I recently discovered this english word, "cagey". This should be a funny discovery to any portuguese speaking person and no, I am not telling you why, all you few non-portuguese speaking folks that visit this humble blog, because one of the meanings of this word is exactly "not willing to say everything that you know about something".
I have also been watching, in awe, to Bernstein's 6 Harvard classes on "The Unanswered question". After explaining us the marvels of the connections between music composed by different authors (e.g., the derivation of Wagner's Liebestod from Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet in episode 4, starting at 59:45), episode 5 starts with Ravel's Rapsodie Espagnole which, to my ear, bears some resemblances to Bernstein's "I feel pretty". Yet, Bernstein's says nothing about this, when he could have used that as another example of his point in previous classes. Perhaps he wanted to tell us something about that other pillar of beauty, subtelty? Not telling us everything? Or was it subliminar, unintended?
Now I feel pretty cagey myself.
Personal cacophonies made public.
sábado, abril 05, 2014
domingo, março 30, 2014
Everything is connected, V.
Yesterday, just after lunch, I realized that Liebestod's climax (1:34:40 in Leonard Bernstein's version) is in yet another of my dearest memories: John Lennon's Imagine. Yes, it is there, almost everywhere, in the fast and higher pitch piano part that connects to the repeating motiv (48'', 54'', 1'00'' etc in the video below). Did a bunch of Liebestod-fan neurons in my brain influence my preferences in music, films, etc all my life? And how does this connects to my lunch yesterday? And how come John's expression in the image below reflects so well my surprise?
Addendum: The period of Liebestod's climax repetition is the same as the repetition in Lennon's Imagine or am I imagining things?
Addendum: The period of Liebestod's climax repetition is the same as the repetition in Lennon's Imagine or am I imagining things?
sexta-feira, março 28, 2014
Everything is connected, III.
Chaplin and Wagner, again. Subliminar powers music has, Yoda would say.
Everything is connected, II.
Hitchcock, Bernard Herrmann and... Libestod (some similarities, e.g. minute 53)?
What devious memes hide behind some of the movies/music that I love the most?
What devious memes hide behind some of the movies/music that I love the most?
Everything is connected.
Dali, Buñuel and Libestod. Don't worry, I will not post Un Chien Andalou (that eye in the beginning...), which also features Libestod.
quarta-feira, março 26, 2014
The road to the utmost beauty and enchantment
The last time I went to the cinema
with my family, I had an argument with my kids because, although the film was
technically impeccable, I said that it lacked ambiguity. The kids loved the
film and were shocked when I started with my "yes, the film was good
but...".
In fact, that argument allowed me to realize that, in great part, the sense of unfulfillment I get after seeing a movie at the cinema comes from the lack of ambiguity of most current cinema (blockbusters movies, mainly). Hollywood, are you listening? You don't have to explain the whole movie to the public! The intriguing sense of mystery that comes from ambiguity has its own charm and can leave a sweet, enduring, mesmerizing impression (I saw "2001 a Space Odyssey" for the n'th time recently). Ambiguity can be more important than the consistency of the story!
Ok, that happened a few weeks ago. Today, I saw a 2h20m video with Leonard Bernstein talking about "The Delights and Dangers of Ambiguity". My first impression was: "Bernstein! Ambiguity! 2 hours! Wow!" (my second probably was: "He talks! And what a great communicator/teacher/player he is!"; Third: "Liebestod! Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune!"). The video is remarkable for many reasons and leaves important hints to better understand the paths towards beauty and emotion. The magnificent rendition of Liebestod, maybe the most beautiful piece of music ever written, with its long and difficult progression to the climax, here with the superimposed image of the emotion of Bernstein, dancing and feeling the music, is priceless. It starts at 1:16:20 in the video, but do not miss the discussion that starts at 59:45.
(I mentioned Liebestod before in this blog. This blog needs to have a valid link to it, because I do not trust my memory enough. Oh,and sorry for my bad english...)
In fact, that argument allowed me to realize that, in great part, the sense of unfulfillment I get after seeing a movie at the cinema comes from the lack of ambiguity of most current cinema (blockbusters movies, mainly). Hollywood, are you listening? You don't have to explain the whole movie to the public! The intriguing sense of mystery that comes from ambiguity has its own charm and can leave a sweet, enduring, mesmerizing impression (I saw "2001 a Space Odyssey" for the n'th time recently). Ambiguity can be more important than the consistency of the story!
