Below is a copy of the documentation I began December 21, 2021
After this initial jumbo-post giving an overview, the posts will be shorter and more manageable.
2020-12-21
A news update I wrote to some friends
At the beginning of November I had exceeded my own expectations by getting the Goldberg Variations completely by heart. I then enjoyed playing them almost daily along with the other repertoire of about 5 hours I had by heart on the clavichord. I viewed this as a foundation for my enjoyment of just playing and had no further plans to add more heavy weights to the list, I was going to take it a bit easier.
Also on the Euphonium/Tenorhorn I reached a level I could enjoy, playing Bach Cellos Suites and all the Telemann Flute Fantasias.
A month later all has changed. I started having troubles keeping the lower notes on the Horn steady. In hindsight I see now that this challenge began later in Summer. By now (December 1) I have lost almost two octaves in the bass. I switched to playing songs from around the world, so I can still create a bit of beauty on my horn.
A week after the tremors manifested on the horn, they began esp. in my right hand on the clavichord. By last week I stopped playing my beloved Goldbergs and most of the repertoire I had established. I can still play music that is slower and has more than one voice per hand. Somehow holding two keys down keeps the shakes better in check. So Bach Chorales etc still work, but I don’t know for how long. It looks like I have to once again re-invent myself anew.
I am only glad that this time around I know what is going on. Seven years ago I had to quit my organ job because I could not play a single Sunday anymore without screwing up at least one hymn. Two years later, I was finally diagnosed with pharma induced Parkinson’s disease. Back then it was highly frustrating having no idea why my playing got worse despite intensive practicing. As soon as I went off the medications (gradually) things came back to normal. This time around I have no meds to go off from, and my lifestyle just about includes everything that is recommended to deal with Parkinsons.
Neuro-pharmaka is not an option, because they also screwed up my hearing considerably, which I hope to avoid this time. I am looking at alternative methods to make my life a bit easier.
So much for planning a retirement filled with music making. Now all I can do is enjoy the moments, stay serene and calm and plan to not plan.
2020-01-27
My initial reaction to coming down with Parkinsons was naturally being devastated. However, I also was grateful for having experienced a bout 5-7 years ago, so I knew what was going on and was able to react in a constructive way.
When at the beginning of November I noticed my difficulties of keeping straight tones in the lower registers of the horn (euphonium or technically more correct a tenor horn, which I play with a french horn mouth-piece) I immediately stopped any alcohol consumption. When at the beginning of December I realized that Parkinsons had returned I began researching the disease. Researching Parkinsons in English is very discouraging. The gist is basically that it is downhill only. The side effects of the usual drugs administered were not an option I was willing to risk. When researching German sites, the first things that popped up were more encouraging. Alternative treatments indicated a fair chance that progres of the disease can be slowed down (or even stopped, which I don’t dare to hope for). So I booked myself in for Acupuncture and TCM treatment which began on January 4, 2021. As for diet and life-style, there was very little I had to change.
The first thing I did was to apply my music therapy skills immediately. Understanding that Parkinsons is broadly seen as an inhibition to the transport of dopamine that enables fluent motion throughout the body and that people with Parkinsnons who have difficulties walking can dance to music, made me choose music that would help to counter the tremors.
On the horn I started playing through my collection of about 700 folk songs in 13 volumes (Das Lied der Völker, selected by Heinrich Moeller Edition Schott 551-560 &1228-1230). The power of these beautiful melodies, I reasoned, would carry me and change the playing habits that developed because of the tremors. Since only the lower range of the instrument and fast speed was affected, the songs were ideal because their range was generally tremor free. Songs that went below C3 (C1 being the lowest on the piano) I transposed up four or five notes to avoid triggering tremors. I played for 1-2 hours each day, enjoying the beauty of these songs and clear tremor free tone. After about three weeks I did not need to transpose down anymore.
On the clavichord I stopped polishing the Goldberg-variations and played Bach and Scheidt chorales, etc. Having more than one finger per hand at one time holding down a key helped stabilize the hands and I concentrated on letting the beauty of the music carry me. Once I regained control of my hands, I added more lively renaissance dances and polyphonic canzonas and ricercate.
By this week, between treatment, supplements and my change of playing style have stabilized the tremors considerably when playing music. I will now tackle the hammered dulcimer (HD) to see if I can stabilize my hand when holding a spoon. I also apply Victor Frankel’s method of paradoxical intention. Playing tremolos on the HD allows me to control the tremors instead of the other way around and the sound helps to override the involuntary tremors. I sometimes managed to use this method in concerts when I felt that I am getting the jitters, I would voluntarily start shaking my hands, which allowed me to stop the shaking after a few measures. It actually worked sometimes….
2020-02-08
The trick with the Hammered Dulcimer seems to work as well. I do have to take it easy and play more lightly and slowly. On the horn I can do the warmups again all the way down to C1 (the lowest c on the piano). Playing my songs below G2 is however not enjoyable. As far as speed is concerned, I managed an Irish Jig (a bit more comodo than presto).
I am not a fan of vibrato, however; pulling a Frankel (applying paradoxical intention) by attempting vibrato also seems to help.
Today I also tried to play the Goldbergs, got through ten variations and then I felt some tremors returning. So I back off again.
All in all I feel quite happy that my playing is returning to somewhat normal. It is at times a bit of a challenge not to push. But knowing the likely consequences is a formidable motivator.
The difficulty with documenting my approach of course is that there is no way of determining in a clinical way, which of the treatments and coping mechanisms are the ones that give me these positive results. In therapy though, it is usually better to apply as many different treatments as possible, as long as one does not interfere with another. I do react positively to acupuncture and feel improvement after every treatment (at this point weekly). I tell Shauna my current issues, and the next day I feel better. While playing I observe myself as I would a client and can gauge how it works. If it does not work, I back off, as in var.10 of Goldberg.
A list of supplements and dietary changes will follow.
Reflections 