Robert Fripp's Diary

Casa Stella Maris Caorle Italy

09.12

Casa Stella Maris, Caorle, Italy.



Rising 06.12.

Introducing the Practice of Doing Nothing to the Beginners at 07.30.
Breakfast at 08.00.
Silence visited strongly.

Q.     How do you teach Silence?
A.     By being silent.

Q.    How do you become silent?
A.    By allowing space for Silence to enter.

Director Nunez suggested a guitar meeting for the Beginners. This has been called for 10.00 in the ballroom.
Words of utility and necessity were called.



11.51    Beginners’ Circle: 18 seats with Mariela and Pia Alexanderising.

Beginning by coming into one’s personal presence;
differentiating between what is outside and what is inside;
and the meeting point between the two: the surface of the skin.

Choosing and playing one note, any note.
Then, choosing any note other than the one just chosen, playing this one note and responding as appropriate.
Then, choosing any three notes, other than the two already chosen, playing these three notes;
and responding as appropriate.

An introduction to the functioning of the Left Hand: ascending and descending forms in the three primary positions - seventh, twelfth and second - and moving between them.

A short break was called by Martin, the Team returning to work with the Buddies until Alexander at 11.30 with Mariela and Pia.

Returning to Room 28 and developing further variations on the first Primary.



13.58    Walking to lunch at 13.00 …




… with Director Nunez, newly-returned from inspecting a possible / suitable venue for The Orchestra Of Crafty Guitarists in April-May.

Silence visited, followed by an invitation to present comments, reports, observations, noticings and Point Of Seeing.
Several good comments, with translations into Russian from English and back again, several times.
Also into Polish.
A discussion on the varieties of dialects and accents in various countries.



20.08    Buddies with Beginners at 15.00.
Tea at 16.00.
Alexander at 16.45.

RF with the Beginners at 18.00, presenting a new approach to the introduction of the Right Hand, a parallel with the new approach to introducing the Left Hand.

Dinner at 19.00, honoured with the presence of Brother Francesco, our Spiritual Guide, who supervises visitors to the House.
Various options sounded for our work this evening. Several ways of choosing also mentioned, the most radical of which is, to say nothing.
Eventually, a show of hands carried it: House Of Guitars at 21.30.

22.34    An Outer Circle of 22, an Inner Circle of 10, mostly of experienced players.

When ready, please begin. C. 14 minutes.
When ready, please begin again. C. 14 minutes.
Inner Circle: when ready please begin. C. 5 minutes.
Outer Circle: when ready, please begin.
A promising beginning that came to an end when I stood up. This was given another shot, and developed very well. The Inner Circle joined in. This came to a natural end after c. 10 minutes but was picked up again, and continued for another c. 6 minutes.

The emerging sounds were, to my ears, remarkable. For the first night of this course, astonishing even.

Following a count of four bars of four, please play very very fast indeed for one minute and thirteen seconds.
Following a count of one bar of four, please play very slowly for 53 seconds.

Words of utility and necessity spoken regarding the morning sittings (30 minutes and 45 minutes) tomorrow, and availability of the house for practising: in the dormitory rooms until 22.00, with no restrictions on the house downstairs.