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Now playing: Roger Williams - The Way We Were
via FoxyTunes
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
It's Coffee Time!
Recently, I've been acquiring some culture by reading (cough) really good books and watching movies of some classics. I will start by mentioning that I read "My Heartbeat," by Garret Freymann-Weyr. I would have never happened to read this book if it wasn't because it was on sale, and not particularly at a bookstore. Although it's a book for teenagers, I thought the message it portrays was very well delivered. I picked up the book not knowing what to expect from an author I've never read before, but once I started reading the book, I couldn't put it down.
The book is about adolescent love and first sexual encounters; first love and also, gay love between two boys. The story takes place in Manhattan, probably around the 90's. The main theme of the story is about the different written and "unwritten" rules that society imposes upon people. The perspective taken in this occasion is through the eyes of a fourteen year-old girl, who is totally madly in love with James, who likes Link, the girl's brother. Definitely a good read, although much more explanation is needed when discussing these issues with teenagers.
Moreover, some of the movies I've been watching are "The Age of Innocence," a book written by Edith Wharton, and a film starring Wynona Ryder and Michelle Pfeiffer. This book is a representation of the New York society in the 1870's, highly recommended. Another movie I saw (whose book I intend to read) was the classic "Jane Eyre," book written by Charlotte Bronte, film produced by BBC productions. What can I say? I loved it.
I will now include several quotations that caught my attention (I must admit it, I'm a hopeless romantic):
From "The Age of Innocence"
"It was wonderful", he thought. How such depths of feelings could coexist with an absence of imagination.
Newland Archer when he confirms his marriage with May Welland.
"Don't you see I can't love you unless I give you up?"
Countess Olenska to Newland Archer.
"She remained in his memory as simply the most plaitive and poignant of the line of ghosts."
Narrator, scene when Countess Olenska leaves for Paris and Archer is in London with his wife.
Jane Eyre quotations:
"There's a character inside that determines a person, not the outher shell."
Jane Eyre to Mr. Rochester, when he asks whether she finds him handsome or not.
"Take care, Jane. Don't look too closely inside, you might not find anything within me that's all beautiful, and then, where would we be?"
Mr. Rochester's response to previous quote.
"You don't know how it feels to feel someone's beat within one's breast"
Mr. Rochester, in matters of flirting and love.
"You don't think it possible that two minds are so in-tuned that they communicate across the country and call out to each other across space and time?"
There are more quotations to come as I read the books and others.
Currently on my shelf: "A Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult, and soon to be finished "The Keys of the Kingdom" by A.J. Cronin.
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Now playing: Les Miserables (The Complete Symphonic International Cast) - A Heart Full Of Love
via FoxyTunes
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Sound of Music
Lately, I've had the opportunity to listen to a variety of music that I had never listened to before. From Simon and Garfunkel, Petula Clark, and Bob Darin to very lively tunes of "Tracy's Theme" or "Beyond the sea," I admit, not without some level of embarrassment, that my knowledge of music, is indeed still limited. I am a natural music lover, and I think the art of arranging sounds together is one of the most precious treasures of humanity.
I play the piano since I was around 6 years old. In reality, a 6-year-old doesn't really grasp the idea of what a chromatic scale is, or the impressionistic style of Debussy, but it's more like a game, a game of melodies and beats that put together sound pleasing to the ear. So I started my piano lessons not because I was in love with the instrument by then, but it was more to fulfill my mother's wishes and to kill some time in the afternoons.
Playing an instrument not only allowed me to develop my musical intelligence, but it also allowed to develop other areas of myself that I was unaware of. I began to grow a love for music that, only if you are a truly music lover and admirer, you would totally understand. And it is when music starts to become part of even the simplest activities of your daily routine that you realize that you can't live without it. You get up with "Good morning, good morning, how are you?," go to school and use music to learn the multiplication tables, have mom sing to you when you the food on your plate doesn't look very appealing, or even need music when you couldn't fall asleep. And that is why I consider that music as an art is not useless. For example, you don't really need an expensive picture hanging on your wall to be happy (though some people do), but it has even been proven that music can actually cure. See?
However, the point here is distinguishing between music as an art and just plain sounds. On this perspective, I can't really argue about what is good music and what is not, because it becomes relative to the listener what he considers good or not so good. Nevertheless, I have my own opinions, and they pretty much disagree with John Cage's idea that any sound can be music: "There is no noise, only sound." But now that takes us back to the definition of what music really is. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, music is the "art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity." With this definition, I am convinced that not just about any random sound can be considered as music. Forgive me, Mr. Cage, but I don't think knocking on a door is yet music.
