I found a good cafe (yes! and open until midnight) which is henceforth named the Intermittent Karlyn Office.
My birthday was on Monday (thank you everyone for all the nice birthday messages!). I opted to stay in the east bay instead of trekking to the city. I intended to have a glass of wine or two, but when Karo and Kahn both came over, I realized that I actually haven't seen either of them since i fucking moved to oakland almost 2 months ago. I'm an asshole. So of course more drinking ensued, which was a fuck up on my part, as I was really hungover the next day. I felt like a total idiot. Part of this is that Karo brought special polish beer, forgetting that I am allergic, and I decided I should drink some. I haven't had a hangover in an incredibly long time. But it was an excellent (and equally absurd) night.
Luckily I have some kind of grip on my life right now, but life is changing a fuck of a lot. I have to choose to do all these grown-up things, and I am barely escaping my childishness by the skin of my teeth. I plan to anchor the changes with my new Intermittent Office and my Piano Land in the basement. |
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