The beginning of the end of another year. These ends come too quickly, too frequently, and I regard them with a sense of gloom and dread that never previously infiltrated my private Decembers. I feel ancient and worn out far beyond my years.
These feelings are only a passing melancholy, inspired by the burden of recent unkind years that chewed me up, spit me out, and left only remnants of what I used to be.
When I blog, I'm merely talking to myself with nobody else in mind. Seeing evidence of my private thoughts in print is often disconcerting.
The above photo was taken early yesterday afternoon, outside my back door, and is in color. The monochromatic bleakness of it is starkly representative of this time of year: the sun has drifted so far south that the forest is rendered nearly colorless.
Yesterday (Friday) was unseasonably warm and overcast. The sun burned feebly in the hazy distance like a wayward moon. I loved the surrealistic atmosphere and wandered in the woods, savoring a gentle mellowness that won't last.
Echoes of music haunted my mind - specifically the first movement of Rachmaninov's Fourth Concerto, and more specifically that intoxicating, brief theme that emerges at Tempo come prima (alle Breve).......only hardcore pianists will know what I'm referring to.
I used to have the full score of this concerto, but it was one of many, many things lost by the movers when I came to TN. I won't elaborate about this now, it's too painful......
I studied this concerto in my youth, in California, but never performed it publicly. It evokes some of the happiest times in my life, when I was deeply and passionately in love.
Music - for just about everyone, I suppose - has the powerful ability to resurrect memories.
I could mention Rachmaninov's Etudes Tableaux, op.39 - particularly #5 in E-flat minor - but I don't want to become boring.
Jon, boring? Not a chance.
I was so busy doing things on Thanksgiving Day that I decided not to cook. I had my holiday dinner on Friday instead. It was delicious and I still have leftovers for today.
The holiday season has officially begun.
Unfortunately.
What's the deal with Black Friday? Who the hell named it that? Isn't it racist? Where are all the protesters and riots? Where are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton?
Black Friday is another inane American invention to designate the beginning of the holiday shopping season. I think it sounds extremely depressing and foreboding......
....but if it was called White Friday it would spark protests and riots.....you can't win.
How about calling it Happy Friday? Or, Pathetic Fools Spending All Their Money on a Pagan Holiday Friday?
Just a thought.
It is presently dawn on Saturday and I haven't been to bed yet. I'm going to catch an hour or three of shuteye before starting my day.
"Pathetic Fools Spending All Their Money on a Pagan Holiday Friday" - YES to this one!
ReplyDeleteyesterday was BUY NOTHING DAY; I bought nothing. I celebrate that tradition, as I need nothing.
I like the idea of Buy Nothing Day and I applaud you for observing it.
DeleteI had to look twice, three times, when you said the first photo was done in color. Surrealistic, indeed.
ReplyDeleteNot being a hardcore pianist, I'm sorry not to identify with that piece ... but will definitely look it up on YouTube. You're so right about certain scores playing tricks with one's memories and emotions!
That's rich about 'Black' Friday. I'm surprised someone hasn't taken offense ... yet.
Few people can identify with Rachmaninov's 4th Concerto. It's definitely not his best, but I still like it (the first three of his concertos are better).
DeleteI think the term Black Friday is stupid and depressing - it certainly doesn't put me in the mood to shop (not that I would, anyway). Now we can look forward to Cyber Monday.......
I don't do much shopping in stores unless it's for groceries or dog food. I do most of my shopping online. Like you said Black Friday is depressing why they didn't call it Pink Friday, (smile) I think some people looks for things to protest about they want everything to go their way. Take care. Jean
ReplyDeleteWith the ease of online shopping nowadays, I can't imagine why some people still prefer to go out and brave the stampedes.
DeletePink Friday sounds nice.
Black Friday is the first day of the year when retailers move from being in the red to being in the black. But, it is a burden for shoppers. Love the first picture.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the day after Thanksgiving to remain colorless. That first photo is my favorite - - I like the colorlessness of it.
DeleteYou've set me searching back to when I first heard the term, Black Friday. I was all grown up --maybe in my 30s-- and immediately recalled my parents' account of the Market Crash of 1929, Black Tuesday, and how negatively it impacted their childhoods. Even though the new term meant the opposite --the day Xmas shopping would begin raising retailers out of the "the red" fiscally-- I never could disassociate the term from economic depression. Like car companies naming models after foreboding things like Avalanche, Armada, Toronado --ok Toronado has no linguistic meaning but I'd hate to have one catch me in the ocean or wherever toronadoes form -- there is a feeling of exaggeration about Black Friday that discourages my participation.
