Originally posted in my old blog in September 2008.
Quiet conversation. Tentative entry. Anticipation. Simple sounds of preparation. Unusual expressions, demeanor and posture. Exhiliarating passages and patterns. Disturbing soundscapes of primitive energy. Calm streams, birds and thunderstorms.
Is it possible to contain the new birth of spring? How does it feel to be in the Appalachian mountains during that season? “Appalachian Spring” by Aaron Copland takes you on an adventure ranging from exuberance to simple reflection and introspection. The wide range of tonal and rhythmic combinations point out the pathetic one-dimensionality we just experienced in our day of work. No matter how good a day you had, hearing Appalachian Spring in person and living color removes whatever daze or haze that might be victimizing your mood before choosing such a direct encounter with the Queen of all Seasons.
How did the earth begin? Was there ever a time without time? What would it be like to observe a nature awakening during the Mayan era? Ginastera’s “Creation of the Mayan World” moves through these images with a soundscape that transcends most symphonic experience for most legit music fans. Shimmering dissonance is juxtaposed with sometimes disturbing low frequencies that catapult the listener into a parallel reality. At times this separate Universe feels distinctly bifurcated from any connection with the known world. However, Ginastera skillfully melds this disjoint effect with enough glimpses into a Mayan past that the listener has something to grasp after the first few minutes of atonality, jagged melodic fragments and ultra-chromatic vertical chord slices.
After all this, a little relaxation is in order. The raw Mayan blood-thirsty culture cries out for a perfect spring walk in the woods. Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony does not disappoint. Colorful melodies and harmonies with expected harmonic resolutions gradually transport the listener further away from the ancient past into a 19th century forest and meadow. Even the required repetition of the Sonata form “A” section is welcomed since the skillful combination of musical elements is so high.
A little Springtime sonic excursion on the cusp of Autumn injects a proper soul vaccination into anyone willing to accept the gift.
No comments:
Post a Comment