Classical Style

What is Classical Style

Classical style involves the breadth and depth of:

• an instrument
• technique
• expression
• touch
• sound quality
• nuance
• mastery

Musician Lowell Hohstadt explores a definition of classical style in his article "What is Classical Music" at the link below.

      http://lowellhohstadt.com/what-is-classical-music/

An Example of Classical Style

Classical guitarist Tatyana Ryzhkova performs Capricho Arabe by Tarrega at the link below.

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06GVrYP6NKs

The music is available for download at the Classical Guitar School at the link below.

     https://www.classical-guitar-school.com/music/1026.pdf

Additional music is also available from them at:

     https://www.classical-guitar-school.com/

The Practice

Classical guitar music offers the accordionist an extensive resource for the right hand and a bass line for the left hand.

Work with each note to develop your musicality.

Musical-U provides an extensive article about essential skills of musicality at the link below.

     https://www.musical-u.com/blog/what-is-musicality/

Ultimately, musicality comes from listening, practicing, and performing.

Master your instrument, technique, and expression to perform with sensitivity and nuance as demonstrated by Tatyana in her performance of Capricho Arabe.

Explore and enjoy the musical resources provided by Sveinn Eythorsson at his site classical-guitar-school.

When 7/8 is More Than Enough

Four plus Three

When common time, 4/4, becomes just too common

     and

waltz time, 3/4, is just boom-chuck-chuck, 

     then put them together into a lively, exotic 7/8 (4+3).

Sometimes music in odd or mixed rhythm also has odd or mixed notes, such as chromatically altered notes (accidentals).

This could become interesting practice when playing the chromatic button accordion, where
    
     -- half-steps go one way,     
     -- whole-steps another, and     
     -- minor-thirds a third way.

The Music

Playing the music for the Moldavian dance “Ostropat” offers the challenges of playing     

     -- steady eighth notes,     
     -- steady 7/8 rhythm,     
     -- steady tempo, and     
     -- correct notes.

The music is available at

     http://www.ifdo.ca/~seymour/midipage/ostropat.pdf

The dance video is available at

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEHhvHEZ6iE

The dance instructions are available at

     http://folkdancemusings.blogspot.com/2015/09/ostropat-moldova.html

By The Way

To get the feel of odd rhythms, listen to John Eidsvoog of California play his piano arrangement of “Sleigh Ride” in 7/8.

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZggJNsAuIw