Back to index of "this and that in my life" pages by Donald Sauter.
Dedicated to the proposition that every thought that's ever been thunk may be of use or interest to someone . . .
THEE: Here are two links to web sites that will submit your URL to various
search engines.
http://free.submit-it.com/
(Has a form to fill out on-line. How well does Lynx handle forms?)
http://www.netcreations.com/postmaster/registration/try.html
(More complicated. You have to register for a trial account and
then you get instructions.)
Perhaps GeoCities has some way of submitting your URL to search engines ...
ME: My buddy is visiting tomorrow and will bring his portable/notebook/
laptop. What are they called nowadays?
THEE:
Rocky Point revisited
Fan mail from a far-flung reader
I noticed on your tape one of the songs is titled Rocky Point. [Read
about our "Trip To Rocky Point" recording session in previous newsletters.]
That's so neat. Rocky Point was a 100 year old amusement
park/chowder house/banquet hall. Now it's a flea market. It's still quite
a landmark around here but I doubt you'd find it on a map. It is located
in the Warwick Neck section of Warwick, RI.
I'll have to send you a picture. It's
quite a scenic place, right on the water. Still serve great clam cakes
and chowda. Even have some semi-big names play in the theatre on the
grounds (Frampton and the like.) The amusement park closed only 2 years
ago. I was looking forward to taking the kids [Jesse, 2, and Evan, 1]
in the future, I guess not huh?
ME: WGS Members Recital, October 17 1997
Music of Bartolome' Calatayud
(From *The Guitar Music of Spain*, Vol 1, publ. ???)
Vals
Cancion de Cuna
Boceto Andaluz
Fandanguillo
Bolero
*Kevin Vigil*
Milongueo del Ayer Abel Fleury
Galliard Alonso Mudarra
Alman Robert Johnson
Lady Hammond's Alman John Dowland
Milonga Jorge Cardoso
*Mike Davis*
Nesta Rua
Sertaneja
*duo - Alexis Beveridge, John Rodgers*
Gotan Jorge Cardoso
Entre hinojos, ortigas y cardos "
Polca paraguaya "
Preguicoso choro "
*Patowmack Guitar Trio
Bev Ross, Bob Wysong, Don Sauter*
Andantino Fernando Sor
*John Rodgers*
THEE: Beatle Significa seems to be working nicely now on Netscape. I'll
double-check it at work tomorrow.
ME: Mere electrons could never describe what an amazing treasure
that Beatle Beat album is. This has never happened before, I
tell you. (Maybe I'm wrong.)
There was a great line in the Stella article. "What's the difference
between a former beatle and an ordinary celebrity?" Maybe I should put
that in the game.
ME: John Johns was impeccable, a great
program and great acoustics. In case you want a hot tip, the piece
that everybody was commenting on was Nevicata Pastorale by
Benvenuto Terzi.
ME: Washington Guitar Society Questionnaire feedback feedback
In the previous newsletter we published the results of our
survey. I found one of the comments, in particular, very
thought-provoking. A respondent pointed out that a problem with
volunteering is that you don't know what you're getting yourself
into. What are the duties? What experience do you need? How
long is the commitment?
He went on to propose a solution: rather than simply put out
a call for volunteers, someone in charge should contact a
likely individual and provide a detailed job description, so
to speak.
That would seem to make perfectly good sense in general. In our case,
however, I think it misses what the guitar society is - or should be -
all about.
Our guitar society provides a mechanism whereby everybody who
has any interest in the guitar can come together and share that
interest in any way they want. There is no set of regulations
carved on a tablet somewhere defining what a guitar society must
do and must not do. Ours will do exactly what we want it to do -
no more and no less.
The point isn't for a leader to
pressure anybody into doing anything. The point is, if there
is some desire among members for something to happen, then one
or more of those people can step forward to make it happen.
Don't view the WGS the same way you would the movie or auto industry, for
instance, which puts out a product that you have no control over,
and you either approve or gripe about it. I'm not just spewing empty
rhetoric by saying, "The Washington Guitar Society is *you*."
Several times in the past we have run a list of "real cheap things"
you can do to make the WGS a success. It looked something like this:
* Show up at the meetings.
* Play for the open-stage hour.
* Bring refreshments to the meetings.
* Bring prepared ensemble music to the meetings.
* Host drop-in ensemble sessions at your own home.
* Contribute to the newsletter: write articles of any sort, design
a WGS logo, submit an original composition or arrangement, compile the
calendar of events.
