Musical Memories
Music in many ways is the sound track to our life. It defines our mood in that moment and there are pieces of music where emotion is invoked within us. To some this feeling is quantified with a song that has a deeper meaning then other songs. A feeling with an emotion attached that resonates within you each time you hear it. As I said emotion is invoked with music as the artists who write them have feelings, thoughts and emotions themselves writing the piece. Not every musician sings and nor does every artist write their own lyrics. So much of music is the never ending stream of uniqueness and diversity. If someone wanted to with a newborn they play a new song for every day of that person’s life. Just think about that for a moment. As a senior in college I wrote about “What is music” and what the essence of music entailed. After lengthy discussion with my partner we came to a conclusion which suggested that music is inherent within all humans. That is to say that music surrounds us and is constantly part of our lives. Whether it is the beat of a drum or the steps of people walking music surrounds us wherever we go. Even as I write this blog entry I am listening to music, a singular song that is a preferred track.
For some of you who know me this might not come as a surprise. At this moment I am listening to “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy. It is the third movement of the Suite bergamasque and the title itself means moonlight in French. Debussy published the work in 1905 making it in my opinion a modern classic piece. The moon is a good mention as since the dawn of time humanity has witnessed its light. Although Clair de Lune is not my favorite classical piece it carries with it emotion. For reference Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin is my favorite classical piece. Some might even call it jazz mixed with classical, but no matter for the purpose of explaining Clair de Lune. What matters about Clair de Lune is how I feel when hear the piano being played. The melody to makes me think of time gone by and things that happened. I cannot change those events in time as they have brought me to this very moment. Time goes one way only and no matter how much we sometimes wish we could change we cannot. The moon will always rise in the evening light and give off some kind of light just as time moves ever forward. It is perhaps an odd connection to make between time and the moon.
Whenever someone sits down on a piano bench I hope that they will play Clair de Lune. To me is a quintessential piano piece which rivals the works of Chopin if not exceeds. Lofty praise to put Debussy ahead of Chopin, but this is purely my opinion. I sometimes get a bit choked up at Clair de Lune and how beautiful I think the song is. Maybe it’s the piano itself too an interest which captivates me either time I hear it. I do know that when someone does play Clair de Lune on the piano I am filled with joy and happiness. I remember the good times and bad times in my life when I heard the song. What the moment in time felt like as I listened to it. Maybe I’m analyzing it too much, but the song has stuck with me throughout the years of listening to it. It is a piece that when I play it for the first time for someone they enjoy it and are intrigued by it. I know not everyone will enjoy classic music as much as I do, but I secretly hope they do.
As a child my Dad would play music in the car as we went somewhere. The music of course was classical. I didn’t talk much as a kid and this served as a way for me and my Dad to silently bond in the car. He knew I appreciated the music and for us to share music together meant something to us. He would tell me when the crescendo approached and what to look for in the music. His knowledge seemed limitless as he had the songs memorized down to the second of when to stop the CD or Cassette. The moment it stopped he told me what was coming and why it was important. He taught me the complex structure of a movement and of a symphony. There was history and reason for the reasons why composers constructed their pieces the way they did. Pulling up to my house one afternoon during a summer where I was home from summer camp my Dad and I stopped in the drive way car still running. We finished the classical piece which was Clair de Lune. I choose to play it and share what I knew about the piece and for once I talked about the structure and when the piano would crescendo. As the song ended we sat in silence as the next song came on. My Dad lowered the volume and he looked at me and said a bit choked up, “Thanks for sharing my passion with me.” A moment I will never forget that meant so very much to me. The passion was not only music, but classical music. Everything had come full circle and maybe my Dad had hoped for it too.
In life there are moments we share with people where music is playing. This moment was in the car with my Dad listening to Clair de Lune. It holds emotional value to me and is a sentimental moment between a father and a son. When I hear the song when of the memories I think of is this moment. I reflect back and remember how this song has a set of deeper meanings. How it marks something has gone full circle in life. As when something is over it might just be the beginning of something anew.
I encourage you the reader to listen to Clair de Lune sometime. Enjoy the piece and also enjoy all your music. As it reflects our mood in addition to holding memories that may be dear to us.
Thanks for reading,
Ian Mulligan
(August 3, 2013)
