When I was 13, I began studying the accordion with a master teacher and instrumentalist, Joe Morelli. If only I had been as diligent a student as he deserved. But those early lessons did eventually bring me back to the instrument, and now I enjoy playing it for myself and a few others, and I take great pleasure in learning new folk tunes from the many fine accordionists who have posted their performances on YouTube.
One of my favourite pieces is played on the accordion by Licia Maglietta in the film Pane e Tulipani (Bread and Tulips). I learned to play the piece by listening over and over to her playing it in the film, and then I posted my version on YouTube, mainly for my family’s amusement. I soon realized, however, that because the Italian film was so popular, thousands of visitors were viewing my YouTube page; many of them wanted to learn to play the piece, while others just wanted to hear it again after having seen the movie. Gradually I came to see that the YouTube music fraternity is, for the most part, a very mutually-supportive group among whom one always finds many inspiring musicians who make music purely for their own and other people’s enjoyment. Since I posted my version, the original one played by Licia in the film has been posted on YouTube. I’m very fond of both the way she plays it and the beautiful tone of her accordion!
I will be posting links to music I think many others will enjoy, mostly classical but also some world folk and jazz. Visitors won’t find empty “pop culture” here (it’s all around us, largely toxic and virtually impossible to escape), but I hope that they will find some real substance and alternative perspectives.
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