Daily routine

Noting the downside

In conversation with a musical friend today I realised yet again, but from a different vantage point, how minute are the inflexions within the general stylistic advance of composition. We talked of composers of our generation who have either receded in the musical public's awareness, or -- which is decidedly the rarer -- managed to find a balance between frequency of performance and critical approval of what is being presented.

The genuinely creative artist-composer is in possession of both a flow of raw material and the counterbalance of technical precision from which a new piece for performance is created. The last century was born into the development of Impressionism, and has recently departed to the hubbub of countless isms. It all represents the diversity of progress and the understandable confusion of some who crave a methodical route march. How exciting when the object chooses its own path into our lives and manner of presentation.

In certain ways the human capture of the elusive bird spells, if not disenchantment, the dispiriting atmosphere of routine, an absence of the one ingredient that transforms normality to ecstacy. Some find ecstacy an embarrassing encroachment upon the well-ordered living of average people. Which at least leaves each of us plenty of options.

My musical friend departed my company with no inkling of the thoughts that subsequently hijacked this space. We all create them, usually out of interaction with other people. My sadness in retrospect is the wonderful possibilities presented to us by this interaction, only to vanish into forgetfulness from our 'busyness' with daily routine.