Sunday, January 25, 2009

Music

Music does something to me. I am deeply and profoundly aeffected (it has an affect and an effect) by it.

It is difficult for me to listen to music while I am engaged in activity, because when it resonates with me, it sweeps me away, and when it rankles, it is a distraction. (By the way people, I had this insight about distraction. Distraction=dis-traction. As in, losing your footing. Which is true. And cool, that words contain hidden truths. As in words=sword=slicing through the inessential, sometimes/maybe. Or words as weapons. Could mean lots of things. And mean=name...but I could go on like this all day, and sometimes I do.)

Back to the music: I was just washing some dishes, and listening to music on the radio (New Age channel), and I heard this song that swept me away. It was a call to action. It was epic without being trite (which is tough to do).

I don't know the name of the song, but I did find out that it's by a group called "Adiemus" and on the album "Best of Adiemus".

And yesterday:

At the gallery, we have a sound system (the word "system" makes it sound fancy, and I assure you, it is not) with 2 speakers. One plays in the front of the gallery, and another in the back, where my desk and computer are located. Because of my issues with music and distraction, I almost never have the music on in the back. And, because I have hearing like a bat, I even have earplugs so that if the music out front distracts me, I can block out the sound. (Don't worry, I can still hear pretty well--things just sound much quieter.)

At some point, this nice man came in, and I introduced him to the place, then went back to my desk. He looked around, came back to the area of the desk, we talked, and then he went back out front and proceeded to ask me a question (I quest on). So, I went out to the front, and what was playing on our local classical music channel, you ask? "Adagio for Strings", by Samuel Barber. That song absolutely melts me. So there I am, talking about art, answering the nice man's questions, and all the while, I am fighting back tears.

Visual art is about momentness. It creates an instant impact on the viewer. (It might reveal more over time, but there's that all powerful, often subliminal, first impression).

Music, on the other hand, is about unfoldment. It reveals itself over "time". You cannot hear only one note, and know the song.

I believe that music is the language of God/dess. It is open, it is abstract, and it can open a world of vibration that is a portal to eternity.

(Space=Infinity, Time=Eternity???) An amusing musing that I will perhaps explore another day.

3 comments:

  1. Hi ruth,

    it has been a year or two since i participated in this poem writing. i have been engaged in attempting to earn a bachelor degree in anthropology/archealogy. i have one more semester and part of a summer and i hope i get there. then on to bigger and better deals. i miss writing poems, i had fun i remember your poems so much, they made me very happy for a long time and russell bittner..you two are my favorite poetry writers and commenters. you both always have helpful feedback. well stay in touch if you feel like writing i would love to hear from you.

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  2. Merrily,

    It's great to hear from you. I've remembered your poetry and comments as well, and wondered about your absence on Zoetrope...now I know!

    If you miss writing poetry, try to sneak in a short zinger every now and then. I hadn't written any poetry myself for the longest time...I wasn't inspired, and got "wrapped up in life". But, I finally said to myself, who cares if you're not inspired (?), and there's always stuff going on in life--there's no "perfect moment" to do anything (or whenever you act is the "perfect moment", I'm not sure which).

    Hope you're enjoying your studies, and that you get that Bachelor's with ease.

    All the best, and feel free to comment or E-Mail me (using contact link on side--my e-mail is: ruth@sopris.net).

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  3. I always liked Ruth Gordon's phrase in "Harold and Maude, "Music is the cosmic dance!"

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