Dear Friends,
The structure of music is the structure of experience: From the ground of all-as-it-should-be emerges a demand on my attention. I approach it, marvel at it, sniff it, take it in my mouth, and chew it. If my capacity for love is great, I will chew it for a very long time. My goal is to find what it is and how it belongs.
I will hear it first in the soprano, then in the tenor; with one harmony, then another.
In his loving contemplation of his subject, Brahms is like the steward who, instead of hiding in the ground the treasure given into his charge, invests it.
Here the first three notes are the treasure: in the soprano, Mi Re Fa; in the alto, Do Si La. Fa longs to subside to Mi; La longs to continue on to Sol.
What demands our attention points beyond itself; it longs for a distant goal. As we give it love, that goal rises up before us. We find we have crossed the river; without knowing when or how, we have reached the other shore!
Thank you so much.
With every good wish,
Ishmael
Intermezzo in A Major, op. 118, #2 by Johannes Brahms
Performed by Ishmael Wallace, pianist
The Parable of the Talents
In the ancient world, a talent was a unit of weight — weight, for example, in silver or gold; in the time and place of this parable, perhaps 28.800 kilograms (63.49 pounds). The modern meaning has its root in this parable!
Gospel of Matthew 25:14 — 30, King James Version
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Photo by ekrem osmanoglu on Unsplash
"The structure of music is the structure of experience"
AbsoLUTEly! I guess that's why music is such a spiritual gift. You do a marvelous job with the piece, by the way. This was a very valuable article.
Thank you for this. I really love your tempo.