A Charlie Brown Christmas – Guaraldi

As I approach my favorite season of the year, I celebrate this Christmastime with none other than my dear friend Charlie Brown. I love that he reminds us that Christmas is not about a big fancy tree. It certainly is not about getting yelled at by all your friends on what a nincompoop you are. But how many times have we believed that we are indeed stupid, hopeless, and undependable, especially when our companions (and our dog!) have pointed out ever so bluntly?

Despite the insurmountable obstacles you may be battling at this time, may your hearts be filled with overwhelming joy that transcends all understanding. It may come in the form of a quiet voice, a whisper, that offers you consolation. I love Christmas because it is about good tidings and joy for all humanity, every single one of us. Thus, it is a moment to silence the doubts and fears that swim in our mind with Linus’ comforting words. There shall be peace on earth and good will toward men. Merry Christmas to you.

Oh, and we certainly cannot leave out the music. Here is Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy.” Let us dance to our heart’s delight!

Piano Concerto No.2, 2nd mov. – Rachmaninov

It has been three years since he lifted his pen to write. The sight of a blank sheet of manuscript paper caused his stomach to turn. The more he stared at the page, the longer his voice remained silent and the more impossible it became to compose. Since the disastrous debut of his First Symphony in 1897 (I wrote about it here), chronic depression and anxiety have since found their place in the heart of 28-year-old Sergei Rachmaninov, the pianist and composer who had once bedazzled the world at 19 years old.

Rachmaninov was crippled by fear. His will to compose, to do anything for that matter, faded away. “I did nothing and found no pleasure in anything. Half my days were spent lying on a couch and sighing over my ruined life.”

How many of us have been there?

After some intervention and hypnotic treatments, Rachmaninov began to feel improved, enough to consider sketching some notes. Out came the second movement of his Second Piano Concerto, the piece that stunned the world with its perfect beauty, a lyrical flowing voice of the piano that shares a tender yet passionate dialog with the orchestra.

I love everything about the story of Mr. Rachmaninov- his courage to overcome moments of defeat, persistence to push beyond boundaries, and the quiet hero to dare to never stop dreaming. A seed of hope caused an uprising in his soul that ultimately built resilience to the depression that plagued him throughout his career.

While you listen to this piece, imagine taking a step toward the impossibility. Just as Rachmaninov’s stroke of a pen led him back to the lion’s den, ask yourself what you are willing to risk. A small step, even a lift of the pen, will be a significant one.

Out Towards the Sea by Bræin

I used to carry a big folder with a picture of Abraham Lincoln’s quote, “If I had nine hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend the first six sharpening my ax.” Now, it hangs on my wall.

For many of us, we focus our energy on crossing the finish line, which oftentimes leads us to overlook the necessary steps to endure the long journey. So along the way, some of us “crash and burn.” Each new day provides opportunities for us to refine our knowledge to deal with life’s challenges. It is up to us to seek those teachable moments, that point in time when we see things in a new light and our hearts are changed in an instant. If we allow for such missed opportunities, we’d simply be hacking away in a meaningless world wondering where our life has gone. So, whether our skills be related to work (doing spreadsheets or designing a rocket) or relationships (being patient, kind, or generous), every act of perseverance will prepare us for greatness. When we spend time to develop the proper tool (i.e. when we choose not to give up in improving ourselves), we create a world of unimaginably happy people with extraordinary talents.

Composer Edvard Fliflet Bræin’s goal was certainly not to have his music called incomprehensible. Devoting most of his time to developing his own flair, listeners often felt confused between his dichotomous portrayal of tragedy and comedy infused into each other. Nevertheless, he persisted in his mission to create his own sound and eventually became a notable Norwegian composer of his day. His most remembered piece, Ut mot havet, or Out Towards the Sea, is a simple melody, yet so glorious so as to be considered as Norway’s second national anthem.

As you navigate your way to achieving your goal, I hope that you seek wisdom with all your might, for it will ultimately be the sharpened tool to chop down that tree.

