Thursday, June 10, 2010

At Hearts Length

at heart’s length




Just two notes. Pianissimo. Make it sound like bells that ring in the still of the night. A melody rises in the right hand, accenting the highest points of a phrase. The melody then moves to the left hand, the bass ritardandos to a resolution. And it reminds me of those moments when I spy the moon and have a quiet conversation with the sky.

53 measures away I arrive to a new world. I leave the bells, the long tones, the quarter notes and block chords. A vamp of sixteenth notes sets me up to a dance; flamenco. Accents of energy and passion, dynamics with staccato demands open to marcato phrases and the build accellerates to a tremolo finally at measure 133. Finally… because this section makes me wish I had bigger hands. This is where my dance feels wild. I land the chords through good fortune. I’m not sure how to love this particular section. Its exhilarating and accidental if it do it well… at least for now. Its a nice place to play from unfettered instinct. Thankfully, the tremolos are redeeming.

The first tremolo phrase is fortissimo for four measures and then answered by four more measures but this time in pianissimo and eight measures send me into a transition where a lot of energy crescendos into measure 149….

Tranquillo… back to the bells. Back to section A and B but this time reminiscing a memory…



Andres_Segovia – Tog_-_09_- Cordoba_Albeniz.mp3



And what memory is that?

It’s a piece that makes me think of how it feels to be in love. It’s playful, its demanding yet so meditative with a shot of adrenaline.

Now how would life sound to you if you danced with every measure? How would life sound if you were so captivated by the moment? What does it take to become part of the music? How clearly do you hear your song? Are you at heart’s length?

A thought from the piano bench…

JNET

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