Love

Love is a very broad concept which is described beautifully in Corinthians. I just discussed compassion in my last post, which of course is part of love. Here is what Corinthians has to say about love. Johannes Brahms sets the last sentence to music as an end to his unbelievable set of four last songs. "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13 These statements about love are just awesome. To me the first statement means that love is unconditional, and that a person needs to be loved for who they are. Each person is unique. Unconditional does not mean without compromise. Compromise within reasonable boundaries equals a loving relationship with another human being or even animal. Lack of kindness and jealousy serve no good purpose. Love can conquer those things. Arrogance serves no good purpose either, and it is no loving to look down on other people. Bitterness and hatred serve no good purpose either. Forgiveness is tough sometimes to practice, but it is loving. It is hard when a person suffers a terrible wrong, and the person who administered the wrong wants forgiveness. It certainly never fails. Somehow, that is a tough concept to grasp, isn't it? I can certainly think of moments when I have loved myself, another human being, or a pet and have acted based on love. It absolutely does not well. Anger does, unless it is constructive and comes from a place of love. Again, I hope someone got something out of this posting.

Compassion

I am not the Dalai Lama, or Thich Nhat Hanh, nor do I claim to be. The concept of having compassion certainly has meaning for me though. Trying to understand what a person is going through if they are angry, sad, depressed in despair or stressed is what the concept of compassion means to me. Compassion for others that is. Compassion for self involves the same elements I just mentioned for having comoassion for others. I think having compassion for one's self is a hard nut to crack. I would say that having compassion for myself is harder for me then having compassion for others is. Learning to have compassion myself and others is a learning process, and an important one, and it takes patience especially for me to have compassion for myself. I tend to be tough on myself. Making a mistake, or doing something by accident can be a catostrophic event when I do it, or I just simply get into a negative mindset where I start attacking myself. I would never intentionally treat another person that way. A good perspective on being hard on yourself, is to ask yourself if you would treat another person that way. I should hope not. There are certainly times where I forget to have compassion for others. Especially when I think someone is being rude to me, a driver is going to slow, and so on and so forth. I forget quite easily as a matter of fact. The point of all this is that we are all equal, we are all human beings, and all we can do is do the best we can each day. I was starting to get into an attack mode on myself in my mind when I was driving home from Yom Kippur services earlier. I decided to have some compassion and not entertain those unrealistic thoughts. I had compassion for myself, and realized I was exhausted. Progress was made in that moment. If anyone who reads this is having issues with having compassion for themselves and/or others, remember that suffering is optional. I hope this was helpful to someone.

Charles Ives, The Man

The following text which Charles Ives wrote and set to music has made me curious about who he was as a man. I looked up Samuel Ramey on YouTube for listening pleasure, and happened to stumble on this poem and song, and was very touched by it's beauty. Ives was unique in that he could make a strong statement in a minute. The text is a tribute to the family dog that died, and the song may be the first he ever wrote. Check out this moving poem. "One evening just at sunset we laid him in the grave; Although a humble animal his heart was true and brave. All the family joined us, in solemn march and slow, From the garden place beneath the trees and where the sunflowers grow." Obviously, Ives had remarkable depth to him in order to come up with such a touching poem. Ives clearly loved his daughters, as shown by this poem. Ives was a business man during the day, and a musician at night and on the weekend. His buisness associates did not know that he wrote music. He was quite successful as a business man, but he always believed in living by modest means. He could have retired a millionaire, but he wanted to help the working man have life insurance. He was a family man, and making a good living for his family was very important to him. He said, " if a composer has a nice wife and some nice children, how can he let the children starve on his dissonances?" Ives was a strong lover of his country, and a humble man who did not seek recognition. His love for his country is evident in a lot of his works. As a matter of fact he quotes "America the Beautiful" in his second symphony. Ives loved to experiment with different sounds, and would not simply go with the trends and write "attractive" music. Unfortunately, his health began to go down hill in 1918, when he suffered a major heart attack due to diabetes. He lived 36 more years, but he stopped composing in 1927. He lost the strength to compose, and soon after retired from business because of his weak health. He was heartbroken when he could no longer compose. Supposedly, he went downstairs to his wife in tears, and said that he just could not do it anymore. A sad story for sure. Who knows where his composition would have gone had it continued. The same goes for Mozart, Bizet, Jimi Hendrix, Duparc, John Lennon, John Coltrane and many others. As a composer he was a big experimenter. For example he wrote a piece called "Quarter Tones" for piano. Also, in his famous song Charlie Rutlage the pianist has to use their fist at one point. He was nit a man who lacked a sense of humor. He wrote a song called "Slugging a Vampire" which is 35 seconds long. Also, he set texts in other languages such as "Feldeinsamkeit.". That text was set by Brahms before Ives set it. Ives does a remarkable job setting this text. Charles Ives was a remarkable man and musician, who put his family first. His legacy as a musician and man will always live on.