 

 

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Liszt

Oh, how I miss the cartoons of yore.  I remember when I was in elementary school, I would get ready for school while watching the animated characters come to life in my living room. I do not have siblings so it took my parents about 15 minutes to prepare me for school. With all the time remaining, I enjoyed my mornings with cereal and a side of giggles from the silliness by Tom and Jerry. When these characters would play instruments, I would glue my eyes onto the television because I just had to watch every move. It was more than mere entertainment; I was checking for fingering accuracy and judging who possessed superior technical mastery. Tom won this one.

Despite all of Jerry’s disturbances, Tom gives a superb performance of Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. One of the final preparations I always go over with my students before a concert performance is helping them stay focused and not succumbing to distractions by audience members. Inevitably, we hear coughing, cell phones ringing, and a fidgety child whining. While performers ought to engage with the audience, they also must be able to disregard any possible interference that can hinder a solid performance. It’s a difficult act to balance but well worth the effort. I have not yet taught the kids how to play with their feet (as Tom does!), but until I do, the kids will just have to learn that the show must go on, as modeled by this cool cat.

Can’t Help Falling In Love – violin cover

Today, I’ll take a break from my usual posts about classical music and feature a violinist who has been working  faithfully to stay a violinist — me! I got inspired to cover the song, “I Can’t Help Falling In Love,” after watching a gum commercial on television. I have always wanted to create my own music video but did not even consider it because I assumed it was beyond my capabilities. After a little research, I found myself using pre-installed softwares in my laptop and completed recording both violin and piano parts, editing the sound, and dubbing it to the gum commercial within several days.

I can now scratch off one more thing off my list. What have you done to get a step closer to fulfilling your dream? Big or small, each step is crucial. Embrace the victory every step of the way.

P.S. If you enjoyed the music, it is available for purchase here.

Largo from Symphony 5 by Shostakovich

There’s an odor in the air. It’s spreading rapidly and with each breath, the world is changing. There is so much screaming in the streets and with each verbal strike, innocent people are being slaughtered like cows. Pandemonium keeps the world awake but silence is deafening.

Dmitri Shostakovich was scared for his life. Watching the formation of Stalin’s powerful political regime of a massive purge taking place in 1936, Shostakovich lost his freedom of expression. Upon viewing his opera Lady Macbeth, produced two years prior and wildly successful since its premiere, Stalin condemned it immediately critiquing it as chaotic and vulgar and that it did not represent true Soviet socialist realism, which must have portrayed optimism.

Since then, Shostakovich was under pressure to create music to delight the Communist Party. His Fifth Symphony was born from fear. Fortunately, the symphony was phenomenally well-received. If the third movement, Largo, was his personal contemplative elegy, the last movement’s (here) triumphant jubilee was his obedience to what the world expected of him. Whether or not he compromised his creative genius (due to censorship) or cryptically mocked their wishes is left for debate.

If you’re in a circumstance where survival is your only option, I hope that you do whatever it takes to survive. Be it your job, relationship, or health, it is time to accept the current situation and fight against it with all your might. Your legacy will not be forgotten.

Intermezzo by Ponce

I take regular strolls at a nearby park and I become captivated by the peaceful scenery of birds gliding through the sky. They have no inhibition about flying (or falling). This particular picture tugs at my heart because it reminds me of a promise that I received that one day I would fly around the world and sing to those who would listen. I will be free; no amount of fear will shroud my confidence in the purpose I have set out to fulfill.

What holds you captive from finding Freedom? Why do we grasp so tightly to the things that need to be released? Whether they be fears of failure, rejection, disappointment, or the unknown, we allowed lies (not being smart/wealthy/powerful/attractive enough) to seep into our soul – and we believed them. Wholeheartedly.

It’s time to move on.

When I take my stroll, I listen intently to the songs of these birds. Each one has an individual voice and quite frankly, some songs sound more lyrical than others. Naturally, I pay special attention to the squawking because they, too, have something important to say.  It seems that the squawking provides the harmonic accompaniment for the melodic singing. They finish their tunes and fly over the hills until they find another tree branch and start all over again.

I believe in humanity to soar and reach the sky. We will no longer be suppressed by lies and our unique voices will resonate across the universe. We will sound absolutely beautiful. Perhaps our music will resemble like that of Manuel Ponce’s Intermezzo.

