Program Notes: Bach Cello Suite No. 2 Prelude, Schumann Fantasiestucke, and Summer Julie-O

I thought I would post the program notes from my senior recital, in the hopes that someone might be able to use them for reference purposes. Enjoy!

Robert Schumann- Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Robert Schumann was born on June 8, 1810 in Zwickau, Germany. He did not begin his studies in music at an early age, but instead studied law at the University of Leipzig. It was not until he was 20 years old that he began to study music with the noted piano teacher, Friedrich Wieck. Schumann eventually married Wieck's daughter, Clara, who was a piano prodigy. He was not adept at the piano due to a weakness in one of his hands, so it was Clara that performed many of his piano works. Schumann was also the founder and editor of his own musical magazine called Neue Zeitsfchrift für Musik, which is still in existence today as a leading journal of contemporary issues in music. His love for literature is apparent in his music, as many of Schumann's compositions bring characters or scenery from his favorite books and poems to life.

Written in 1849, it is believed that Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 was written by Schumann as an “amateur” piece, as he hoped to gain more fame and more money by writing chamber pieces that were playable by multiple instrumentalists. Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 has parts that make it playable by the cello, clarinet, and also the violin.

Johann Sebastian Bach- Cello Suite No. 2: Prelude

Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the greatest composers of all time, was born on March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Germany. He was a baroque composer who was not well-known in his time as a composer, but for playing the organ. He wrote over 1,000 works that spanned the entirety of musical genres, except for opera. His father was a town musician and gave Bach his early music lessons. After the death of both of his parents, he was adopted by his older brother Cristoph, a church organist who taught him most of his organ skills.

The Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello is at the top of every cellist’s repertoire list. This set of suites was composed sometime between 1717 and 1723, but the exact date is unknown. At this time in his life, Bach was a Kapellmeister to Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Cöthen. Leopold was an amateur musician who played several instruments, so the fact that Bach wrote much chamber music during this time period is not out of the ordinary. Each of the six suites contains six smaller sections, each section named after a popular style of baroque dance, aside from the beginning prelude. Before the 1900’s, this magnificent work was rarely ever played. It took world-renowned cellist, Pablo Casals, to bring the suites into the public eye. He stumbled upon the music at a thrift shop, and then decided to study the suites, being the first person to record all six suites in 1925. Soon after this recording was released, the Six Suites for Unaccompanied Cello rose to fame and are arguably the greatest works for solo cello ever written. The Cello Suite No. 2 is one of only two suites written in a minor key, the other being the fifth suite. The Prelude contains technical devices, as well as a vast array of emotional depth. It starts with a recurring theme right at the beginning, leads into a cadenza-esque section, and ends with powerful chords.

Mark Summer- Julie-O

Mark Summer is originally from Reseda, California and is one of the founding members of the Turtle Island String Quartet, a contemporary string quartet that is pioneering the performance and composition of new, modern music for the normally classical quartet of two violins, viola, and cello. After graduation from the Cleveland Institute of Music and winning a spot in the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Summer realized that he was longing for something new and exciting. He began to gig around, exploring alternative ways of creating music, as well as playing in his own group The West-End String Band. He visited San Francisco where he and David Balakrishnan, violinist, founded the Turtle Island String Quartet. Summer is well-known for incorporating extended techniques into his cello playing, like virtuosic jazz solos and percussion techniques normally reserved for other instruments. 

Product Review: Stridex Single-Step Acne Control Pads-2% Salicylic Acid

DON'T buy Stridex Single-Step Acne Control Pads-2% Salicylic Acid

Why? I will tell you why.

Unless you are Jermaine Jackson or the late, great Whitney Houston, these pads just have WAY too much salicylic acid in them for any normal person's face. The moment one of these touched my face, the skin became so tight and dry that I thought I had accidentally put on one of those peel-away cucumber-scented masks. I wanted to rip my own face off. That's probably not a good thing.

It says, "Do not leave pad on the skin for an extended period of time" on the back of the box. That scares me a little. It also ruined my plan to sleep with it directly on one of my zits. Knowing my luck, I would wake-up in the morning with a giant hole in my face.

Some questions you might have:

1. "Jess, do some people have VERY oily skin?"

 Yes, but this is STILL too much acid for you.

2. "Jess, what about my disgusting, cavernous zits? Won't this help?"

I am pretty sure that this will do the same thing to your zits as it did to mine...make them so dry that it flakes your skin off...which causes you to put on more moisturizer...which makes your face feel greasy again...it's a vicious cycle! These pads will suck the life right out of your face.

3. "Jess, is there another version of this product with less salicylic acid in it?"

Yes!!!