Ok, that happened a few weeks ago. Today, I saw a 2h20m video with Leonard Bernstein talking about "The Delights and Dangers of Ambiguity". My first impression was: "Bernstein! Ambiguity! 2 hours! Wow!" (my second probably was: "He talks! And what a great communicator/teacher/player he is!"; Third: "Liebestod! Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune!"). The video is remarkable for many reasons and leaves important hints to better understand the paths towards beauty and emotion. The magnificent rendition of Liebestod, maybe the most beautiful piece of music ever written, with its long and difficult progression to the climax, here with the superimposed image of the emotion of Bernstein, dancing and feeling the music, is priceless. It starts at 1:16:20 in the video, but do not miss the discussion that starts at 59:45.
(I mentioned Liebestod before in this blog. This blog needs to have a valid link to it, because I do not trust my memory enough. Oh,and sorry for my bad english...)
domingo, março 23, 2014
sexta-feira, março 07, 2014
domingo, fevereiro 16, 2014
sábado, dezembro 28, 2013
Liebestod
"Liebestod". Don't forget this word. If music makes you send chills down your spine, listen to it again. And again.
terça-feira, dezembro 17, 2013
domingo, dezembro 15, 2013
quinta-feira, dezembro 12, 2013
quarta-feira, dezembro 11, 2013
Art and Life (2)
May be what I should ask is:
Is art:
1) a weed (e.g., corn), anytime from the beginning to the end of its life, or
2) a pop corn, finished, ready to be consumed?
Is art:
1) a weed (e.g., corn), anytime from the beginning to the end of its life, or
2) a pop corn, finished, ready to be consumed?
Art and Life
After my first album, TRA, the next thing closest to an album will probably be EFIL (I guess). I do not know many things about this would-or-could-be-2nd-album, but I will keep you posted.
Right now I am listening to a diskette with some improvisations I made a few years ago and my urge is to publish everything as is, with lots of mistakes, terrible quality, and so on. And why not? Technology allows it.
So why not?
We see life "as is". The simplest living being is pure art, "as is". Imperfect or perfect, adjusted or not to its environment. Does art need to survive time? Does art need to be "perfect"? Does it need to be "perfect" because it needs to be performed and leave a good impression on the public? Does art need to be "performed"? Or can it just "be"?
(Yet another improvisation, this text. It just appeared in the keyboard. Let's see if I will be ashamed of it tomorrow...)
Life (and art?) just happens.
Right now I am listening to a diskette with some improvisations I made a few years ago and my urge is to publish everything as is, with lots of mistakes, terrible quality, and so on. And why not? Technology allows it.
So why not?
We see life "as is". The simplest living being is pure art, "as is". Imperfect or perfect, adjusted or not to its environment. Does art need to survive time? Does art need to be "perfect"? Does it need to be "perfect" because it needs to be performed and leave a good impression on the public? Does art need to be "performed"? Or can it just "be"?
(Yet another improvisation, this text. It just appeared in the keyboard. Let's see if I will be ashamed of it tomorrow...)
Life (and art?) just happens.
Christmas in
Yes, Christmas in.
This blogger is the hugely-immensely-super-cali-fragili-etcetera proud winner of the "Best Ambient Techno" category of the Great Sufjan Song Xmas Xchange. Don't know what this contest was? Read about it in the Wall Street Jornal (and don't forget to watch the video - meet Alec Duffy, the winner, and be amused and amazed at the incredible tale of Sufjan's extremely exclusive song "A lonely man in Winter"!).
"Christmas in a hurry" was the original song I submitted to the contest. Later, I introduced some drums ("Christmas in a hurry, with drums"). Then "Christmas in the blinking lights" and "Christmas in the searching space" popped in my keyboard. The creation process continues, endlessly...
If only I knew more about mixing... (mental note for 2014: learn!)
This blogger is the hugely-immensely-super-cali-fragili-etcetera proud winner of the "Best Ambient Techno" category of the Great Sufjan Song Xmas Xchange. Don't know what this contest was? Read about it in the Wall Street Jornal (and don't forget to watch the video - meet Alec Duffy, the winner, and be amused and amazed at the incredible tale of Sufjan's extremely exclusive song "A lonely man in Winter"!).
"Christmas in a hurry" was the original song I submitted to the contest. Later, I introduced some drums ("Christmas in a hurry, with drums"). Then "Christmas in the blinking lights" and "Christmas in the searching space" popped in my keyboard. The creation process continues, endlessly...
If only I knew more about mixing... (mental note for 2014: learn!)
domingo, dezembro 01, 2013
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