Anyone with norovirus can stay very very far away from me! Sarnie sandwhiches? *shudders at the thought* lol

yep sandwhiches... Okay then I will try the black death instead, but only because I like the word "bubeoils"

I thought. Hey I will post this on pianists corner.
Only joking, they wouldnt believe it existed.
But it does , whether anyone likes it or not, it exists and is now in the world.

Morning all!

Rossy: my favourite word is 'incunabula'.

Today I'm mainly painting, listening to D.I.D. on the radio right now ;-), and trying to ring my mum (who is as usual not answering her phone). I'll also be practising some Froberger and Purcell on the new-to-me harpsichord. Thankfully my tuning key has turned up (and I already have the Korg tuner) so the sound is not quite so painful as it was a few days ago as I've tuned up those top notes that had slackened off.

I'll be here for PW D.I.D. today at 5.

Here's a Froberger suite for a Sunday:

Beautiful music, Eglantine! I've loved it. Hope one day we could listen to you, playing on your harpsichord.

Good morning everyone! A very enjoyable post Eglantine, and a great way to start off our Classical Sunday music postings. I'm also looking forward to RST's Desert Island interview with Becca!

My first offering is the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet performing the third movement of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, BWV 1051.

Good morning all! Okay now I'm nervous!

Here's my pic for the day, it's one of those album/artists that I consider not seperate from the other songs, one song one album!

My next offering is the first movement of Mozart's Violin Concerto K 216. It is performed by violin virtuoso Pinchas Zukerman and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, which Zukerman also conducted for many years.

Good morning Becca! I'm looking forward to your music pics. Now that I see you've posted the Doors, I'm even more eager to see the other pics. BTW, The Doors were a big hit when I was in college. I heard them all the time at parties, and the music sure made us want to dance!

I'll be back very shortly with one more post for today. After that, Eglantine's post has inspired to sit down to the keyboard and practice.

Excellent posts everyone, great choices for sunday Griffin, Love that doors track becca, people are strange and getting stranger just looking at the world...

Eglantine, I seriously had to go and look up incunabula, Mrs R says "Do you own any?" Mrs R is a massive reader . And we do need to see you playing the harpsichord, hopefully with a hired costume circa mozart.. powdered wig and "all"!!!

I love this African American spiritual, "I Can Tell the World," performed by the Nathaniel Dett Chorale. This will be my last post for today. Enjoy your Sunday!

Wonderful idea Rossy! I don't know if Eglantine is into such theatrics. It could be fun!

Today on RST and our second "Castaway" is BeccaBb.
BeccaBb hails from Thunder Bay Ontario Canada, and has been a member of Pianoworld since just before Christmas.., But BeccaBb has admitted to "lurking " for four years!! she has since become a regular visitor and poster here On RST.

RST: Hello and a warm welcome to todays "castaway" BeccaBb

BeccaBb; Hiya! Thanks for having me.

RST:
Could you tell the readers a little of your formative years?

BeccaBb: I grew up both in Fort Frances Ontario and in the surrounding countryside. I was born in a little town called Emo, and lived in Devlin (small country communities) until moving into Fort Frances when I was 8. Unfortunatly I had a rough upbringing. It was marked with my parents seperating, a lot of abuse and alcoholism. I left home at the age of 12/13 and lived on the streets. I got a job when I was 15 and worked hard to get myself off the streets by 16. As such I didn't have the chance to attend high school, so I went back many years later and graduated with honours in 2004 from the local high school.

RST; Did you enjoy school.

BeccaBb; I don't remember if I didn't or not when I was really young, but I really enjoyed it as an adult. I'm a perfectionist so I went for top grade and loved pushing myself to get it.

RST: What was you best at in school?

BeccaBb: English. My highschool teacher put a word limit on my assignments. LOL I would write forever if they let me.

RST: was there anything you were particularly bad at , at school, anything you hated?

BeccaBb: I'm horrid at Math. Still am. I still despise it. I tell people when I count something out for them to redo it because chances are I'm wrong. And don't ever ask me to measure something. I have yet to be correct. I was kinda pushed through math in school. Even with a full time tutor I could just barely pass usually getting 51 or something like that.

Rst: would you say you were a happy child?

BeccaBb: I unfortunately have very little memory of my childhood due to severe amnesia. I can tell you that I was told that I was a little sunshine but I screeched lots at my brother. LOL

RST:Could you tell us about your first choice of music, what does it mean to you?

