A moment Update (Violins)

Name: dennis

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Product:	Violins
Date:	05/08/02 (379 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You tell me

Disadvantages: None

Let me tell you at the outset that I have never, ever, considered myself as 'musical' in as much as I have never played an instrument in my life and now I am 'n' years old that is a considerable long time.
I do love music however, classical, opera, (in fact I am going to see my favourite in October in Halifax, Aida) rock and roll (again I am going to see my favourite Lonnie Donegan in Leeds in November) and above all I love folk music.
We, my wife and I, go to all the folk festival we can and steward at most.

Three week ago we were stewarding at the brilliant Saddleworth festival and I was on duty at the young musicians event. My wife wanted to see the fabulous MUNDY/TURNER and as she wasn't down for duties at that time, off she went.
Not many came to the young musicians event partly, I think, because it was early Sunday morning and there were also other events on that people wanted to visit or take part in ie. there was a simply stupendous Gospel Sing in the local Ebeneezer Church with everyone welcome. Among the singers were FIRM FRIENDS, MUNDY/TURNER, TANGLEFOOT from Canada, JOHN PRENTICE and many many more.
However, I digress.
The young musicians venue is where a group of talented musicians host and provide just about every instrument you can imagine (bear in mind it is a folk music festival so rule out that Grand Piano).
After five minutes or so there was only one young girl came along and the room was sort of ... empty .... quiet .... still.
The man in charge, the organiser I suppose, looked accross at me and said
"Well, why don't you make the most of it and pick out an instrument then"?
"Cant play anything" I replied, "No ear for music, can't play anything".

"Give it a try" he encouraged.

"I wish I could" I said, "But I can't".

THAT WAS IT

"There is no such word as can't and the
re is never a wish without the dream of making it come true".

I tried to make sense of the Bodran because I have always been amazed when I see MAGGIE BOYLE of GRACE NOTES play it.
I did make a little progress but was soon directed over to the VIOLIN.
"OHH! now that I cannot play, no chance at all, never in this world, much too difficult, can't even hold it".
My words did not cut ice with the lady who placed one VIOLIN in my left hand and a bow in the right hand.
Still trying to explain my utter lack of musical prowess, I ran the bow over the strings as she directed and low and behold! a sound, musical sound, and it shut my protesting up forthwith.
She showed me how to hold the VIOLIN correctly, how to hold the bow, and she carefully explained the strings as I played each in turn.
Wonderful, I did this for some time and then she placed my fingers over the strings. This I found difficult to start with because I couldn't separate my index finger and forefinger easily, but I did eventually.
She explained how to get different notes by lifting or lowering the fingers and WONDERFUL, even more music.

By now (some hour or so later) I was realy deeply engrossed in the VIOLIN and she then said it was time to play a tune.
I did little bits at a time until I felt sort of confident and said.
"OK I will try to play it through".
Oh, all this time the others in the room were all involved with playing other instruments and talking to each other, they were quite oblivious to me and my violin tutor.
There was, as you can imagine, nouse all around BUT.
Suddenly the room went dead quiet and everyone stopped in their tracks as they looked on in utter astonishment and awe as they saw ME, yes ME with the violin and as the tune 'Twinkle, twinkle little star filled the air everyone cheered and clapped.

FABULOUS FEELING, I JUST CAN NOT DESCRIBE IT.

I repeated it a second ti
me to make sure I wasn't dreaming the whole thing, but I wasn't. IT WAS ME!!!!!!.

Five minutes and I had to leave to catch the last fifteen minutes of the Gospel Sing and meet up with my wife.

I did not tell her a thing about this, I guess I was still in shock.

Sunday evening we were looking after the CD sales in the main concert hall foyer.

My wife was by my side and I couldn't believe it.
As guests arrived, top folk stars I may add, they made a bee line to where we were.
Shook my hand and congratulated my on my success with the violin.
One came up to us and said I was famous and that the word was out all over the festival.

I had some explaining to do to my bewildered wife.

The best was when the man in charge of the young musicians event came to me and said
"It was a moment for me playng the violin but even more so it was a moment for him".

I am hooked on the violin now and my wife's violin which has been unused for decades has a new lease of life. However, I treat it with respect, it is a Paolo Maggini dated 1480 and signed, the bow is a genuine DODD (What all this means I do not know but it is important I am told.



THANK YOU SADDLEWORTH FESTIVAL

Update
Sorry, I got the date wrong on the Maggini, it is 1680 and was renovated at some time by
C W STORY
26 Central St.,
BOSTON
MASS

You can read a label through the f holes giving the C W STORY data


and the Maggini bit reads:
Paolo Maggini me fecil
Bretia anno 1680
It is hand written (Beautiful writing)
in ink and legible though faded.

And for those who think I am romancing a little
I AM NOT
This is a perfectly true story and I feel hurt that even one person doesn't believe me.
I didn't say I was good at the violin, only that I think it is a fabulous instrument and I want to do more.

Oh! an
d the violin again.
I have been told it has a genuine DODD bow, we let our daughter use the violin for practice at school when she was about 11 years old and couldn't understand why the music teacher went in raptures every music lesson.
The violin belonged to my father in law who was a realy good violinist and played in various orchestras in Staffordshire.
He had also a conductors baton passed down by his father, it was ebony with silver inlay but he trew it away saying it was clutter.
Bless him.

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