* Help out with the newsletter: typing, mailing, distribution to
music stores, putting it on a web site.
* Librarian. Organize our newsletters and other publications received,
and control the lending of whatever material we collect.
* Donate a guitar magazine subscription to the society library. Donate
books, records and music you don't want anymore.
* Historian. Archive material relating to society activities, and
the D.C. area guitar scene as well. Collect concert programs,
fliers, newspaper ads and articles, etc.
These are the things that come to my mind. If there's something
you want to see that's not listed, go for it. You don't need to
be granted permission from on high.
Still, you might be wondering, "Yeah, there are some good things
there, but what am I getting myself into?" That's up to you.
*Anything* you contribute is a bonus and would be appreciated.
Thinking of bringing refreshments? You could make a gourmet double deluxe
chocolate cheesecake - or you could bring a bag of animal crackers.
(They're a hit, I can attest!)
Want to contribute to newsletter? It could be a dissertation on
some technical problem you've overcome - or it could be a single-sentence,
"My favorite piece right now is _____." Wouldn't it be
fun for members to contribute short pieces on "How I got interested
in the classical guitar"? Wouldn't it be worthwhile for somebody to
summarize interesting guitar discussions that take place on the internet
for everybody else?
Like the idea of a WGS historian? We *have* done remarkable things,
haven't we? You could go hog wild with file cabinets and
hanging folders and computer databases - or you could toss
everything into a big, old cardboard box, knowing what a thrill it
will be for some guitar enthusiast a hundred years from now to
root through.
Like the idea of a WGS library, but don't have a crystallized
vision of what things it should keep, or how it should operate?
Don't worry about it. We'll start with a brainstorming session and
hammer it out as we go along.
We could really use a dedicated calendar of events person; someone who
would not only passively receive notices sent in, but would actively
ask around in the likely places about upcoming guitar events.
But doesn't all of that sound like *work*??? If it does, there's a
problem. All hobbies - gardening, photography, collecting, u-name-it -
take time and effort. Wouldn't be much of a hobby if it didn't,
would it? If the effort seems more like work than play, that would
indicate you've chosen the wrong hobby. The guitar's a
*great* hobby, innit?
Finally, responding to the concern about commitment: when you have to stop,
you stop. We will be richer for whatever effort you contributed.
ME: Here's the intro to the musical piece.
Louisiana Echoes by George Barker
Here's another guitar piece for your playing pleasure. Don't get
too excited - I see from the results of the survey that a whopping 5% more
people would rather play the music than read the ads (30% vs. 25%). What
hurts is that it's the same old ad that runs in every issue...
Anyhow, this bouncy one-pager is from a book called
*Superb Guitar Solos* by George Barker, copyright 1900. It
has 80 pages of original compositions and arrangements by Barker. If you're
wondering "Who is George Barker?", keep in mind the arrangements
are of works by biggies like Trotere, Norton, Jaxone,
Molloy, the ever-popular Planquette, Fauconier, Lutz, etc.
WGS vice-president Michael Bard found the collection at a used book sale.
It cost 25 cents. He gave it to me because of my broken chromosome which
makes me play everything I can get my hands on and I have had a *superb*
time with it. Thanks Michael!
Sorry about the fingerings; I put them in for my own use before thinking
in terms of publishing it in the newsletter. I also added the slurs
in order to get the tempo up. MM = 120 sounds pretty good. I doubt the
repeat of measures 17-24 is intended.
THEE: We still need a version of "Matchbox" from the '30s, don't we?
I was reviewing my Kennedy magazine collection and I came across the
Feb. 21, 1964, "Life." That's essential for Beatlefans but I think you
must have it. It has Lee Harvey Oswald on the cover, letters on the Fabs
[Beatles], and a two-page photo spread (or maybe three).
ME: Yep, I have the Oswald/Beatle Life. There's a few nuggets, like
pointing out that the attack on Ringo's hair "technically was on British soil."
Got burned this morning by a phenomenon I think you were describing the
other day. Infoseek would not accept my website because of people
trying to outsmart their indexing system.
ME: Teach me about the Allman Bros. I allus thought they were a
bar band. Did I miss something?
Went out to see South Pacific at the Archives eye eye tonight.
Was moved by much of the music. Did I ever mention one of the
greatest musical experiences of my life was hearing Some Enchanted
Evening by Jay and the Americans on my Chevy Nova radio one night
driving to Philadelphia? Not quite the same experience hearing it
on a record I tracked down.
