Carmine Banana

So Susie and I went to hear the SF Symphony do Carmina Burana last night. It was totally awesome. Like Beethoven's 9th, it's something everyone should hear performed live. The double choir, the horde of percussionists, the extensive brass section -- everything combines to form a massive wall of sound. Very dramatic, much more so than listening to a recording. If only more concerts could be like that.

Lute playing's coming along. I was a little freaked out when I realized that right-hand technique was so different from guitar. The thumb plays the strong beats of the melody, unlike with guitar in which the thumb pretty much just plays bass notes. Chords are also played differently. In chords of 5 courses or more, the thumb and/or index finger have to cover multiple courses. This leads to the awkward feat of strumming down with the thumb and up with the other three fingers simultaneously. Kind of hard to describe, but possibly like trying to play two arpeggios on the piano in opposite directions at the same time -- with one hand. Anyway, I think I'm getting the hang of it (Ask Susie for a dissenting opion.), and should be able to play some nice simple tunes shortly.