BeccaBb: My first choice hands down is Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. (All three movements.) Moonlight just moves me. I feel as if my soul were singing to me whenever I hear it. I'm not sure when my obssesion started with this song, but it has never abated. I love listening to any and all versions of it.
RST: Two small interuptions here BeccaBb, (1.) RST is not sure if you can have all three movements as one choice and may have to consult. RST is aware that a Toccata and fugue is considered as one piece especially in some recital situations. RST is a little worried that someone ( maybe polyphasicpianist!) may claim Wagners ring cycle to be just "One work" and thinks we would be in trouble if this was the case!!
I remain open to enlightenment on this issue.
(2.) You said "all versions" so RST has picked one and will give the reasoning for this particular version at the end in a footnote.

RST:Were your parents musical?

BeccaBb: Yes I was very lucky to grow up with all sorts of music. I know that when I was little my parents used to have campfire parties and my dad played guitar, harmonica and sang, my mother sang and others. I'm not sure who the others were or what they played. LOL My grandma also had a piano and everyone took piano lessons (on my mother's side.) She taught me how to hold my hands properly even though I never got to have piano lessons. I listened to country (very old and new) classic, alternative, soul, blues and techno (pink floyd) while I was growing up.

RST: do you have any brothers or sisters that are musicial?

BeccaBb; Yes my older brother can play guitar. My sister was told the same thing as me, that we had no musical talent, and I told her about learning to play piano finally and that she should ignnore what we were told and just go learn what she would love to learn. So I'm hoping that soon she will play something too.

RST: What is your first memory of hearing music?

BeccaBb: When I was 15 I was in a group home for awhile. There were two houses on the property, one for boys and one for girls. One free afternoon our two houses got together and played American pie on guitar and all of us sang. It was a very magical moment for me. Usually we all fought (kids and staff) but at that moment we were one.

RST:What is your second piece of music today and why this choice?

BeccaBb:LOL American pie! For the obvious reason of taking me back to that time and place. Also I love this style of music and it drew me to explore other folk songs. I never thought that folk songs weren't cool.
(RST: allthough BeccaBb didnt specify the Don mclean version , I took the liberty of posting his rather than maddonnas!)




RST: Thats very candid of you beccaBb, RST can sympathise with living on the streets, the reasons why and the determination needed to overcome these obstacles, having had first hand experience myself in this area, and I can tell the readers that even going for a job interview under these circumstances is fraught with difficulties.
As everyone knows, at a job interview you are meant to look your best, be pristine, and have freshly ironed clothes to make a good first impression... In fact, all the things that are very difficult to achieve whilst on the streets...

How did you manage to overcome these extremely difficult issues?

BeccaBb: I was very lucky. Fort Frances is a very small town and my situation was well known. Many many people reached out and helped over those difficult years. Some of the help I accepted and some I did not. I travelled sometimes (hitchhiking) and it gave me a wider perspective of the world. I was a very determined person (still am! LOL) So where having to look pristine would affect the average person, I would be offered the chance to have a shower and given clean clothes, offered a babysitting job in leu of clothes and a meal etc. It really was how I survived. Bless them all.


RST: Who would you approach first as a child, with any problems, your mum or your dad?
BeccaBb: I'm not really sure but I'll take a guess that would be my Dad. I am a Daddy's little girl.

RST:Did you have any childhood heroes?

BeccaBb: Again I'm not sure, but as a teen I worshipped my Grandfather. I still do actually. He is a real cowboy. He could trick rope, fast draw a six shooter, train any horse there is, and built most of the roads with his horse team and plow (roads in Devlin, Dance and Burris.) He listened to old country, served in the military and was just solid as a rock. I get teary eyed just thinking of him. He is still going, unfortunately he is deaf, has dementia and is in a "retirement" home now.

RST:As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

BeccaBb: A writer. I either wanted to write poetry or mystery/horror stories. I wrote everyday until I was in my late 20's. I was never published although I wrote three books of poetry. I've just started to write little bits here and there again.

RST:Record number three?

BeccaBb:I would choose Sara McLachlan Sweet Surrender. When the album Surfacing first came out, I listened to it non-stop. Sweet surrender really is the lyrical version of me. It's my thought process and how I feel all wrapped up into one beautiful song. The life I've left behind me is a cold wind (lyrics) I relate too: I walked away from the chaos that was my life and choose to build something new, something better and I did.

RST:BeccaBb , you said you went back to school later on in life,
was this especially hard after missing high school?