ReplyDeleteYou've summed it all up perfectly, Geo. I've always associated Black Friday with the Stock Market Crash of '29 and the subsequent depression. That's why I was stunned (and annoyed) when the term was suddenly resurrected for the holiday shopping season. It doesn't seem appropriate - - but, then again, what is nowadays?
DeleteWhat lovely photos. I can't believe that's in color. I don't do the shopping thing on Black Friday. I did it one time years ago and I swore I'd never do it again. This was the first year in a long time that I took Black Friday off from work. It was bliss sitting at home doing absolutely nothing! :)
ReplyDeleteThe older I get, the less I like crowds and shopping. I'm glad you enjoyed a worry-free Black Friday.
DeleteI was surprised after I took the forest photos. The trees looked bleak in real, but they look positively black & white on the photos.
I almost always travel on the day after Thanksgiving, a good day to put 650 miles behind me while all of the fools are lining up to get into Mal-mart or wherever to spend money they don't have on junk that no one will remember by Valentines day.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to develop an appreciation of the winter landscape - the world in 50-shades of grey.
I often derive pleasure from viewing the world in 50 shades of grey......,
Delete(Sorry to be late coming to this, but I've got to pick up on something)
ReplyDeleteRach PC 4? Now there's a work that one doesn't come across that often. Pity that its slow movement is so reminiscent of a certain incongruous music hall(?) song that the mind is unable to escape its memory - OR was it that the record sleeve that I had put it in my mind, so that hearing it any time from then on was forever tainted by the notion?
I marvel that you managed to even attempt the concerto, Sergei reputed to be one the very most difficult of ALL composers to play, largely because of his own freakishly long fingers.
I recall off the top of my head the first movement's languid second subject (or am I thinking of the first concerto, dammit?) but not the short passage to which you refer. You've got me curious now.
As for him writing in the masochostic key of Eb minor, well he would, wouldn't he? Mind you there's that profoundly moving 'Impromptu in Gb' of Schubert (with, of course, the same key signature), which you must surely take great solace in playing. One of my very favourite of all Schubert's works, even possibly my favourite of all his piano works.
Ray, Rac's Fourth Concerto is my least favorite of all his concerti - yet I am haunted by some of the themes. I've always felt comfortable playing Rac's music because I do have large hands. I can span ten keys with my right hand and (on a good day) twelve with my left.
DeleteI do love the Schubert Impromptu that you mentioned and I've played it in the distant past.
Must admit I do like R's PC#1 more than I do his fourth. I actually find #2 (and, to a lesser extent, #3) uncomfortably 'bloated', as I also do his second symphony, which used to be one of my very favourite symphonies of all, though now I much prefer both his symphonies #1 and #3, especially the former However, all in all I think I'd be struggling to include R on a list of my favourite 20 composers.
DeleteA span of TWELVE with your left hand (sometimes)? My goodness! That really is remarkable. I always wonder how pianists with not so large hands manage the spans. I suppose they must use arpeggios, or re-finger so the their hands swap notes, though I've never noticed, at least the former, in their playing..
Jon,
ReplyDeleteYour photos are beautiful even though your don't have one of those $1,000 cameras. That's proof that you don't need an expensive camera to take evocative and haunting photo images. I've even seen Polaroid photos that are beautiful.
Every year the seasons seem to pass by so quickly. I'm glad I decided last year to take an annual trip to sunny California just to put a bing puncture right in the middle of winter. Helps out a lot!
Ron
I'm surprised at some of the nice photos I've taken with my old El Cheapo digital camera. I've seen many nice Polaroid photos, too, but the big problem is they fade and discolor with age.
DeleteThe best way to expunge the winter blues is to visit Southern California.
I can barely believe that is a colour photo. Wow . That red colour is truly beautiful. Not the kind of autumn colour you get in England except in beech woods. But outside the back window I can see many trees covered in dots of colour in shades of yellow - very pretty, almost as if the trees are spangled in gold.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to believe that those first two photos are in color. The sun was low behind the trees, so it gave them a shadowy or silhouette effect.
ReplyDelete