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Restricted access This content is exclusive to members of the International Journal of Music. Join now for as low as $1.67 per month… …or get
Tango is Argentina’s best-known musical export. However, the traditional tango guitar style, which includes a specific set of techniques and concepts, is virtually unknown outside of Argentina. Adam Tully fell in love with this particular way of playing nylon-string guitar and spent almost 30 years studying it, eventually moving from his native New York to Buenos Aires, where the tango scene, and tango on six strings, is stronger than ever. And although many classical guitarists have studied and performed the repertoire of Astor Piazzolla, that music in a way is tango, and in a way isn’t. In this article Adam Tully describes what tango guitar is, and how we can learn to play it.
Tango Guitar: The Secret Style Open »
In this article, the author follows diverse aesthetic, therapeutic and educational facets of musical reception and production. From the levels of meaning of the aesthetic in art and music, she draws a bridge to the analogy between the love of music and friendship. It opens up listening and musical activity as a physical performance in the devotion to music, in which reflection, experience and action are united. This bodily-aesthetic potential of music can support healing and identity finding in music therapy. Therapeutic work with the medium of music offers sound spaces and resonating spaces that can be experienced by the compulsion of the body and enables one to find one’s own aesthetic meaning patterns.
The Healing Power of Aesthetics Open »
When played on the modern classical guitar, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach presents a special set of challenges to overcome, as well as opportunities to enrich the listener’s experience. In the case of the Allegro from Prelude, Fugue and Allegro, BWV 998, there is a bounty of interesting contrapuntal material to explore, and chances to bring out polyphonic textures that are not necessarily apparent at first glance. A deep level of analysis and understanding is necessary to begin the process of creating left-hand fingerings that fully realize the potential of Bach’s music. In this exploration, we will consider the concepts of implied counterpoint and contrapuntal motives to reveal polyphonic textures in what seems to be only single-line music. This in turn will inform our choices in the left hand, causing us to sometimes pursue seemingly unrealistic options in the name of musical faithfulness. While these might not always be practical in performance, they nonetheless offer us the opportunity to engage with and understand the music more fully, expanding our knowledge of fretboard harmony and the perceived limitations of technique.
Exploring Contrapuntal Fingerings in Bach’s Allegro from BWV 998 Open »
This article delves into the intricacies of trumpet playing, examining the challenges faced by musicians in developing a natural and effortless technique. The study focuses on a diverse group of trumpet players, considering their unique physical attributes and the impact of emotional stress on their learning process. Employing a performativity-based methodology, the research draws on insights gained from a comprehensive review of video lessons and expert interviews.
The results highlight the inhibitive nature of certain playing operations, such as the production of compression in the oropharyngeal cavity when blowing air through closed lips. The study underscores the significance of considering individual psychomotor development and emotional states during trumpet lessons. Over time, tension in the throat can become ingrained in motor skills, hindering progress and potentially leading to motor reflex disorders.
In conclusion, the research emphasises the predictability of motor skill difficulties, suggesting that a deeper understanding of the initiation process in trumpet playing is essential. The findings call for a re-evaluation of teaching methods, advocating for a self-led learning model and emphasising the need for trumpet teachers to possess and impart a wealth of truthful information. The article concludes with a call for a shift in perspective, urging students and educators to explore alternative learning strategies, akin to the adaptive approaches employed by admired and talented trumpet players. This study opens avenues for future research into refining teaching methodologies and fostering a more nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between natural abilities and learned skills in trumpet performance.
I’m not Meant to be a Musician Open »
