Скачать или смотреть BACH'S AVE MARIA, VIVI GKEKA, MANDOLIN; GEORGE ROBERTS, PIANO; DR. GWENDOLYN ROBERTS, VIDEOGRAPHY


MUSICAL MUSINGS
BACH’S AVE MARIA
VIVI GKEKA: MANDOLIN
DR. GEORGE ROBERTS: PIANO AND ARRANGEMENT
DR. GWEN FEVRIER-ROBERTS: VIDEOGRAPHY

My Athenian musical buddy, the accomplished Mandolinist Vivi Gkeka brings her special talents to bear in the well known favorite. The melody was actually composed by the French composer Charles Gounod and superimposed over Bach’s Prelude No. 1 in C Major.

The theme is played in its entirety. On the second run I have inserted some small extempore embellishments.

Improvisation was common in the Baroque era, and Bach and Handel often improvised during their playing, much as jazz musicians do today. With the institutionalization of historical Western European ‘Classical’ art music, especially with the development of orchestral and operatic works, this has not figured as prominently and a sometimes strict and academic approach to this music became more the norm in the 20th century. The reality though is that many of the great composers and performers over the centuries improvised and adjusted their music for varying situations, and to my mind portraying music as a stiff and precise ‘pure’ mandate is essentially more academic than truly musical, with possible socio-cultural implications.

I remember that as a youth I was often threatened with retribution for ‘desecrating’ by alteration the ‘anointed’ Classical music and hymns that I was taught. Happily these threats were never carried out and I persisted undaunted, putting my ’spin’ on any music I touched. I’m glad I did, because I think otherwise I may likely not be still playing music today.

Vivi and I enjoyed this little piece. I think you will too!

I would be grateful if everyone subscribes, shares and likes this at    • BACH'S AVE MARIA, VIVI GKEKA, MANDOLIN; GE...  . Also encourage friends and family to do likewise. I will be regularly uploading musical musings to this site as they emerge.


Blessings

GMR