Strings...

I think today's violin lesson is blogworthy.  First, it took a while to leave the house, due to my anxiety, basically leading to nerves then nausea.  It takes a lot for me to leave when every instinct is telling me not to.  Then reluctance  becomes overwhelming because I don't want to see anyone and I don't want anyone to see me.

Fast-forward half an hour to a bench in the square, having made it into town.  Phase one complete, now I'm ruminating over phase two, the lesson.  I get anxious that I haven't practised enough so i try to look into the tops of trees and just breathe instead.

My music teacher is lovely and un-scary, very calm, the lessons are not a major struggle - stress free in fact, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do it.
It does amaze me that I can maintain the concentration and patience for half an hour, but  this instrument has a strong charm over me, and I do.
I am getting better, my sight-reading and playing. 

In the lesson today I discovered two things:

1) I love the sound of the G string

2) I have very short arms.

I am made to use the whole of the bow, not just the bit in the middle, yet when I do this, holy crap! it seems to go on forever - how long is this thing!?

Now, I am a small creature.  I know this.  I've lived it. Only sometimes I am made extremely aware of my dimensions and playing the violin is one of those times.

Hope my attempt at 'Ave Maria' didn't disturb Schubert's well-earned sleep.

Gustav Mahler, not Schubert

 

 

  
Mahler talked about the "consolation of the high strings", and listening to his music made me want to play the violin.  That and the mind-blowing fact that the A string resonates at 440 times per second.