Autumn Is Here

Spring and summer sure went fast didn't it? I am wondering where they went. Now, it is October, and we are certainly into autumn which is when the leaves get old, and turn beautiful colors before they die. The leaves falling off the tree is equal to the circle of life as well. We all have leaves falling off the tree metaphorically speaking, then new leaves bud and we are reborn with new ideas. What I mean is that we have something going on in our lives, and then we outgrow it and move on, or drop something we should not really have been doing in the first place and move on. The leaves are aging now and beginning to turn. The leaves turning and falling off the tree is not a long process, so it is important to enjoy it as it is important to enjoy the moment. Season changes all have their beauty to them, and the leaves turning is a beauty which is hard to top, especially in New England. Autumn is on the horizon, and the sunsets are currently as beautiful as they come, and the moon is currently almost full. If there is any season that goes by the fastest, I think it is autumn. Autumn is only getting started right now. As I look outside everything is quiet and calm. Eventually the wind will pick up and there will be leaves all over the place, which reminds me about George Carlin's bit on baseball and football. He says "football begins in the fall, when everything is dying." I am not sure where that came from exactly, but I wanted to quote my favorite comedian. So, I did. I just cannot believe how fast time flies. It feels like it just keeps going faster and faster. I am completely in the moment while I am writing this blog, because I have developed an affinity for writing. It is important to try to enjoy every moment of everyday, because time goes as fast as the leaves turning and falling off the trees if you really think about it. October is where we are now, and that is when the leaves look their most beautiful. By the time November rolls around, they are almost gone. Then they do not return until early April. As I am writing this, I appreciate the simple things in nature more. When I am not present, I usually think about myself. Certainly not about the things in nature. Winter is up after fall. I am not a fan of the cold, but the earth must turn on it's axis, and life must keep going.

Darth Vader Complex

One of the most interesting characters in movies is Darth Vader, who was once known as Anakin Skywalker. Darth Vader's life goes in a circle from good towards evil, then back towards good again. Anakin starts off as a confident little boy in episode one, and he is declared the chosen one because the force is so strong with him. When he was a boy, Yoda was against having Anakin trained because he thought his future was clouded. He also sensed a great deal of confusion and fear in the young boy. Both of these characteristics led up to him becoming Darth Vader. Obi Wan insisted on training him anyway, which did not work out too well. Anakin became arrogant, angry and impulsive, and did not listen to Obi Wan. Also, he got married to Padme, and marriage is against the Jedi Order at the time. Anakin's inability to listen and do what he was told screwed him royally. He was a conflicted man throughout his life with more power than he could handle. He is an incredibly complex character, who cannot control his anger. In Episode VI, "Return of the Jedi", Anakin's son Luke says to the emperor that his overconfidence is his weakness. That is Anakin's big problem throughout the saga. In addition, he has no patience at all. Lack of patience is always a problem, and it kicks Anakin's ass throughout his life. Also, he craves recognition and power, and therefore, is twisted by the emperor into believing that the Jedi are out to get him. Anakin's story is one of a troubled teen, who could have used therapy to overcome his problems. Instead his problems consume him. Like I said, he has zero patience and claims that Obi Wan is holding him back. He gets very angry about this in Episode II, "Attack of the Clones". Now, as I understand it, Jedi are not supposed to initiate an attack. Anakin goes in and attacks Count Doku anyway, and loses three forths of his arm. Also, a tribe kills his mother, and as a result he kills every single one of them. The injuries he sustains as the result of his bad karma are so bad that he needs the famous breathing advice to stay alive. Until the end of Episode V, "The Empire Strikes Back" Vader has a tremendous lust for power. The dark side is all about power. When he meets his son in "The Empire Strikes Back", there is a shift in his feelings of anger and hatred because he has feelings of love for his sin. His son ends up being his path back to the good side. That path is short lived, because he dies minutes after he turns back to the good side. In "Return of the Jedi", Anakin is redeemed, and sacrifices his life for Luke, because he cannot stand seeing Luke in pain at the end of Return of the Jedi. The emperor was striking Luke with force lightning, and sort of toying with him. He wanted to torture him a bit before he killed him. Vader grabs the emperor and throws him to his death, but as he is doing that, the emperor's force lightning destroys his breathing device, and protection which was keeping him able to walk. He cannot breath, and he cannot walk when Luke tries to carry him to safety. He dies very quickly after Luke takes the mask off. In death, he is redeemed and learns his lesson.

