It's Study-time! Arguably the best solo guitar piece by Villa Lobos, as a whole, the studies. Number one is a personal favourite of mine, as are many of the other in the set. This is my first personal experience with the 1928 manuscript, that has been the center of sooooooo musch debate in guitar circles. In this week's video, I play the version published by Max Eschig, plus the 1928 manuscript version, to allow you to pick your own favourite. Until now, I have always played the Max Eschig version, so I may be a bit biased, having only known the manuscript version for a week, but I really do feel, that the published version is the better version. To me, that harmonic build-up and releasecurves are clearer and more distinct, when each chord is manifested for a slightly longer period of time.
You see, the main difference between the two, is that each measure, that has the repeated right hand arpeggio pattern, is repeated in the published version, while it is not in the manuscript version. In one place, a two bar period is repeated, instead of the bars being repeated separately, as is the case for the rest of the study. Two passages are different from the majority of the study; the arpeggio is expanded, breaking the right hand pattern. These passages are not repeated; sa,e goes for the last two chords. Apart from this, the two version differ when it comes to the initial dynamic marking, p and mf respectively. Having, as I do, difficulty imagining, that Villa Lobos would want the whole study to be played at the same dynamic (YAWN! Would that be boring, or what?!), I don't consider this difference to be of any real importane, other than as a source for academic debate and endless conversiotions among guitarists after the consumption of a certain quantum of alcohol. Admittedly, the opening character of the piece changes, with the choice of dynamics, but assuming, that one would choose to play the study with several changes in dynamics, which I consider the only musically sound choice, the overall perception of the piece will be very similar in my opinion
This has been, by the way, the week, when a Ukulele entered the household - my 3-year-old wanted a guitar, like dad, and rather than having a very loosely stringed 1/8 guitar sounding dull, I decided on a real instrument in stead... I try to let him play with it without the teacher in me popping out too much, but on the other hand, I turn it around in his lap, if he holds it the wrong way. So far, he is very happy strumming along on the B6-chords that the strings are tuned to so I am letting him, waiting for the right time to guide his left hand to a chord shape.
This weekend, I am rocking out with my Heatwave-friends, letting the inner Rock Star out... And I feel like going for a run later. Normally I plan my running for the mornings, because it's the best guitar warmup ever. When your whole body is warm, your fingers, of course, are as well. That eliminates the first half hour of stiff, unwilling fingers from my practise day. Well, a video is due. have a nice weekend.
Etude no 1 from Thomas Lyng Poulsen on Vimeo.
Direct link for video
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