I've been going through this correspondence course and enjoying it. I have been (slowly) making recordings of Bickford's Banjo Player's Favorite and putting them on Youtube (with the idea to work through the entire book), so it is nice to see Bickford's lessons and thoughts on some of those pieces.
Here is one I thought I'd share. It is a cut and paste of 7 pieces from the BPF. It is interesting in that, in 1922, "Dixie" could be included in a medley of "patriotic" pieces. Considering that in 1922 there were still many living veterans of the ACW, it is a odd concept that "Dixie" would be patriotic to my presentist mind. To the defence of Bickford, he did not specify patriotic of what. He does have a lesson titled "Give Them What They Want", perhaps this was a way to include both sides?
Here is what he says about it:
A PATRIOTIC FANTASIE
I want you to devote two full weeks time to the complete mastery of this special arrangement of popular, patriotic pieces. It is a selection that you should memorize after you have made a careful interpretation of it. The patriotic appeal is a strong one, you know, with many audiences, so you will be able to use this Fantasie many times to very good advantage.
There is nothing really difficult about the music from the technical standpoint, but there is an ample opportunity for you to show what you can do in the way of expression.
These, as are all of his arrangements, are nice to play. They are just about perfect. Not too cluttered but also not barebones. Pretty much all of his arrangements are like this. I'm a fan.
A Patriotic Fantasie Bickford Lesson 93 & 94
by Joel Hooks
on Tuesday
I've been going through this correspondence course and enjoying it. I have been (slowly) making recordings of Bickford's Banjo Player's Favorite and putting them on Youtube (with the idea to work through the entire book), so it is nice to see Bickford's lessons and thoughts on some of those pieces.
Here is one I thought I'd share. It is a cut and paste of 7 pieces from the BPF. It is interesting in that, in 1922, "Dixie" could be included in a medley of "patriotic" pieces. Considering that in 1922 there were still many living veterans of the ACW, it is a odd concept that "Dixie" would be patriotic to my presentist mind. To the defence of Bickford, he did not specify patriotic of what. He does have a lesson titled "Give Them What They Want", perhaps this was a way to include both sides?
Here is what he says about it:
A PATRIOTIC FANTASIE
I want you to devote two full weeks time to the complete mastery of this special arrangement of popular, patriotic pieces. It is a selection that you should memorize after you have made a careful interpretation of it. The patriotic appeal is a strong one, you know, with many audiences, so you will be able to use this Fantasie many times to very good advantage.
There is nothing really difficult about the music from the technical standpoint, but there is an ample opportunity for you to show what you can do in the way of expression.
These, as are all of his arrangements, are nice to play. They are just about perfect. Not too cluttered but also not barebones. Pretty much all of his arrangements are like this. I'm a fan.