Subject: Falckenhagen variations

From: Christopher Wilke <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2015 17:47:55 -0700

Hello all,

    I've posted a video of my performance of Adam Falckenhagen's variations on the chorale tune, "Wer nur den lieben Gott laesst walten." It's a pretty wild set, starting sedately, but quickly transitioning into rapid, twisting arpeggios and ending with a workout in crazy leaping basses at breakneck speed for the thumb. I begin the piece with "modern" baroque lute right hand technique (close to the rose; hand coming in at an angle across the strings; thumb just slightly in front of the index finger). At 0:28 seconds, on the repeat of the initial material, I abruptly move to a more "historical" thumb out position (close to the bridge; fingers very perpendicular to the strings; thumb held out strongly in front of the fingers). I believe it becomes a different instrument. The cadenza at the end is my own improvisation. Constructive comments welcome.

The video is at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQUqfH2Va7M

This is from my forthcoming album, "Desperate Doors." You still have a chance to back it, but time is almost up!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1600736048/desperate-doors-baroque-lute-album

Thanks!
Chris

Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A.
Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer
www.christopherwilke.com

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From: Rob MacKillop <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 07:53:01 +0000

Magnificent playing, Chris, of a fine piece. I went back to the
   beginning after the end, to hear the "modern" technique, and it was
   quite a difference. I think you play the whole piece brilliantly.
   Looking at Falckenhagen's portrait, his thumb doesn't seem to be so far
   in front of his fingers, indeed it almost looks as if it is behind his
   index, but as it is so outstretched it is hard to say how out in front
   it would be when closer to the fingers. His whole hand, though, is
   definitely nearer the bridge than modern playing. I've found that gut
   strings necessitate this positioning. What kind of strings did you use?
   Rob MacKillop

   On 17 March 2015 at 00:47, Christopher Wilke
   <[1][email-masked]> wrote:

     Hello all,
     A  A  I've posted a video of my performance of Adam Falckenhagen's
     variations on the chorale tune, "Wer nur den lieben Gott laesst
     walten." It's a pretty wild set, starting sedately, but quickly
     transitioning into rapid, twisting arpeggios and ending with a
     workout in crazy leaping basses at breakneck speed for the thumb. I
     begin the piece with "modern" baroque lute right hand technique
     (close to the rose; hand coming in at an angle across the strings;
     thumb just slightly in front of the index finger). At 0:28 seconds,
     on the repeat of the initial material, I abruptly move to a more
     "historical" thumb out position (close to the bridge; fingers very
     perpendicular to the strings; thumb held out strongly in front of
     the fingers). I believe it becomes a different instrument. The
     cadenza at the end is my own improvisation. Constructive comments
     welcome.
     The video is at:
     [2]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQUqfH2Va7M
     This is from my forthcoming album, "Desperate Doors." You still have
     a chance to back it, but time is almost up!
     [3]https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1600736048/desperate-doors-b
     aroque-lute-album
     Thanks!
     Chris
     Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A.
     Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer
     [4]www.christopherwilke.com
     To get on or off this list see list information at
     [5]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

   --

References

   1. mailto:[email-masked]
   2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQUqfH2Va7M
   3. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1600736048/desperate-doors-baroque-lute-album
   4. http://www.christopherwilke.com/
   5. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

---

From: "[email-masked]" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 15:37:51 -0400

I second that.
RT