Henk
I also saw Hoppy doing exactly what you describe at a Renaissance
lute concert in Paris, but also more mysteriously, he put something
in the middle of his right hand and rubbed it in.
Of course this could just be part of the Hoppy magic. We all went
very quiet and concentrated on the magicians fingers
wondering what
on earth he would do next.
However, just around that time I developed a spot of eczema right in
the centre of my right hand, where all the ligaments from the fingers
pass. I had to cure this with some sort of cream.
I wondered whether this might be caused by the movements of the right
hand fingers (although I have no proof of that). The dermatologist
said it was possible.
If this were so perhaps, Hoppy was using a preventative cure.
Well, I haven't answered your question, and I have added one of my
own, sorry about that.
Regards
Anthony
Le 18 sept. 07 à 14:21, henk a écrit :
> I want to approach you (baroque) lute players with the following:
>
> In 2000 or 2001 I went to a concert in Amsterdam given by Hopkinson
> Smith (Concertgebouw). Although I was sitting in the third row I
> could almost hear nothing of what he was playing and the only
> alternative was to buy a CD in the pause or afterwards, which I did
> not. During the concert Smith paused several times in between
> numbers to stick his right hand in the right pocket of his jacket
> and left it there for about 1 minute. After that he continued
> playing again. I still do not know what his hand was/is doing
> there? And I still do not know. Anyhow I started thinking of how
> and what and I came up with something. At that time I played the
> baroque lute without nails and I needed something to roughen my
> finger tops and came up with the following process: First I wash my
> hands with a detergent and then I use a block of magnesium to cover
> my finger tops including the thumb. I experienced and think (for
> myself) that playing then the lute is 'amazing'. Since I am a
> professional clas!
> sical guitarist as well I started again using nails. And using the
> nails playing the lute with the above mentioned 'magnesium'
> procedure is again amazing! (volume, accurate, stable, etc.)
>
> Has anyone experience with this procedure? And does anyone know
> what Smith was secretly doing in his pocket? And if someone tries
> this way of playing, I am curious for his or her findings.
>
> Greetings,
>
> Henk Pakker
>
> The Netherlands
>
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