Danny Sapko discovers… (now including follow up vid that is worse!)

[HeadlessBassist]

5 hours ago, Leonard Smalls said:

Yes... Bear in mind that Liszt (and Paganini) was a showman, playing things others thought impossible and some thought was just musical pyrotechnics that had little bearing on actual music... His concerts caused mass fainting fits among women in the audience, he had a "piano battle" with Sigismond Thalberg in Paris (see Davie 504 vs Berthoud), he was the first musical superstar.

And while I wouldn't necessarily compare the talent of 200bpm bassman to the awesome skillz of Liszt (😁), the showing off part is deeply rooted in Liszt's legacy. 

 

1. I visited Franz Liszt's house in the Weimar Republic in the late 80s while I was a music student. Yes, yes, I know. He was out. Saw his Piano, though. Anyway, did you know that he totally knackered his tendons by taping wooden blocks in between his fingers in order to try and gain an even wider hand span? (Eejit!)

 

2. Also, is this the five minute argument, or the full half hour..?

Edited 20 hours ago by HeadlessBassist

[Burns-bass]

5 hours ago, Leonard Smalls said:

Yes... Bear in mind that Liszt (and Paganini) was a showman, playing things others thought impossible and some thought was just musical pyrotechnics that had little bearing on actual music... His concerts caused mass fainting fits among women in the audience, he had a "piano battle" with Sigismond Thalberg in Paris (see Davie 504 vs Berthoud), he was the first musical superstar.

And while I wouldn't necessarily compare the talent of 200bpm bassman to the awesome skillz of Liszt (😁), the showing off part is deeply rooted in Liszt's legacy. 

Not sure I’d put Davie and Charles at that level of creativity and virtuosity but the principle is the same, I agree.

 

I think we sort of agree.

 

I love showing off. I regularly go to classical recitals where it’s 2 hours of virtuosity. I play jazz and that’s basically continual showing off. I’ve played so long the whole point now is showing off because the basic stuff is dull.

 

But because nobody actually comes to my gigs, im not monetising it!

 

I actually saw the pillar that holds Chopin’s heart. Apparently he was afraid of being buried alive so when he died he had it take out and sent back to Poland.

 

 

[TimR]

2 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

I love showing off. I regularly go to classical recitals where it’s 2 hours of virtuosity. I play jazz and that’s basically continual showing off. I’ve played so long the whole point now is showing off because the basic stuff is dull.

 

We all do. 

 

The difference is, people either walk out or clap. 

 

I'm guessing the Edinburgh Fringe is kind of like a real life TicTok where you actually see the faces of the people scrolling past. 

 

Maybe there will be a point at which someone will put a vertical window in front of themselves so the passing people actually have to stop for a few seconds to look in before passing on to the next performer.

[Woodinblack]

7 hours ago, TimR said:

Maybe there will be a point at which someone will put a vertical window in front of themselves so the passing people actually have to stop for a few seconds to look in before passing on to the next performer.

 

I have seen such things in several european countries!

[Count Bassy]

On 20/08/2025 at 08:54, Leonard Smalls said:

Aye... Playing anything complicated or difficult shouldn't be allowed! Just because they're using a musical instrument to produce sound doesn't mean it's music, it's just about inflating their own ego. They should just stick to straightforward and easy tunes, so for keyboards, no harder than Chopsticks, and for bass players, stick to the root and throw in the occasional fifth if you really must.

I blame that Paganini and Liszt.

What's this "fifth" thing you mention?

Edited 3 hours ago by Count Bassy