journal

news | it's official...

Andy Happel — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 23:36:17 +0000

journal | Andy practicing Gypsy Fantastic

Andy Happel — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:18:21 +0000

For the benefit of my students - I do practice, and I do make mistakes. (often)

But the payoff is wonderful.. let's keep practicing!

news | back from Prague...

Andy Happel — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:38:33 +0000

Hello everyone,

My trip to Prague was incredible and I thought I'd share a few photos with you!

The Moravian Philharmonic - 5 days of intensive recording at their home stage.

This is also where they perform, in the heart of Olomouc (pronounced Olometz).

Gustav Mahler was the conductor in this very auditorium!

The Three Violins - this was a very famous violin shop not too long ago.. (100 years or so). Beethoven brought his violin here to be repaired on one of his two somewhat lengthy (months) stays in Prague. The 'poster' for the shop still remains, as do most of the emblems on shops

all over the city. Some attribute the remarkable preservation to the fact that they do not use salt on the roads, along with other factors.

A very jet-lagged Andy admiring some original Beethoven manuscripts - used during his lifetime!

The plaque outside Beethoven's brief residence (apartment) in the Mala-Strana area of Prague. To stand in this place, and see with my own eyes the same sights that he saw each morning.. the church right outside the door, the square, the narrow streets.. is hard to describe. I felt very lucky, and very alive.

The Astronomical Clock in the heart of Prague - built in the 1400's. It shows the seasons, positions of the (known) planets, solstices, equinoxes..

and, I think, the time - remarkable! We think of people, even just over 100 years ago, before airplanes and computers and even cars, as being in

the dark ages - but this is so wrong! Humans have been very smart for a very very long time. It is marvelous, in the truest sense, to look upon this

great achievement in human ingenuity,

The Trinity Column in Olomouc - This thing is about six stories high, and is just awesome! It is a favorite destination for weddings and tourists.

Many builders today brag about being able to build a house in 90 days - when is the last time you heard about a construction project that took over

100 years to complete!

The Mozart Plaque - outside the residence where he lived 1767 in Olomouc. Mozart was beloved in Prague more than any other place in the world.

He was given a true celebrity funeral here upon his passing and the whole country went into national mourning!

The Opera House in Prague - where Mozart premiered 45 pieces!!

Wow! People sure were shorter 800 years ago! This row house, still intact with many others, is very very small. It shows how much the average height

has changed over the years. I felt like a giant!!

news | off to Prague...

Andy Happel — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:45:45 +0000

I am thrilled to be heading off to Prague on Monday to work with the Moravian Philharmonic.

We have seven orchestral pieces to record in five days.. it will be hectic - but wonderful.

the thousand year old city awaits!

news | great session in Philly...

Andy Happel — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:00:00 +0000

I was honored to produce recordings this week in Philadelphia with Maestro Ovidiu Marinescu.

We recorded a wonderful piece called 'La Leyenda Del Kakuy' for sextet by Osias Willenski.

I had Mr. Willenski 'skyped' in on my iPad from Barcelona so he could hear what was going on.. and he was thrilled with the production.

Technology rocks..

(until the robots take over.. )

news | TTG ...for holding us together

Andy Happel — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:30:35 +0000

What a year 2011 was... one of the best years of my life.

But what happened New Years Day, 2012 was incomprehensibly wonderful...

Thanks to Gravity assembled to rehearse for our upcoming performance at the Portsmouth Music Hall on January 27th... and although it has been nearly 12 years since we last played together - in many ways it was like not a day had passed.

At first I was just totally impressed with how easy it was to get started... then I became filled with admiration for each of the guys individually.. and our entire 21 year history flashed before me in the space of the first song we played.. 'Phenomenon of Flight'. After sharing a few more funny stories and good memories we launched easily into 'Eating the Moon'.. and I was overcome with emotion.

It's hard to put into words how much I love these guys and how much I've missed them.

For now, all I can think about is practice tomorrow night.. and hearing the sound of my little girl's voice humming Eating The Moon.. : )

news | Andy on the Today Show...

Andy Happel — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 04:00:00 +0000

(briefly..)

I was honored to accompany Pihcintu on the Today show on Christmas Eve.

They are an inspiring bunch, and it's always a moving experience to play music with them.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

journal | happy birthday Ludwig

Andy Happel — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:55:00 +0000

Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.

Nothing is more intolerable than to have to admit to yourself your own errors.

The barriers are not erected which can say to aspiring talents and industry, "Thus far and no farther."

Tones sound, and roar and storm about me until I have set them down in notes.

What you are, you are by accident of birth; what I am, I am by myself. There are and will be a thousand princes; there is only one Beethoven.

To play without passion is inexcusable!

It seemed unthinkable for me to leave the world forever before I had produced all that I felt called upon to produce"

I love a tree more than a man

Then let us all do what is right, strive with all our might toward the unattainable, develop as fully as we can the gifts God has given us, and never stop learning

My misfortune is doubly painful to me because it will result in my being misunderstood. For me there can be no recreation in the company of others, no intelligent conversation, no exchange of information with peers; only the most pressing needs can make me venture into society. I am obliged to live like an outcast.

I shall seize fate by the throat.

A great poet is the most precious jewel of a nation.

news | great session yesterday with New England String Quartet

Andy Happel — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:32:55 +0000

i had the honor of producing a session with the New England String Quartet yesterday..

they were absolutely delightful to work with, and fantastic players! we recorded a piece by Michael Cunningham (string quartet no.5) in less than four hours. Tom Stephenson (engineer) and i work well together and the session was smooth sailing, although the view through the back glass was one of a blustery, wet day...

news | Andy completes Vercoe sessions with PARMA

Andy Happel — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 23:54:15 +0000

i had a wonderful day yesterday recording with composer Elizabeth Vercoe.

She wrote a wonderful five part piece for piano and flute called 'Kleemation' (pronounced 'claymation' - based

on drawings by Paul Klee).

Particularly moving was a section called 'more will be marching soon'.. an emotionally devastating, anti-war offering that just leaves me feeling heavy and overwhelmed.. we only did one 'real' take of that section..

other parts are more playful and invoke the ocean, relationships and even word-play..

stay tuned for more on this one...