Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Price of Beauty


As the year grows old, the sun shares but miserly portions of its light and heat and the sky turns grey; not an ominous, black-grey - the harbinger of impending celestial tumult that inspires a delightful terror - but the mournful, muddled grey of a neglected canvas left for too long in the unmerciful elements. Ever in tune with nature, my shrinking soul mourns the loss of life and colour.


If we listen to our bodies they will tell us what we need. When I'm weak in body I crave red meat but when I'm depleted in spirit I crave BEAUTY. To sate my spiritual appetite I can sample from a smorgasbord of art, literature, music or poetry - within my financial means that is - which, presently, is very mean indeed!


Luckily, there is great beauty to be enjoyed for a song! Joseph Conrad's "Victory" that I borrowed from a friend's library and just finished a couple of weeks ago lifted at least 2 veils of mourning from my eyes. Public libraries are incredible sources of free entertainment; besides a book for every taste they also carry a wide array of magazines and periodicals, movies and music DVDs and all for free. I cannot understand how someone can be without a library card.


I've had a specific craving for live music for the last little while and although I've always associated cultural events with Toronto - a city from which I elected a permanent exile when I abandoned both my comfortable, middle-class lifestyle and my narcissistic, abusive ex-husband - I've recently entertained the possibility that cultural opportunity may actually exist elsewhere. But precisely where is this "Elsewhere" located? I do not ponder such questions for long before I put them to the great web oracle otherwise known as "Google".


When I "googled", free music in Guelph" my quiet, discerning, digital friend recommended the following website. Of course - how could I have been so dense? I live less than half an hour from the university city of Guelph, Ontario. To avail oneself of a university's free cultural and scholarly events; several of which are open to the general public, is like being granted access to your best friend's jewellery box and being further invited to select and take your long-coveted choice! The School of Fine Arts hosts a free noon hour concert series that I can neatly fit in to my busy day.


The next noon hour concert looked exciting. Selections from Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" were to be performed by musician, Ronald Hawkins (no - I do not mean the distinguished, iconic Canadian rock-a-billy, "Rompin' Ronnie Hawkins"). I mean – Ronald Hawkins the pianist. Often, if not always, the skeptic; I could not believe my good fortune so I telephoned the contact person who confirmed that indeed, the concert was open to everyone. Upon that assurance I turned my attention to the concert program, J.S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, and resolved that for its full appreciation I would need to acquire in advance of the occasion some familiarity with the selection.


Rather, or most decidedly, out of my element now, I did not hesitate to appeal to my inexpendable, dependable Oracle who has yet to disappoint! He directed me to a most "awe-full" website; a portal to a treasure-trove of jewellery boxes with gemstones, priceless and stunning, for the taking! With a mere click of the mouse I attained a level of critical mass that has jettisoned me into a delightful universe of new inquiry - welcome to the alien world of ADD!


The website contains music and analysis of the 48 pairs of Fugues and Preludes that constitute the masterful body of work known as "The Well-Tempered Clavier." I must say that the music sounds positively stunning on the speakers of my new computer system! The musical analysis, far from being cut and dry, is poetic, metaphorically-laden and endlessly thought-provoking. As prime example, read the analysis of Fugue No. 16 in G minor in which the writer, Tim Smith, initially makes poetic reference to the teachings of Aristotle then quotes an adventurer's spiritually exuberant description of his epic walk to traverse the Grand Canyon in 1963 - it had "something to do with the colossal sameness of the Canyon...a sameness not of monotony but of endlessly repeated yet endlessly varied pattern." Mr. Smith then proceeds with the instructional statement, "How like the fugue! Just substitute fugue for canyon in the foregoing sentence and you've got it!" Combining sublime music with an exceptional read makes this an exceptionally sublime Internet resource!


The morning of the concert saw me working at my computer on a video project for my tiny, fledgling company, "Time of Your Life Productions." Before my work monitor, the time of my life had slipped away so quickly that, panicked, I realized I had only 1.25 minutes to get ready and be off to "MacKinnon House, room 107", the location of which I had only the vaguest of ideas. Luckily my ideas were correct. I arrived with 5 minutes to spare and situated myself; comfortable and assured after a surreptitious survey of the audience revealed that I did not stand out as unusual or out of place among the eclectic assortment of attendees.


The theatre was soothing, quiet and awash in ambient light. It was smaller than I expected and I marvelled how at least a third of the seats could be empty! Commanding the attention was a gleaming, black grand piano that claimed most of the area of the performance floor. When there is a choice of seating, the natural inclination; one which I followed, is to situate oneself at an optimal viewing angle to and distance from the focal point. I had the perfect seat to appreciate this magnificent instrument with the dramatic light cascading over top like a never-ending bolt of lightning! The pianist arrived, young, tall, poised and gracious. His introduction included a briefing of an impressive list of accomplishments and awards and I felt a quiet but breathless anticipation. When Mr. Hawkins took his seat behind the piano, I instantly regretted the choice of mine. The focal point had shifted entirely and although I still retained my perfect view of the piano, I could see nothing of the arms and hands and fingers that were making it speak to me.


It's voice; nonetheless, was heard and its message was taken to heart. I received the comfort and assurance I wanted. As the year grows old and the sun shares but miserly portions of its light and heat as the skies turn grey, beauty and life do not disappear, they simply assume other forms that, when discovered, kindle light and warmth within.


Mr. Hawkins, I thank you!!

1 comment:

Judi said...

Observe always that everything is the result of change, and get used to thinking that there is nothing Nature loves so well as to change existing forms and make new ones like them.
Marcus Aurelius