Of classical music and writing

I can’t help thinking about Nodame Cantabile, a Live Action (from the anime series with same title) while I am trying to finish this write-up for an article in a magazine. I really admire and appreciate how the film was developed. It hit me deeply and quite strongly. It made me appreciate classical music once again. It's truly amazing how great composers were able to create such wonderful music.

In moments like this, I feel so grateful my two daughters also appreciate the depths of classical music and even the stories behind the lives of the composers themselves. This makes it easier to reveal how a beautiful rendition can bring tears to my eyes. This is the reason why I can understand it when I see tears in others’ eyes while watching or listening to musicians play their music from the heart.

Mahirap i-explain talaga itong universal impact of music.

Chiaki, one of the main characters, is someone I admire in this film. Stoic, but philosophical and deep, as observed by one member of the orchestra he was conducting. I can see suppressed passion in his eyes and gestures while conducting the orchestra.

Lessons he learned seem to be lessons I also need to learn while I am working on my papers here. It wasn't easy for him to get all members of the orchestra to play the piece the way he wants to express it. The same way that my paragraphs seem to be moving in their own direction, and not necessarily the way I want to express the ideas in this paper I am working on.

Just as it did to the two main characters in this film, I also have to face my own “musical score”, which came in the form of references and focus for the topic that I need to write. A lot of ideas are already running at the back of my mind. But it's been more than 2 weeks now that I've been suffering this 'writer's block'... like a quicksand that's pulling me down with every effort I put in writing these articles.

It's quite clear to me though that I need to write whatever comes into my mind. To do it freely, without the restriction of any outline. To write it simply the way I write. Editing this piece can come later.


Photos by betsythedivine

Okay, okay, I know ... I know what I need to do. But to overcome this inertia, I need some more push .... a little more pull ...

Maybe a promise that once I am able to start writing this in a flowing manner, my reward would be to play the piano for maybe an hour a little bit later today.