As some of you will know, this year, my
eldest son, Ainan, just turned 13, has taken to composing music. He does so,
now, on a daily basis, after coming home from University. He sits at the piano
tinkling away.
Sometimes he plays pieces he has already composed – usually recent
ones, sometimes searching for ways to expand them, sometimes just enjoying
them. On other occasions, he invents new compositions, directly on the piano,
tinkering with them, until satisfied. At other times, he plays the music of
others: Bach, Beethoven, Liszt, or music from video games, Bioshock, Portal 2,
or movies, such as the Matrix. It is, however, a very frequent sound in our
household now: Ainan on the piano, at work at something or other.
A couple of evenings ago, I was drowsy
after a long day and half asleep, I heard the most beautiful sound: music I had
never heard before, coming from our piano. I was really quite taken by its
slightly haunting sound.
I woke up, fully and made my way through the
house to Ainan.
“That is beautiful. Really good.” I said,
to him, startling him from his reverie.
He seemed to be not quite fully in my
presence when he caught my gaze. I realized then, that I had interrupted him,
perhaps unwisely.
“Carry on.” I urged him. “It was good.”
His hands tracked back to the piano, and
tried a few notes. He didn’t seem to know what to do in that moment.
“Play it again.”, I said, feeling perhaps,
that I had made a mistake.
“I can’t.”, he said, a little sadly. “It
was impromptu.”
“Did you record it?”
“No. I can’t record everything I do. There is
just too much.”
I understood then, that, if I had not
interrupted him, he would have learnt the piece, by continuing to work on it.
My admiration in the moment, had cost us all, his musical work.
What a pity.
So, a couple of evenings ago, I heard a
piece of music beautiful enough to arouse me from half-sleep, to full
wakefulness; a piece of music that haunted and caught the attention in equal
measure. Yet, now it was lost, because I praised it.
I am coming to think it would be wise if we
could establish a set up that records everything he creates, so that this could
never happen again. I shall look at the options. I would rather not have the
privilege of hearing music that is only ever heard once, in the world. There is
something too sad about that – especially when it was my fault.
Posted by Valentine Cawley
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Labels: child prodigy composer, child prodigy musician, creating music, creative intelligence, impromptu music, improvising music, lost music, music composition, music never to be heard again
3 Comments:
Valentine and Ainan, that so resonated with me.
I find it easier to record (sometimes) when it's not me doing it, or I'm not a part of it.
One note can create a dream. Dreams by their very nature are ephemeral.
"Music of the Human Heart" is so brilliant.
So often you do "kill something with faint or extravagant praise".
And I wish you a great thirteenth, Ainan.
Not so fast, Valentine!
Stephen Bayley wrote a great article about what "idiot" means in our fast-paced and predictable world.
My own Dictionary of Idiocy is multimediated: pictures, sound, clippings, textures.
Enjoy the link to Bayley's "Opinionated Idiocy".
Better an opinionated idiot than a repressed or repressive genius?
It is good to hear from you again, Adelaide.
The article on idiocy is very interesting...fascinating, even. How funny that a word can change so much in meaning, over time.
I would agree with Stephen Bayley on the value of opinions. I live in Asia where, so often, people seem unable or unwilling to hold opinions of their own, lest, perhaps they conflict with those of the majority. The tendency, whether they realize it or not, is to conform. I prefer, as chosen company, those willing to stand out, by means of their thoughts, deeds, or nature. They are far more interesting. The holding of diverse and even contrary opinions would come into the category of "standing out" in thought.
Thank you for the link.
Yes. It would be good if I or someone else, could assist Ainan in recording his work - but we can't be around at all times, and he works at any hour he pleases. I am thinking we need something much more automated than that.
Happy New Year to you, wherever you are!
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