BeccaBb: It was at first. My youngest son was only 6 and I was on welfare. We had just spent 6 months homeless and sleeping on freinds couches. I got a little apartment and enrolled in a part-time school program for troubled kids. I would go to school for 4 hours and then go home and work on school work till midnight. After I graduated from high school I did a two year college program for Social Service Worker. It was very hard. I had almost no money and was a single mom. My son was a latch-key kid. I had no room for mistakes either finacially, mark wise or time wise. It was a lot of pressure. The upside was my children watched me struggle to obtain my education. My youngest son took that to heart and is almost finished highschool. He has never skipped. I believe that watching me struggle and growing up with me educating myself instilled a firm believe in education. Least I hope that's how it worked.

RST:could you tell us a little about your very first job?

BeccaBb: My first job I worked myself into it. There was a pizza place that was open 24 hours so I would go there and clean for the waitresses,in the middle of the night, for a hot cup of coffee and a meal. The owner noticed and gave me a job. At first all I did was clean, fold pizza boxes and answer the phone but soon I was waitressing full time. The main kitchen cook let me stay at his place for rent. I worked very hard and usually worked midnights or evenings only. I'm still very proud of that job.

RST:Have you had many jobs since?

BeccaBb: Oh yes. I've worked midnights at the local coffee shop. worked as a gas pump attendent, a store clerk etc...

RST:What do you do for a living now?

BeccaBb:Unfortunately I'm now disabled. So I don't work. I am trained to work as a Social Service worker and that was my favorite job of all time (working with the elderly and homeless being my favorite.) I'm looking for part time work now as I'm just getting to a point where I can consider it. I really miss working. Staying at home is surprisingly draining. LOL

RST: Record number four?

BeccaBb: hmm now the choices are getting tough! I'm going to go with Matchbox Twenty: Push. This is another favorite song. Having lived through the cycle of violence and escaped it, this song means a lot to me. Emotional abuse is by far the worst to survive. Physcial heals easily, but emotional never goes away. Push really speaks of this to me. It's just a fabulous song.

RST:Are you an "outside" person? or are you happier with slippers and a beverage next to the fire in your favourite chair?

BeccaBb: Generally I'm an inside person with one exception, which is riding my bike. Soon as bike season hits I'm on it for as long as I can. I burn really easy and hate bugs so Summer isn't always as much fun as it could be.

RST:Can you remember what first drew you towards the piano?

BeccaBb: One of the very few memories I have as a child is me racing to my Grandma's piano. She would pull out this old cardboard keymap and go okay now start at C.... I have no actual idea of why it's the piano and not any other instrument. All I know is that huge piano player had my rapt attention. (My brother now owns that very same piano. I still look at it and just can't resist touching it and playing gently over the keys.)

RST:when did you first aquire a piano?

BeccaBb:I first got a childrens keyboard (My First instrument) about 4 years ago. I noodled around on it but I just hated that thing. Then I got my Casio 3000 in November of last year. I soon realized that I had already outgrown it and got Jazzabella in January. So Jazzabella is my first acoustic and I'm quite in love with her!

RST:record number five?

BeccaBb: It would have to be ''Il dolce suono'' (Lucia di Lammermoor) - Inva Mula. I first heard this being sang on Fifth Element. I'm not a fan of opera. Usually the singing makes me just cringe. But this song is just amazing. It makes my heart leap into my throat. If I could ever attend an opera, it would have to be this one.



RST:Would you catergorise your self as an optimist or a pessimist?

BeccaBb: I'm neither. I'm a realist. I'm a very down to earth type of person. Recognizing what is or isn't possible and then make a choice from there is where I come from. Sometimes this is negative sometimes it is positive. That is life. I think being on the extreme ends of the pendulum (pessimist or optimist) is actually quite unhealthy for you.

RST:Do you have any regrets

BeccaBb: No. I've made very bad choices but I've also made very good ones. I've learned from all of them. I would not be who I am today if I had not experienced life as I had. If I died today, I would do so knowing that I had lived a full life and experienced as much of it as possible. I didn't wait for my dreams come true, I went out and made tham happen.

RST:If you could have been anything in life at the wave of a magic wand, would you have been anything else?

BeccaBb: Yes I would be healthy and able to work.

RST: BeccaBb , RST knows you have a love of motorcycles and own and ride a Kawasaki, can you tell the readers how you got involved with motorcycles and why you love riding them?