DO buy Stridex Single-Step Acne Control Pads- 1% or .5% Salicylic Acid

It's a proven fact that salicylic acid is the best treatment for blackheads, as it really gets into your pores and cleans them out. One thing you may not know though, is that if you are using a product that also contains alcohol, it is also irritating your pores. These Stridex pads are excellent and also alcohol-free.

*The blue box on the right is the same product, but with 1% salicylic acid in it. This would be the best bet for someone with very oily skin and lots of breakouts and blackheads.

*The green box on the right contains only .5% salicylic acid, and as it says on the box, is good for people with sensitive skin. I like this one the best, because I feel like it has just the right amount of acid for people with moderately dry or oily skin and occasional breakouts and blackheads. (Like ME!!!)

*Do it in this order: Wash your face. Pat your face dry. Use a Stridex pad all over your face. Wait until dry. Moisturize!! (even if your face is usually oily, you HAVE to moisturize. It actually prevents the face from over-producing more oil!)

As a person who is constantly buying new products, as well as researching them online, I have always found honest product reviews to be very helpful.

Thanks for reading this.

Comment on this review if it helped you!

Things Every Cello Teacher Should Know

1. How to put tapes on a cello fingerboard

I really love those "First Frets" things, where all the tapes are incorporated into one tape. I know some people claim that they are not the correct size to fit all instruments, but so far I haven't had one problem. They save so much time, and there are a lot less things to peel off and possibly screw-up. 

2. How to teach vibrato

"Viva Vibrato" is a great series to help get a student started with vibrato. Check out this YouTube videos for additional ideas and tips:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7emuiZn4Fog

3. How to adjust a bridge after a cello gets bumped

http://www.lindawest.com/Articles.asp?ID=108 

That is the best link with step-by-step instructions on how to do it. Good luck!

4. How to fix "buzzes"

I find that most buzzes come from the cruddy fine tuners. Usually, the washer that the screw actually screws into is loose and needs to be tightened, or the fine tuners are too close to each other.

Oddly enough, many students complain of buzzes with their instruments, and it turns out to be that they have buttons or zippers on their clothing that are making the sound. :)

5. How to teach alternative styles of cello playing

It's 2012. Most likely, you have students that have seen cellists playing on electric instruments in rock bands, fiddling, or even playing jazz. If you're a traditionalist who loves to teach the classics, it's time for a kick in the pants. Kids love popular music, and everything that might be "cool" about the cello. If you have the opportunity to take a class in alternative techniques, attend the ASTA Eclectic Strings Festival, or even just watch some YouTube videos and buy yourself a book...it will be worth it when you can satisfy your student's desire to be a cello rock star. You might find a rock star within yourself! Those Cecilio electric cellos (like the one below) are only about $299.99, and they really sound great for the price!

You can check them out here: http://www.kkmusicstore.com/strings-electric-cello-c-3_60.html

Sure, there are lots of other things a cello teacher should know, but these will suffice for today :) 

Thanks for reading this. 

Product Review: Herbal Essences Long-Term Relationship Shampoo/Conditioner

DON'T buy Herbal Essences Long-Term Relationship Shampoo or Conditioner.

Why? I will tell you why.

Seriously...it smells so good! I'd probably eat it if I didn't think I would start burping up soap bubbles. It's also pink, which makes any girl go (Lady) gaga for it. I bought both the shampoo and conditioner home with the hopes that it would turn my long, straight, black hair into the hair I see in all of their commercials. (or was that Garnier-something???) As a side note, my hair is fine to begin with. I just really like to try products I haven't tried before, in the hopes that one of them will make me look like Giselle Bundchen...so I can attract a man like Clive Owen. (*drool*)

Anyhow, I shampooed, conditioned...and ended-up like I always do...with wet hair that can't tell you a THING about how the product works :)

UNTIL....

...my hair dried. I WISH I had taken a picture of what I looked like, because it was horrendous. The bottom of my hair was all frizzy and dry looking, but the worst was what it did to my roots. I probably could have greased-up a Slip N' Slide with the amount of slimy, greasy residue that conditioner left on my roots. Mind you, I always rinse and rinse and rinse just to make sure there isn't any product left in my hair. UGH!!!!!

Needless to say, I had to go to work like that...and it wasn't pretty. I really should leave a hat there just in case. I threw that stuff away as soon as I got home. 

Moral of the story?

 Buy TRESemmé Anti-Breakage Shampoo and Conditioner.
 (or anything by TRESemmé really) It smells amazing. It makes your hair look and feel amazing. It doesn't leave any gunk in your hair. It's salon quality. It's French, so you KNOW it's good :)

Thanks for reading this.
Comment on this review if it helped you!