The Joy of Singing

The art of singing is a beautiful art form which is intended to give the singer and the listener joy. Quite often I get all wrapped up in having a perfect technique, diction etc..., that I forget that singing is a joy, and a precious gift. Anyone who has any unique gift should use it as much as they can. Singing is an astounding art form, and that is why so many people come to hear singers of various genres. When people sing songs, or hear songs being sung, they are transformed to another realm. It is a singers task to express various emotions with their voices and their bodies, and to give themselves and the audience joy as a result. Singing is a joyful activity, but nerves often get in the way. Nerves serve their purpose if the energy is directed the right way. In my experience, I had nerves serve me both ways. When the nerves result in adrenaline which is positive, that rush is awesome, and the results can be a positive surprise. the other way around equals high larynx and a strangled sound, or not being involved in the emotions behind the text and music. It is absolutely astounding to think about what the human voice can do. How can a particular person's voice bring forth so much emotion in themselves and the listener? I am sure that there are a lot of people who have sensational singing voices who do not realize it. Do not be afraid to try, and remember it is a joy. Remembering that it is a joy, and that no one can bring you down except yourself is key. I often need to be reminded that it is a joy. Guess what. Remembering that singing is a joy makes us singers who think too much stop thinking too much. It does not matter whether people think my singing is good or bad. It only matters that I do not forget it is a joy. If I do forget that it is a joy, then it is an arduous chore.

Gratitude

This past July I was fortunate to have been able to spend 10 days in Verbier Switzerland as part of the Verbier Music Festival. Of course the music and Swiss pastries which I had way too many of were highlights. Verbier is a small town in the Swiss alps in the French speaking region of Switzerland. Being able to ride the tram nearly up to the top of the Swiss alps was an experience I will never forget. I rode up two levels to about 10 grand above sea level. I got off the tram and could not believe the beauty of what I was seeing. I could see down for miles. I could see towns, chateaus, and cow farms. Also, the clouds were a lot more visible and blended in with the mountain top. So, after my breath which had been taken away returned, I walked around a bit commenting to myself and continually saying holy shit out loud because it was so beautiful. As I walked around I saw sculptures of a duck and an elephant on the path. The sun mixed with the clouds and the temperature in the 60s was right on. At the top of the mountain, I could see snow cover which looked like a picture on a christmas cards, but it was real, not an illusion. The cow farms were an added bonus to the scenic views, I saw hundreds of cows and several sheperds with their dogs at work. The Shepherd's farewell by Berlioz began to play in my head as I watched the activity going on. I sat and closed my eyes on the bench where I was sitting, and attempted to meditate. Tears came into my eyes because I felt this incredible sense of joy to be experiencing that moment. The Swiss alps in Verbier should be one of the seven wonders of the world. I am so grateful that I got to experience such a wonderful, once in a lifetime trip to Switzerland. It really is important to be grateful for things in life. I am grateful for things such as that trip, my health, my family, my friends, any gigs at all in music, music itself, and most of all that I have this moment to write this blog. Now, I am writing and preaching gratitude. I am not a hypocrite. Quite often I am quite the opposite of grateful. I tend to focus on what I am lacking. That is all good if it is done in the right way. In other words I can focus on what I can do to improve the aspects of my life that I think are lacking. Sulking about it is as useless as I don't know what. You all can think of an analogy on that one. A friend of mine told me to smile. I hate being told to smile. However, it is a valid point. Smiling is a good exercise for the hundreds of muscles in your face. In addition, we all could be dead, so why be miserable like Eeyore? We are all alive and only get one shot at it. Why not be grateful, right? My friend Jim had his Verbier Festival shirt on earlier, and it made the sensational trip we took come to my brain. Thinking about gratitude is a fantastic reframing tool if a person is in a bad state. I hope this was helpful or inspiring to someone.