Taking a music class this semester made me be more appreciative of the richness of all the different instruments and the variety of styles. After listening to the assigned pieces, I would find myself repeating the tunes everywhere, and being amazed at the beauty and genius of such compositions. I also learned that the human voice is one of the most pure and rich instruments, that if properly trained, can even be the cure to a king's depression. And returning to the definition of music and Mr. Cage's idea, speaking is not the same as singing, is it?
Music has been used throughout history to express many things. It has been used to express love, war, desire, solitude, passion, faith, etc. And music is also a way in which many popular legends (a.k.a early history) have been passed on from generation to generation. Music has also been used as a response to religious reforms, economic debacles and social movements. Some examples of how music has been used to respond to a particular event, is the secular cantata Carmina Burana, which is thought to have been composed for the Nazi Germans. I particularly had the privilege to listen to this majestic performance live, and I think Orff's work is one of the masterpieces of the 20th century. Sadly, many music has been composed under unfortunate conditions, but the beauty and the legacy that they represent is what prevails.
Whether it be a Chopin's nocturne or a Sinatra's ballad, the importance is to know how to appreciate the real music and the efforts behind it. In the meantime, I will continue to listen to my old favorites, but I will also incorporate many new and trendy additions to my music library. After all, music will always be what feelings must sound like.
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Now playing: Billy Joel - Piano Man
via FoxyTunes
I play the piano since I was around 6 years old. In reality, a 6-year-old doesn't really grasp the idea of what a chromatic scale is, or the impressionistic style of Debussy, but it's more like a game, a game of melodies and beats that put together sound pleasing to the ear. So I started my piano lessons not because I was in love with the instrument by then, but it was more to fulfill my mother's wishes and to kill some time in the afternoons.
Playing an instrument not only allowed me to develop my musical intelligence, but it also allowed to develop other areas of myself that I was unaware of. I began to grow a love for music that, only if you are a truly music lover and admirer, you would totally understand. And it is when music starts to become part of even the simplest activities of your daily routine that you realize that you can't live without it. You get up with "Good morning, good morning, how are you?," go to school and use music to learn the multiplication tables, have mom sing to you when you the food on your plate doesn't look very appealing, or even need music when you couldn't fall asleep. And that is why I consider that music as an art is not useless. For example, you don't really need an expensive picture hanging on your wall to be happy (though some people do), but it has even been proven that music can actually cure. See?
However, the point here is distinguishing between music as an art and just plain sounds. On this perspective, I can't really argue about what is good music and what is not, because it becomes relative to the listener what he considers good or not so good. Nevertheless, I have my own opinions, and they pretty much disagree with John Cage's idea that any sound can be music: "There is no noise, only sound." But now that takes us back to the definition of what music really is. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, music is the "art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity." With this definition, I am convinced that not just about any random sound can be considered as music. Forgive me, Mr. Cage, but I don't think knocking on a door is yet music.
Taking a music class this semester made me be more appreciative of the richness of all the different instruments and the variety of styles. After listening to the assigned pieces, I would find myself repeating the tunes everywhere, and being amazed at the beauty and genius of such compositions. I also learned that the human voice is one of the most pure and rich instruments, that if properly trained, can even be the cure to a king's depression. And returning to the definition of music and Mr. Cage's idea, speaking is not the same as singing, is it?
Music has been used throughout history to express many things. It has been used to express love, war, desire, solitude, passion, faith, etc. And music is also a way in which many popular legends (a.k.a early history) have been passed on from generation to generation. Music has also been used as a response to religious reforms, economic debacles and social movements. Some examples of how music has been used to respond to a particular event, is the secular cantata Carmina Burana, which is thought to have been composed for the Nazi Germans. I particularly had the privilege to listen to this majestic performance live, and I think Orff's work is one of the masterpieces of the 20th century. Sadly, many music has been composed under unfortunate conditions, but the beauty and the legacy that they represent is what prevails.
Whether it be a Chopin's nocturne or a Sinatra's ballad, the importance is to know how to appreciate the real music and the efforts behind it. In the meantime, I will continue to listen to my old favorites, but I will also incorporate many new and trendy additions to my music library. After all, music will always be what feelings must sound like.
----------------
Now playing: Billy Joel - Piano Man
via FoxyTunes
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