BeccaBb: My dad had dirtbikes when I was a little girl. I only got to ride on the back but I just loved them. When I was a teen I started riding on street bikes (mostly Harelys) as a passenger. I've been to Sturgis a few times and traveled quite extensively on them when I was younger. Being on a bike is true peace of mind to me. The feel of the wind on my body, becoming an extension of the bike, the soothing sound of it's engine is the most serene thing I know. It's like a good drug to me. I can never get enough of it. When you get into that flow spot on the piano, where everything just is and your in that moment; that is what a bike does for me everytime I ride one. I started riding by myself last year and that is a thousands times better. It's that peaceful spot x thousand!





RST: Have you ever had any "hairy" moments whilst riding?

BeccaBb: Oh lots. Riding on the highway in Sturgis, some lady cut in front of us and the back tire locked up. Not to sure how we lived through it actually. Last year it was raining very hard and some idiot was right on my tail. They wouldn't back off so I could slow down for a 90 degree turn. I fishtailed really bad. I thought I was going down and the said idiot behind me was going to run right over me. I probably have at least one a day moments like those because of cagers (people who drive cars and truck.) I really think every person should be forced to ride a motorcycle for one year before given a regular license. It would cut down on the pure stupidity of other drivers!



The most funny one though was completly me. My partner and I rode our bikes to my hometown for a quick visit. At the watershed, I thought I had put my kickstand down but didn't. I leaned it over to park it and ended up across the back end of my partners bike and half trapped by mine on the ground! LOL We call it my "special dismount."



RST: DO you expect to be riding a bigger bike in the future?

BeccaBb: Oh yes. Right now I'm on my little 440 and I rather love her, but I'm a co-owner of a 76 kz900. She is a monster of a bike. I took her for a test run last year. I had to rock from tip toe to tip toe at stops! I was in second gear doing 60mph! We are in the process of lowering the 900 and fixing her up better for this summer. I will be riding her just as much as my 440. I can't wait! Snow GO AWAY! LOL
RST: ( At this point RST advocated the use of lapdancers shoes to gain some more inches (NO PUN) But BeccaBb was very doubtfull of her ability to walk in them)

RST: DO you do your own motorcycle maintenance,if so , do you enjoy that side of biking?

BeccaBb: Yes I do. When I got my 440 last summer it just barely ran. I had to do a lot of work to her and I did. My partner is a bike mechanic and he supervised. I love working on my own bike. I have to put new head bearings in before spring on my 440 and new tires once spring hits. smile I probably know more about my bike than the average bike owner now. I also have a spare 440 that I'm tearing completely down for parts.

RST:record number six ?

BeccaBb:My next pick would be John Denver: Country Roads. My dad used to play it on his Ovation (round-back acoustic guitar) and I'd sing along. Anytime I hear any type of John Denver song I think of my Dad. There is a lot of comfort hearing those songs and remembering the good times I had with him in some very dark times.




RST:BeccaBb, you are going to be on this desert island for an indefinate time, are you a practical person?

BeccaBb: I'm a very practical person. However I do have my moments of complete senslessness. LOL

RST:Do you think you will be able to construct a makeshift shelter?

BeccaBb: Absolutely. Anyone from my age group, from the area I grew up in could. We all had "how to survive in the dead of winter with nothing" classes. Camping in -40 degrees was not uncommon. LOL

RST:How about cooking over an open fire, do you feel confident about managing this?

BeccaBb: Yep. Now hunting for meat might give me a few pauses, as the men in my family generally do that. But I can catch fish, snare rabbit etc.... Open fires make the best tea and biscuits on the planet btw. I did a lot of camping with my family, and day trips right into my 20's. Open fires are an everyday thing to me.
Winter time is the best time for an open fire and to roast whatever you got after a long day of trail cutting.

RST:record number seven?

BeccaBb:I'd take Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto 1 - B Flat Minor. I just recently discovered this but I love the mood of it. I'd want to listen to it to study it. Pull it apart and try to put it back together again. I think I love listening to piano as much as I do playing it! I'd dance under the Palm trees, fliging dirt at the monkeys as this played! Shake my fists to the heavens daring the rain to fall on me.. Oh right, umm, err, sorry ... where were we again?
RST: We are with Tchaikovsky's Piano concerto number One in Bb Minor Becca! A particular favourite of Rostosky's I might mention!

RST:Are you comfortable with your own company, remember you will be on your own for a long time?

BeccaBb: I'm a hermit to start with! LOL Last bad bout of it I spent 9 months in my house. I figured out I didn't even have to speak for my once a month grocery shop. I prefer to be alone. More alone time the better. Darn kids, dog and honey keep interferring with that though!