Guess what happened while I was typing this message? Got cut off. I managed
to keep a cool head about me and retrieved it from Telix's save buffer.
THEE: Subject: The Family Motto
Believe it or not, "South Pacific" contributed to our Family Coat of
Arms (except we don't have one). My parents saw the movie when they
lived in England in 1958 and 1959. Afterwards, as the crowd came out of
the theater and emerged into a typical damp and foggy British night, my
parents heard another film-goer sigh and say in a very posh accent, "Ah
well, back to grim reality!" We all still say that all the time.
The Allmans have an explosive history. In 1966 or 1967, the two
brothers (Duane and Greg) fronted a somewhat weak psychedilic band
called the Hour Glass and released two LPs. One of the LPs features a
fairly cool instrumental cover of "Norwegian Wood (TBHF)."
After two studio albums and a live set, Brother Duane was killed in a
motorcycle accident. When the band reformed, it had a poppier sound
with songs like "Ramblin' Man." That's about all I know. Those first
two albums are pretty fun. Of course, I enjoy the band and I also laugh
at it. After all, under Duane, the band pioneered the 45-minute jam.
Yuck!
ME: A terz guitar is a guitar tuned a minor third higher than regular.
It's like putting a capo at the third fret. Do you have Noad's
Classical Guitar anthology? There's a Diabelli duet that uses a terz guitar.
ME: Depending on how recently you called, my complete url is on
my answering machine (although I rattle it off pretty quickly).
It is http://www.oocities.org/CapitolHill/Lobby/7049
Don't get any idea it's a big deal or something. I just added
a page tonight about the dream paradox. It might sound familiar
since we have discussed it. (You don't agree with me about it.)
THEE: I thought you might be interested in this URL for Jon Wiener,
the author of COME TOGETHER. He and the ACLU finally won the release of
the FBI files on John Lennon, all but 10 pages.
ME: I spent *hours* pecking away at free.submit.com and now Metacrawler
finds even *less* references to me. Not that that's the point you unnerstan,
just seeing if it can find my web pages. Tell me what the problem is (if I
don't wring your neck first.) Is that netcreations a practical joke too?
ME to former Washington D.C. mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly: All the best
wishes for your Spirit of America project.
ME: Subject: the english language is pruned (no raquel refs.)
Did you know that Welsh Harry Vernon's older American and British
dictionaries both show Welch as an alternate spelling for
Welsh, as in the Royal Welch Fusiliers, which I read in an
old National Geographic, but my late 80s vintage American
Heritage does not (show Welch at all).
In case you sped-read the Times too fast a few days ago, here
is what you may have missed (unless Yahoo gave it the proper
coverage):
"Alternative rocker WHFS-FM's (99.1) free concert by the British
anarchist group Chumbawamba was nixed Thursday when a Department
of Consumer and Regulatory Affair's Special Events Task Force
peeked out his office window and saw the rooftop concert in full
swing.
"The concert was only supposed to last 30 minutes, but was cut
short after the task force member declared that it was creating
traffic problems and that the station had not obtained the
appropriate building permit for the 2-foot-high stage..."
[Shades of the Beatles' Let It Be rooftop concert.]
THEE: I watched the 1953 western "Escape From Fort Bravo" last night. As
a Polly Bergen movie it's a stinker. She barely says one word,
appears briefly in a bridal gown, which obscures her face, and
vanishes quickly. As an exciting western, however, it was just fine.
Opening a can of worms: "Wild One" banned in Britain for a
decade or more? Prove it!
THEE: GeoCities has reached an exciting time in our development. One million
homesteaders is an amazing accomplishment, and we are excited about
the continued growth and success of our communities. We are very
mindful that our success is based on your support and enthusiasm for
the GeoCities community model and that our growth is due to an
unofficial "word of mouth" campaign that you initiated.
THEE: You may be interested in the fact that when I went to visit luthier Doug
Ching I asked him what he thought of what John Warner said about Bob's
guitar (that the neck was on wrong and needed to be reset)--he
said there was nothing wrong along these lines, that the main
problem with Bob's guitar was that the top was collapsing. So
much for consensus.
ME: Reminds me of some vague memory. Ummmm... was it you and
Alf didn't know the genesis of "I yam what I yam"?
Had a record small trick-or-treat turnout - only unloaded 8 or 9
Reese's Peanut Butter cups. I answered the door in a cowboy hat
and a long black beard. (Did that make me ZZTop?) Oh yeah,
thumping background music this year was provided by Fireman
[Paul McCartney alias.]
