Re: Tasmin Little - Naked Violin

On Jan 19, 9:30 am, classicviolintas...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Jan 19, 2:32 am, "Matthew B. Tepper" <oyþ@earthlink.net> wrote:



classicviolintas...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx appears to have caused the following
letters to be typed innews:16871084-7aa1-4ac4-a460-e06ee32d5ad0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

On Jan 16, 7:52 am, Steve de Mena <st...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Matthew B. Tepper wrote:
Jan Winter <n...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> appears to have caused the following
letters to be typed
innews:813qo354vnstogsaveekj7l7bdc2n2drpf@xxxxxxx:

On Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:07:02 -0800 (PST), CharlesSmith
<sigma.onl...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

FYITasmin Little'sfree download site has gone into operation this
afternoon. I've just downloaded the Ysaÿe - sounds fine.

http://www.tasminlittle.org.uk/free_cd/index.html

What do you make of it?
The Ysaÿe is gorgeous.

That would be the piece which interests me the most -- I already have
multiple recordings of the Bach (Milstein DGG in the closest to modern
sound). Although the Paul Patterson pieces does arouse my curiosity.

I used to have a Eurodisc LP with all of the Ysaÿe solo sonatas played
by Gidon Kremer (I think); any recommendations for a complete set on CD?

The provocative title of Little's recital makes me roll my eyes. This
"purty gurlz syndrome" of classical recording marketing is just too
much.

Except this one is missing the pretty girl.

Steve

HI guys!

I've been smiling at your correspondence! Here are few answers to your
questions:

The Naked Violin title is in part reference to a TV programme here in the
UK, so you are forgiven for not understanding the double-entendre of the
title, which people in the UK will all recognize. Jamie Oliver is a
British chef who took the "mystique" out of cooking and said "Anyone can
cook - just throw these things in a pan and, hey presto, you're a chef".
My title for the Naked Violin is a play on words because I believe that
anyone, regardless of age, race, religion, social background or education,
has the ability to enjoy classical music. The only thing you need in order
to experience (and hopefully enjoy!) my recording is an open mind and a
computer with internet facility. I wanted people to feel welcome to try
something new, and also of course the Naked reference is to the fact that
the violin is in its purest form, unadorned.

Kirk McElhearn asked about the royalty issue - yes, good point! I checked
with Paul Patterson, whom I know well, and he was delighted to waive his
royalties for this. There's a boring and complicated procedure that I have
to endure, which shouldn't worry anyone else but me, and so that was how I
tackled that problem. As far as I'm concerned, all people should have to
think about is what format to download on!!!

:)

Glad some of you have enjoyed the Ysaye, Patterson and (I think?) the Bach,
and have a nice day!

all best from UK to USA

Tasmin

Dear Miss Little,

Thank you for chiming in with facts, when all we have had to work with here
have been off-the-cuff speculations!

Yes, we do get "The Naked Chef" here, and while I have heard of it, I did not
comprehend that your title was a reference to it. That it referred to the
unaccompanied violin repertoire was already obvious. My apologies for that.

I hope you'll understand that my qualms about the title (only) were based on
a marketing phenomenon that some here call the "half-naked bimbo violinist."
I needn't name the crossover performer for whom this term was coined, and I
wouldn't expect you to comment on it, but it seems to have had a questionable
influence: Lara St. John topless with her fiddle interposed like a prop from
"A Shot in the Dark," or Julia Fischer posing for a Gramophone cover with her
jeans-clad bum turned toward the camera, to give but two examples.

Not that I have any problems with glamour photos such as yours. Ida Haendel,
Erica Morini, and even Maud Powell all used their good looks to advance their
careers, of course, and why not? I just feel better knowing that you're
promotiing yourself without resorting to more provocative measures.

I've listened to your recital once straight through and enjoyed it very much.
You have a solid technique with bullet-accurate intonation, and a pleasantly
warm tone, particularly on your Guadagnini. (I'm partial to the Guarneri,
which this instrument resembles.) Mr. Patterson's piece is a lot of fun;
previously I was only familiar with his "Timepiece," recorded long ago by the
King's Singers. The Ysaÿe sonata makes me want to hear you perform any or
all of the other five.

I'll have to listen to your Bach BWV. 1006 a few more times, but this is
where you have the most competition. Here my favorites are Milstein (DGG
remake over the EMI), and Szigeti who, despite it being late in the day for
him, makes it beautiful in spite of everything. (Astonishing to think that
his recording of the Prelude was made nearly a hundred years ago!)

And a question, which I hope you won't mind: Just what IS your dialect?

--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
My personal home page --http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/index.html
My main music page ---http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/berlioz.html
To write to me, do for my address what Androcles did for the lion
War is Peace. ** Freedom is Slavery. ** It's all Napster's fault!

Hello again

It was the off-the-cuff-speculations that made me smile the most!
Anyway, that's what a fun conversation like this is all about - isn't
it amazing that we can all have a chat whilst stitting in completely
different countries?!

Of course I don't mind the question about the dialect - I am not as
super-sensitive as you may assume! (All performing musicians have to
develop broad shoulders in order to cope with a certain amount of
unpleasant criticism, normally about their playing, which may or may
not be true!) I was born and grew up on London. But my father is
from the North of England (Bradford, to be precise) and my mother is
from Stratford-upon-Avon (along with a certain other quite famous
person!). My father is an actor and so it was expected many years ago
that in order to succeed, you had to lose your regional dialect and
learn to talk with a BBC voice. It was also expected that you should
live in London in order to have the greatest opportunities. Therefore
when my parents got married, they moved to London and that is where my
sister and I were born. My father's accent, although mainly BBC, does
still have the merest hint of the North and that's probably what I
picked up, hence an occasional flattening of vowels...

Regarding the repertoire on the download: this was intended to
provide a snapshot of styles in the violin repertoire for those who
know little or nothing about classical music or the violin. The focus
of the download is on the violin (or even both of them!) - it's not on
me, and it's not even on one particular composer or styel! Much of the
reason behind the recording was to allow these people an opportunity
to try classical music for free - and then, if they find they like,
say, the Bach, they can go and buy the whole lot! There are a huge
amount of wonderful recordings of the Bach; I'm hoping that, rather
than try to lure people away from commercial CDs, my recording will
entice people who might not otherwise dare to or bother, to spend
money on Cds and go to live concerts. The wonderful letters that I've
been getting and the estimated 150,000 hits by the end of the month,
not to mention the numerous links from all over the world to the site,
convince me that, if nothing else, I've got a lot of people talking
about and trying out classical music!

That was the whole point and it makes me very happy!

All best

Tasmin

One more thing! I wanted you to see an example of the letters that I
am receiving every day and this one is very touching:

Good Day Ms. Little:

Unfortunately, I am unable to accept your challenge as I live in
China. Living here I am unable to purchase your CDs or attend a
concert as I have no idea of knowing when you would appear anyplace
here.

I have downloaded your CD - and do want to thank you from the bottom
of my heart. It is such a pleasure for me to be able to listen to
some quality and wonderful music.

Listening to your CD now, I feel very much like Andy Dufraine in The
Shawshank Redemption when he was able to finally listen to quality,
symphonic music in prison.

Unfortunately, living here in China, and no longer having credit
cards, I am unable to purchase these things on line. So, this is
indeed a wonderful and special treat for me.

Again, thank you very much for making your music, exceptional talent
and efforts available to the world in this format.

Best regards,

Doc McCoy
Nantong, China
.

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