[BITList] david russell

[HUGH MCINTYRE]

Colin,

I first heard that piece when on a lovely family holiday at Haggerston Castle caravan park. We went along to the Gateshead Metro Centre, and I bought a tape of John Williams in which he plays it. It always transports me right back to that week.  It will take a very responsive instrument to play it properly - though David Russell's low register comes over better than John Williams', the reverse is true for the notes up around the 17th - 19th frets.  On my guitar, these high notes are pretty dead in comparison with either of these two.  Barrios played a 20 fret instrument.

I agree about left hands like vices, however I was once told that only enough pressure should be applied to stop the strings buzzing, which begs the question of why I don't take that advice. The shape of the inside of the forefinger has a lot to do with it.  My bottom knuckle has always had a slight bump on the inside, which can make full barre chords a bit dicey if I worry about it.  My main problem is that if I lay off for a few days the LH fingertips get soft. Also my RH ring finger turns in slightly at the tip (it's always been that way), so the nail touches the string at an awkward angle unless I am careful how I shape it. So far I've never found the ideal shape.  The LH ring finger was the same until it got jammed between a heavy man and the metal handle on a bus seat. I was behind him in the passageway and the bus jerked, throwing him backwards and breaking my finger. It healed up straight.

My son and I once went to a guitar recital in Glasgow. Every piece was a Beatles tune, lovely arrangements, beautifully played. The soloist was director of music for a hotel chain, and he told us that early one morning he was playing for himself in the lounge.  In came an elderly cleaner, and he stopped playing to see what she was going to do. "Don't mind me, son," she said, "Just you plunk away."

Hugh.
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