THEE: Mick Taylor was "briefly a member" of the Rolling Stones?
You better send your buddy back to music school ... or, better yet, tell
him to stick to lawyering!
Your football page was pretty funny, but it was kind of like a Paul
McCartney "fluff" song used to fill out an album - why don't you get to
work on your cosmology and evolution pages? (I rarely watch football,
and, when I do, I usually just root for whichever team was losing at the
time I started to watch.)
THEE: "The IRA turned to supporters in the United States for weapons.
For years, one of their chief suppliers was George Harrison." Good
news is that it's not the Beatle George Harrison, unless he looks a lot
older without makeup.
ME: I just typed "Donlad" for the 2nd time today. I've never seen it
before in my life, or pronounced it or even considered that letter
swap. What's happening?
ME: Subject: *More* reasons for subscribing to the Times...
Date: Wed Nov 5 1997
Do you remember journalism? Was there some jargon for the act of
clipping an article from the end to make it fit in the available
space? Anyhow, take a look at today's Times, page A19 I think, for
an imaginative new way of handling this.
Did the whispered "Summertime, and the livin is easy..." [from The
Seven Year Itch] make sense in context? That was *so* cool, whatever
it was about.
Doesn't the Leiber/Stoller Hound Dog sound like Kansas City? I find
myself singing the Kansas City words throughout.
THEE: I don't know of any term for lopping off a story from the bottom. Oh
yes, it's "wedothis toeverystory." Actually, the only advice I ever
received on the matter was to write my stories like an inverted pyramid,
with the bulk of the material on top. That made absolutely no sense to
me.
In "The Seven Year Itch," a man packs his wife and son off for the
summer because it's too hot in their city apartment. He then meets
Marilyn Monroe, his new upstairs neighbor. Later, his janitor catches
him with her and leeringly sings "Summertime." Of course, nothing
happens, and the man runs off to join his wife, with Marilyn's blessing,
at the end.
ME: I think something paranormal is happening. It's more than just
the Donlads I've been typing lately. I got mail today for
David Sauter. A few days ago I was in a "talent show" and the
program had me listed as David Souter. That was copied wrong
from me spelling my name on the phone. The first was copied wrong
from the letter, or check, I sent. Last night Stephanie called me
David 3 times at scrabble. Should I fight or just surrender?
Donald(?)
P.S. Hot tip from one who knows: find a good anti-pro-environment
web page to review, and you're in like flint at the Times. Sample
editorials from today alone: "The environment made me do it",
"Fallout from green hot air", "Endangered property". I knew what I
was doing.
ME: I tried to get an argument going in rec.games.board about scrabble
rules, but without success. The only guy who responded *agreed*
with me about the challenge rule. I'm not used to that.
THEE: Yes, I went to the Picasso show and it was fabulous. There
were many paintings I had never seen before. One of the ones I became
engrossed ini was the floral still life of the Rose Period which ws
painted on an old paper sack. Incredible! The show was hadnled on what
I refere to as the "catle call" method, and I hate it. I stayed longer
than most, and even back tracked against the tide to start again. I may
have gone back for a third time but the temperature in the place was
about 100 and I felt faint. I don't think I ever told you that I had a
Love-Hate relationship with Picasso. I hate the man, but I love his
work. I came home filled with desire to paint.
THEE: The latest "New Yorker" (Nov. 10) has a glowing one-column
appraisal of Macca [Paul McCartney] (p. 116) that never mentions the word
"Beatles." The blurb does say, "McCartney, like Irving Berlin, has managed
to produce memorable tunes for a span of more than forty years." This
quote merely illustrates to me that today's hip young writers and
editors really don't have a sense of Beatle history as long-time fans
do. I'm fairly certain that the writer wasn't dating Mack's
professional career from "I Lost My Little Girl" or a certain church
fete.
Are the Beatles still relevant? Well, the first article in the
same "New Yorker," concerning the shadowy origins of Chinese President
Jiang Zemin (page 15), is titled "Nowhere Man."
THEE: What I thought was the "Gutzgauch" piece (Hasse) wasn't. I was close, as
the number on the bottom was 12.750 versus our 12.749. But, I'm out of
ideas so without more info (composer?) the piece will have to remain
anonymous. I only figured it's from the publisher Doblinger and was probably
published around 1967-1969.
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