Méditation by Massenet

Having lived most her life as a courtesan, Thaïs had contemplated about her existence one evening after hearing a sermon by Athanaël, a Christian cenobite monk. The Méditation from the opera Thaïs, composed by Jules Massenet, depicts the precise moment when the leading lady, Thaïs, decides to leave her hedonistic past to begin a new life, one filled with faith and hope in God. For the first time, she finds peace and an unfamiliar sense of happiness that overwhelms her soul during the meditation.

I present to you one of the most beautiful violin pieces in the history of music. I have played it a couple hundred times and have heard it twice as many times. Massenet pulls on my heartstrings and leaves me in awe. Perhaps this piece affects me as the title suggests, taking my mind to a state of bliss. I hope that it does the same for you.

Confutatis and Lacrimosa by Mozart

What does it look like when a genius is at work? For Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, there are endless voices and notes in his head that are waiting to be spilled out onto paper. This scene from Amadeus is the climactic element in the movie where he lies on his death bed dictating his musical ideas to his “archenemy” Antonio Salieri in order to complete his next big masterpiece, the Requiem Mass in D Minor. This widely-known war between Salieri and Mozart (and ultimately Salieri killing Mozart), is, of course, a myth. But, it makes for a dramatic movie plot. Ironically, requiems are associated with death and mourning, typically using the proper of mass as their text. The timing was uncanny; Mozart was writing funeral music for someone else while he was withering away himself. Unfortunately, the Requiem was never finished,  but another possible but highly mythical theory is that one of his students was at his bedside notating the master’s ideas as Salieri did here.

There are many creative people around me. It’s a blessing and a curse. I easily become inspired by their vivid imagination and colorful ideas that come so naturally for them. I am also reminded that I do not possess a wild inventiveness like that of my peers. Therefore, I love to see artists at work. I love watching athletes compete. Before all that ingenuity settled in Mozart’s mind, there were over twenty years of rigorous training to get to this particular moment where during his final days, he left a legacy with notes that were trapped in his head. What are you willing to do for years, faithfully living a mundane yet disciplined life in order to achieve greatness? It’s much easier to give up and think that something better is out there. While that may be true, you will not know until you achieve your first dream, which is the one you’re holding onto today.

Confutatis
Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis, voca me cum benedictus.Oro supplex et acclinis, cor contritum quasi cinis, gere curam mei finis.	When the accused are confounded, and doomed to flames of woe, call me among the blessed.I kneel with submissive heart, my contrition is like ashes, help me in my final condition.
Lacrimosa
Lacrimosa dies illa, qua resurget ex favilla judicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce, Deus, pie Jesu Domine, dona eis requiem. Amen.	That day of tears and mourning, when from the ashes shall arise, all humanity to be judged. Spare us by your mercy, Lord, gentle Lord Jesus, grant them eternal rest. Amen.

For a polished performance of Confutatis and Lacrimosa, click here.

Song Without Words by Mendelssohn

“People usually complain that music is so ambiguous; that they are doubtful as to what they should think when they hear it, whereas everyone understands words. For me, it is just the reverse. It is the words that seem so ambiguous, so indefinite, so open to misunderstanding in comparison with real music, which fills one’s soul with a thousand better things than words. To me, the music I love does not express thoughts too indefinite to be put into words, but too definite… The word remains ambiguous; but in music, we understand each other perfectly.”

This unfamiliar perspective is what inspired Felix Mendelssohn to create short lyrical piano pieces that would tell colorful stories without the help of any text. During the mid-19th century, most middle class families owned a piano and at least one sufficient piano player. The home music market demanded more simple yet elegant piano pieces and Mendelssohn met to the challenge. He composed eight volumes of Songs Without Words at different times in his life, two of which were published posthumously.

Here we have Song Without Words Op. 30 No. 1 transcribed for violin and piano. What conversation do you hear between the melody and harmony? Let your heart sing all that it feels. Allow the music to bring you to a moment of peace, a time of reflection for all the beautiful things that are happening in your life today.