Week 19 of year 2007 on the double bass

Dear readers, I am able to post this post not because the problem that I have been facing with Blogger (Status code: 1-500-19) has been rectified. It is simply because I have had saved this post a week ago, so that it would be ready for publishing today.

Perhaps the blessing in disguise would be that I have a little more time to practise on the double bass now that I spend less time blogging since I can hardly create new posts on this blog.

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6 May 2007, Sun: I played all the movements of the Marcello's Sonata in G major with a pre-recorded piano accompaniment. More work is needed on the third movement and the fourth movement.

I also had some time to practise a few sections from Berkeley's Introductin and Allergro. I keep my fingers crossed that I can have more time to practise.

7 May 2007, Mon: I had a practice-session with QH and XM after office hours. We were practising several double bass ensemble works. It turned out that I spent about two hours on the double bass for the night.

8 May 2007, Tue: In hope to have an outlet to express pent-up feelings, I played the parts from a few double bass duet works. After which, I spent time sight-reading Rachmaninov's Vocalise, that is transcribed for the double bass. It pleased me that my vibrato technique has improved a bit. Subsequently, I practised Berkeley's Introductin and Allergro. I might have continued playing if not from the fact that I was physically tired from the day.

9 May 2007, Wed: In hope to be more ready for an upcoming double bass ensemble rehearsal, I spent some time practising Murray "Doc" Solomon (2002) Sentimental Bossa, with the aid of the metronome. I still need to work on the pizzicato part so that it would sound clear and sensitive.

Afterwhich, time was spent playing the Romance movement of Keyper's Romance and Rondo. Subsequently, I played another work that was written during the Classical period: the first movement of Capuzzi's Concerto in D Major. Somehow I have a liking for the first movement of this concerto.

11 May 2007, Fri: I was feeling fairly tired from work. Nevertheless, I decided to take at least 15 minutes of my time to play on the double bass. I practised playing the first double bass part of Tchaikovsky's Neopolitanian Dance (from "Swan Lake"). I also tried did some sight-reading of two of the parts written for a double bass trio. Gosh, I need more work sight-reading works written in treble clefs.

12 May 2007, Sat: Double bass lesson with my tutor, MJ, has been rescheduled to this day. Prior to the lesson, I practised a few movements from Marcello's Sonata in G major, part of the first movement of Capuzzi's Concerto in D Major, and sight-read the first and second movements of Marcello's Sonata in e minor.

For the lesson today, more than half the lesson was spent working on Faure's Sicilienne. I need to learn to play with a sense of pulse, if I had understood my tutor correctly.

Subsequently, I played the first and part of the second movements of Marcello's Sonata in e minor.

On the issue of sight-reading, MJ said I could get a piece of study and work on it for a duration of 5 practice-days. During this period, I shall attempt to familiarise myself with the study, and learn to keep tempo while playing the study. After the 5 practice-days, I will attempt another new study, and so the process goes on.

In addition, I played the 2nd and 4th movement of Marcello's Sonata in G major.

By the end of the lesson, MJ still asked that I consider getting a better double bass. I wonder where I can get a sponsorship for that?