Echoes of Flavio's Ghost Dreaming

An Improvised doodle with guitars and some electronic ambient noises I made some years back.

I couldn't go in as it was closed -so many years in London and I didn't know this existed, the Graveyard for the Outcast Dead. The outcasts were sex workers, immigrants, disabled and other minorities. Will try to go at a time it's open next time. The site next door is also interesting. London is full of interesting things!

Getting up on a Tuesday at 9:00 am is so much better for my delicate constitution ( 😃 ) than getting up at 5:15 am. Only one lesson (here at home) today. And returning an air-fryer that I'd bought a few days ago which stopped working half way through making dinner last night. For now, coffee and arepa with buffalo mozzarella (because I'm a mongrel South American/Italian). And avoid the news, just in case.

Leo Brouwer's 'Omaggio a Tárrega' - Nuevos Estudios Sencillos No 5
And yes, it is the same thematic material he uses in 'Flight of the Lovers through the Valley of Echoes', second movement of 'Decamerón Negro'(which I have posted at some point). In a much more concise form.

Putting out my music and photography (but especially my music) feels a bit fruitless at times. It is easy to say 'I do it for my own satisfaction' and it is largely true but when you put it out in the world you also would like some, a little bit of, appreciation for what you're trying to do. What I do will never be viral, will never make me famous (I wouldn't want that bit) and will never on its own pay the bills but it still would be nice to know that some people do enjoy it. So you practise hundreds of hours, put on a little recital locally, perhaps twelve people attend if you're lucky. If you make an event on Facebook the first sixty comments are on the lines of 'Sorry I cannot make it this time ('or the previous, or the next' remain tacet).

It is true that I'm just not very good at 'selling the product' but still.

I s'pose I'm lucky that I can do it, nonetheless. I would be hopeless at any more 'normal' endeavour.

'Come Again' by John Dowland (1563=1626)
Verity Lingard-Hill, voice
Flavio Matani, guitar
Rustique Café, Tufnell Park, July 2014

John Dowland was the foremost amongst the English Renaissance lute composers. His music often has the curious characteristic of a lively, happy sounding melody together with often melancholy, reflective or even morbid lyrics.

#dowland #renaissanceenglishmusic #voiceandguitar #rustique #rustiquecafe #tufnellpark #kentishtown #englishlutemusic

Another year goes by.

2025 was filled with... medical appointments, tests, scans, more tests and more scans. In the end, apparently nothing that will kill me straight away although there are some things that will need follow ups.

It also was a year when I did a little more playing in public. Not a lot, just three local recitals and a few private gigs. But that was good, it is not something that helps me pay the bills a lot but it is something I need to do. Much as the first thing I think when I find myself on stage is 'why do I put myself in this situation' and 'which way up do you hold this guitar thing?'. Need to move more in that direction -of playing more in public, that is, not fretting about it.

Christmas was a very different affair this year. Last year I was in Miami with my sister and family, being shown around, eating exotic non-Venezuelan food and slightly breaking my no-alcohol vows. This time I spent mostly horizontal, mostly coughing my lungs out and with a runny nose and full of brain fog. Mercifully by NYE it had gone and I was able to go to Tarantella at the Albany and dance and catch up with people for a bit.

Let's see what the new year brings. The world outside looks dark and menacing, my own situation will need me to do things -like finally applying for British citizenship, just in case. A very expensive 'just in case' but given the dark clouds over the horizon it will need to be done.

Hope your own Christmas and NYE were good. Still catching up on my 'Reading Page' here.

Was going to go out for a walk (those ten-thousand steps a day, and that). Made two steps out of the building and... changed my mind, with the rain, the wind and the damp cold out there. Will have to go out later (for one of my two remaining visit lessons, something I decided I won't do any more) but, for now, home it is.

The last week has been a bit empty.Oh, lots has happened, doing my lessons both private and school -the school in Watford decided they would do an Inset day on Tuesday so I had to ask whether I could do my teaching day on Friday. For some reason it was a lot more exhausting than usual. I wonder how long I will be able to do these things -but can't afford to retire so must try to do it for as long as I can. I love teaching music but the work in schools is often a chore, more usually not because of the teaching itself but because of the way they do things in those places.

Will be looking at getting some English lute renaissance pieces ready to play -I hardly ever play in public these days but I want to have a programme ready. And I have, but want to change some of the material I'm playing. And you never know, I did get those three local concerts recently. Looking at a couple of pieces by John Dowland, maybe play again that Pavane by Holborne, 'Countess of Pembroke's Paradise'.

For the moment, just some scale practice and put a load in the washing machine..

Here, coughing has receded after a rather uncomfortable night the previous one. Still with that back pain all the time, although it goes up and down in intensity. And tingling feet, which is the alarming bit. All the time now. Blood tests on Monday. Today, not a lot. Two lessons in the evening, hopefully some guitar practice. Would love to find a couple of little local venues where I could do some more recitals. Not that I get money from those, fifty quid if I’m lucky which, given how long it takes to prepare one and set one up etc plus the having to talk to people and promote it, etc, works out at a couple of pence per hour, but it is something that I need to do..

Doctor's appointment on Monday was slightly alarming. Young female doctor saying that the back pain plus the swelling in my forelegs could be something extremely serious, loss of renal function and 'it happens with age, there is no treatment for that so you just have to live with it'. Or it could be heart. All this didn't make the rest of this busy week particularly stress free or enjoyable. Quieter today, just a couple of lessons in the evening. Some social things tomorrow.

Not enjoying this entropy of accumulating years much..

This was the week when I needed to do the car's MOT. The repairs for that came up to no change out of £900. Then there was the insurance for said car, which was a large increase from last year.

And then my fridge died. Waiting for the fridge repair man to come this afternoon. I have been told by many people that I'm better off just buying one, but let's see what repair man says first -although he of course is not impartial...

An expensive week.