Montemor-O-Velho (one of the oldest castles in Portugal)

Hope

Mental note - this is not to be forgotten: Meditation from Thaïs (J. Massenet). 

I listened to this beautiful music tonight, brilliantly played live by a student of the Coimbra Music Conservatory in a magical night where 4 young soloists from this conservatory inspired everyone who was listening. The many long hours of hard work rehearsing the difficult pieces were not in vain: they were rewarding and filled the public with pride, hope and optimism in the future. All is well, sleep tight tonight.

(In a way, this blog is almost the opposite: effortless music, no rules, no need to play or sound well. Unfinished music and unattained pleasures, just for fun. But this is no reason for not acknowledging the deep respect I feel for those who dedicate their lives to playing beautiful music.)

Oh, and pardon my english... I do try...

(near Montemor-o-Velho, Portugal)

1 hour ago.

New Song

The idea was just to post a few more photos... but then I remembered that somewhere in the disk I had a song I once called "teaching eagles not to be afraid", whose title may have occurred to me when I was looking at that precise scene of the goshawks (?) starting to fly away from the poles as I approached to photograph them...

I had completely forgot about the song: a piano improvisation made about 15 months ago. I added a few more sounds (trying not to exagerate too much this time - serendipity may have helped) and left some errors, as usual. One never knows what the (near) future will bring...

(Fields near the Mondego river in Coimbra, Portugal. A second bird is also on a pole, in the distance.)

New Song

I couldn't sleep, don't know why. I had been listening to this song just before going to bed and it kept echoing in my head, not letting me sleep. This has happened before with other songs. This time, a stupid idea formed in my head: "you will have rest once you publish this song". I ignored the idea for an hour or so but... I couldn't sleep! Hopeless, I decided to publish it now, "as is". It was not supposed to be like this, but... I have to work tomorrow! Yesterday I imagined what it would be like if someone would sing it, if I added crescendos, a lush orchestration to create the right mood to the next phase of the song, etc but... not now!

When I entered the "music room", I realized I had forgotten to turn off the computer and the keyboard. By chance, the last picture in the blog was appropriate for the title of the song, which I left unchanged. Minimizing work, I didn't want to change anything: just publish it and go to bed! Good night! :)

Birds.

New Song

Sufjan

Two of my favorite Sufjan songs. Together, in new clothes. Sure, the voice failed at times. Of course: it's real. Music as it should be: continuously recreated, moving, inspirational, emotional. 

(It is a pity he is not coming to Portugal this time. The last time he did a great concert.)

New version

The endless quest to improve sound quality... it's like the holy Grail: I never get there.

New Song

Ocean Rain

(got me soaked wet a few moments later)

Today - III

(Monsaraz and Alqueva reservoir)

Today - II

(View from Monsaraz, Portugal)

Today

(Monsaraz, Portugal)

The vertical airports - II

"The vertical airports" is a concept that has been on my mind for some time now (at least since I watch the storks, as in the image of my last post). I was curious and googled it. Result:

The vertical airports

"Sunriver"

(Mondego river, near Choupal, in Coimbra)

New Song

This is a song about the way Nature can surprise us and amaze our lives.

.

"Lord, teach me 

That I must have an end, 

And my life has a purpose, 

and I must accept this."

(from Brahms' Requiem)

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"Everyone suffers; life is pain; and death is the final punctuation at the end of that sentence, so deal with it."

(Sufjan Stevens, here.)

New version

Other versions:

• A Purpose for Mankind
• A Purpose for Mankind (testing possibilities)

New Song

New Song

New Song

New Song

Manoel de Oliveira

He was 106 years old and left us today. Life as a movie.

New version

Let there be light today.

It's coming... slowly... sounds great...

Lyrics

Like the songs, the lyrics presented in this blog are mere snapshots of something that is in a developing process. They grow, stop, grow again, change, fade, eventually die and/or generate offspring. A bit like life itself. Here is a snapshot:

To Explore!

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Oh to explore!

The universe and beyond!

Life on Earth and elsewhere!

To search and research!

Infinite Multiverses!

Infinitely!

Oh Awe!

What's the time?

No! What is Time?

And God?

What are we?

And why do I wonder?

Oh to Discover!

You, in verse

And to uncover

A universe of you. 

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You are welcome to explore further the song/lyrics...

New Song