from "Geometries of Sounds in Time," Peter Westergaard
XXVIII Is it hubris that makes us want to place ourselves outside of time, out there with God? But any pitch-time map we draw in space does that. When we read music, we don't plod our way through note by note. We grasp a measure at a glance, but not, alas, whole pieces. A little lower than the angels, we're more like some one-dimensional worm whose pleasure, as it eats its way through time, increases with self-knowledge. Its now (it calls it "here") is any of several points along its gut. Its present--what it lives for--the whole stretch. It wants to savor longer stretches, but it can't. So in its mind's gut it makes a sketch of how three stretches might be thought of in terms of one. (Time worms are awfully clever worms.)
26 May 2011
bleeding hearts
21 April 2011
At the cry of the first bird They began to crucify Thee, O Swan! Never shall lament cease because of that. It was like the parting of day from night. Ah, sore was the suff'ring borne By the body of Mary's Son, But sorer still to Him was the grief Which for His sake Came upon His Mother.
"The Crucifixion" set by Samuel Barber text from The Speckled Book, 12th century translated by Howard Mumford Jones
19 March 2011
A Dream We looked out the bedroom window into the night sky. Sudden explosions of light appeared. We both thought they were beautiful; there were no words. The light bursts continued across the sky and drew nearer and nearer. We watched in awe until the black silhouettes of helicopters appeared. Then we were scared.