RST:What do you think you will miss most about the "outside world"

BeccaBb: My bike. I will have very nasty bike riding cravings.. Maybe I can ride the monkeys?
(RST Has decided that this will not be against the law on RST's desert island, everyone gets lonely!)
RST:What would you like to think the "outside world will miss most about you?"

BeccaBb: I know my friends and family would miss me. They'd miss my quirkiness and peculiar way of going about things. The rest of the world could care less. They don't know me and I don't know them. It's mutual. LOL

RST:record number eight?
BeccaBb:I would pick Nelly Just a Dream. This is our song (S. and me.) We know it's a break up song but we love this song. We know what we have now and how rare that is. We don't want to be this song. It's very beautiful. I'd want to listen to this and miss him all the more....





RST:If there was a catastophic event on the island and you could only save one of your records, which one would it be?

BeccaBb: Moonlight Sonata. 'nough said

RST: BeccaBb, we are giving you a bible or any other religeous text that applies to your faith, we are also giving you the complete works of shakespeare.

BeccaBb: THe Shakespeare is awesome. I love reading and like shakespeare so good picks for me. I'd ask for a not well known book called The Issue at Hand, Essays on Buddhist Mindfullness Practice by Gil Fronsdal. I have no religion but mindfullness has really helped me become a centered person. It would help me get through those rough times while stranded.

RST: We will give you "The Issue at hand" as your book of "faith" then Becca . You can choose one Other Book to keep on the island, which book would you like?

BeccaBb: Hmmm I would ask for a book of Yoga. No any title in specific but one that would give me as many positions of yoga as possible to work on. This would also help me stay centered but also help me work out all those aches and pains that I would have from riding monkeys and snaring rabbits. LOL! I really enjoy yoga and it helps to keep me moving and not creaking instead.

RST:You are allowed one luxery item, what would you like?

BeccaBb: If only there was gas available.. LOL Since I won't have gas that ruled out my bike, so I'd go with my piano. (which I mean jazzabella specifically) complete with sheet music and a tuners kit! (crosses fingers on that one)
RST: I think we can allow that one and leave you to fashion a piano stool for yourself !

RST: BeccaBb, thank you for sharing your desert island discs with RST, You have been very candid and open,and are a lady of many nice surprises and hidden depths, may I just say on behalf of the thread, that we hope you are never marooned on a desert island, and that you will continue to share your postings with us all.

BeccaBb: Thank you very much Rossy. It has been a pleasure. I also hope I don't ever get marooned on any island! LOL (no monkeys were harmed in this interview.)

RST:Thank you.

Footnote to RST's choice of "Quasi una fantasia" (In the manner of a fantasy (Grove))
I believe this is often played much too quickly, Beethoven defied the classical sonata format of Fast slow ( fast) fast for this one... and with good reason, he didnt want it to be a proposition.
I have picked a slow version based on my own beliefs, I hope this is suitable for you BeccaBb.

Awesome Rossy.

Thank you for NOT picking Maddonna.. gods I didn't even know she did a version of American Pie (shudders.) The Moonlight Sonata you picked is lovely. I also agree it's played way too fast most of the time. It was supposed to be a love song to serenade that special someone!

Excellent music picks by everyone else!

My other didn't make it to DID was Pink Floyd (repost...lol) I just can't listen to one song, it has to be the entire album....

Well done, Becca and Rossy. I still have a couple more of the tunes to listen too..

Becca, thanks for letting us know about you. You are an admirable person.

BTW, I love your Kawa.

Thanks for you job, Rossy!

I think Recaredo just called me a Job. !!! lol.

I can hardly wait to finish reading and listening! I'm working this afternoon at the theater. This is wonderful! I'll be back later!

The last few posts of live performances got me thinking about the best live shows I've seen. Little Feat were perhaps the best live band I've ever seen. And this song ... still has it

Nice work and interesting, Becca & Rossy!
I have to remember to allow 30 minutes to read these every Sunday...
but NOT while something is on the stovetop!

Hya Capt! couldnt agree more, did you catch beccaBbs desert island discs above??
Piano joy, you didnt did you? did you do a "well done" dinner?
thats what my mam used to say when she frazzled stuff.. "its not burnt, its just well done"
( I can assure you it was not burnt, it was incinerated!!) Thats why I learnt to cook!!

Love that Little Feat.

Nice chat Ms. Bb & RST.

My contribution for the rapidly fleeting American Sunday.

I lied. I have more.

I did. I also tracked back to read Griffin's. Captivating stories both. who's next?