Sorry, he is Richard Feynman, not Feyman. He wrote an autobiography called
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman." A really enjoyable book and a good
read. He talks about all the interests in his life, including music (a
bongo player, but really serious about it and good), physics (including his
contributions to "the bomb"), interacting with all types of people
(including those metaphysical types). I strongly recommend it.
>From: "Reid Reid" <reid1898@hotmail.com>
>To: aikop@erols.com, shakuhachi@weber.ucsd.edu
>Subject: Re: My second try: Clay Shakuhachi
>Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2002 00:55:34 +0000
>
>Dear Aiko-san,
>
>Please don't feel insecure about your English. Your English is fine, and
>you have interesting comments.
>
>It reminds me of something I read recently. Richard Feyman, the Noble
>recipient in Physics (and the guy that figured out the O-ring problem with
>the shuttle), studied bongos in Brazil. People in Brazil complimented his
>playing frequently. He discounted their compliments, thinking that they
>were just being polite. But then someone told him that he had some unique
>sounds or variations of rhythms. He got to thinking about it and thought
>that it might be like someone speaking a foreign language. A woman with a
>foreign accent sometimes "sounds" more beautiful because of her accent.
>Little mistakes she makes in the language are sometimes endearing. Feyman
>thought that maybe his playing captured some of the foreign accent appeal
>(assuming that some of the compliments were more than just being friendly).
>
>Maybe when a Westerner plays Shakuhachi he/she has a type of foreign
>language, possibly derived from a lifetime of hearing/playing other types
>of
>music.
>
>
>>From: "Aiko Ichimura" <aikop@erols.com>
>>To: <shakuhachi@weber.ucsd.edu>
>>Subject: My second try: Clay Shakuhachi
>>Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 12:31:00 -0500
>>
>>My apology for sending in a very badly written mail. No wonder people tell
>>me that I sound like a fresh-off-the-boat person.
>>Here is my second try of my mail. Hope it sounds little better.
>>
>>Feeling ashamed in DC
>>Aiko Ichimura
>>
>>
>> Hello all,
>>
>> I'm a new list member and dozo yoroshiku. I play the koto a
>>little and love to play pieces with parts for the shakuhachi.
>>
>>I have a friend who's a student of shakuhachi and also a
>>potter. He and his shakuhachi teacher have been collaborating with his
>>pottery
>>teacher to create a shakuhachi made out of clay. I thought he was
>>joking. But he told me recently that they have created a decent shakuhachi
>>out of clay and used
>>it to play "Haru no Umi" in a concert. He said he would send a tape of the
>>concert. I thought about it. It's not so far-fetched an idea because
>>another instument, the ocarina, is made of clay.
>>
>> He is very serious about perfecting the sound. So I suggested
>>hat he make zigzag grooving inside the shakuhachi just like the sugiaya
>>rooving inside the koto to better the sound of the instrument. He thought
>>that was an
>>excellent idea...does this sound crazy to you all? The color and
>>quality of sound coming out of the clay shakuhachi may however be
>>quite different.
>>
>> The wonderful sound of the bamboo shakuhachi touches my heart
>>profoundly, more so than many other Japanese instruments - and that
>> is because the instrument is so closely approximated with human lungs &
>>mouth? (I believe)
>>Sometimes I feel I am listening to the human heart talking directly to
>>me....
>> I experienced a similar sensation when I heard wind instruments played
>> by American Indians, and by South American music groups such as
>>Inti-Illimani.
>>Thank you for reading this.
>> Aiko in DC
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>
>
>
>
>
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