Random Things

So Sunday is down day here in Paris. It's about time too. We've been working non-stop since last Sunday. Love it but starting to get tired.

Last night I met up with some old friends from college, one whose husband came along. Awesome night of catching up and conversation. We headed into the neighborhood of Moflkasjlkjaslfkjaslkdfjlaskjf And ate at a creperie and then at a dessert place. First place was rude. Second was rad. Definitely the Paris stereotype but in a good way. French accordian music in the background and delicious food. I had some fruit salad that was served covered in kiwi juice. Really really good.

Today I went to the American Church in Paris. They have a fantastic church on the banks of the Seine and the most beautiful stained glass window that I've ever seen. Good message from Ephesians 1 on us existing for God's glory and all that is connected to the phrase "in Christ".



I've been getting some new ideas that have been rolling around in my head and it's been nice to let them roll around.

1) Courtesy of the Rodin Museum last week. I purchased one of the little guides that gives information about Rodin's work and learned a great deal. First, Rodin has a sculpture of the walking man that presents the act of motion in walking. However, it's not accurate in terms of the actual motion of walking. He knew this. He said that if it were possible to capture the image of a person walking for a brief moment we would probably find that the back heel would already be raising off the ground at the moment of impact of the other foot. However, he said that this would give an impression of suspended animation, rather than the motion that actually occuring at that point in time. He says that it is actually the artist, and not the photograph, which tells the truth.

2) His sculpture of Eve remains "unfinished" through a series of random circumstances. His model was pregnant at the time, although this became apparent as the sessions occurred over time. He kept changing Eve's stomach to match the model until he realized why the stomach was changing. Because of her pregnancy, his model stopped coming in before he was finished with the work. However, he cast it as it is and the effect is very powerful. Eve, the mother of all, pregnant upon her expulsion from the garden. I wondered how often the artist must "incorporate" mistakes to make a piece more powerful. Also, pointing to last year, when is a piece complete? Does completion come when the desired effect is achieved, even though it may not be "done"?

3) Sometimes on the metro I try to imagine that the train that leaves is staying still and that it is the platform that begins to move at such a rapid pace. Sometimes, from inside the stopped train I will look at the other train that is leaving and try to imagine us moving away with that train staying still. However, I can never convince myself of these scenarios because I don't feel the force that should be acting on me in the proportionate way. I wonder how true that is for art? Can a piece that intends to convey a "motion" (an emotion, a melodic or harmonic gesture, a texture, or tone) be thwarted because I have not included the proper "forces" within the piece. I believe the answer to this question is yes, but I do not know what is categorized as the proper "force".

4) Lasser has been talking about the idea that a piece's compositional motive will contain all the material required for the rest of the piece. This is a great way to view composition and is identical to what my current comp professor, Dr. Walicki, has been saying to me for the past couple years. This breeds an organic piece that feels right. However, one of the other ideas that has been discussed here is the effect of the surroundings on that seed. When a seed is planted, it will grow straight. Put a building next to it and that shade will then cause the tree to bend in such a way as to reach the sun. Of course this takes time and is an analogy. But it made me wonder what are the external forces that shape a piece apart from its compositional motive. I think the fact that I write the piece verses someone else is a force. I also think that my emotional, mental, or spiritual state may also have bearing on this. This begs the question, is there a best way or a way to provide the right sort of environment in which to work on the seed? Perhaps inspiration is merely the convergence of external factors in such a manner as to provide for the growth of an idea. This seems simplistic, but may be worth exploring.

I ended up talking about this similar idea with Matthew last night (the husband of Ashli). He's studying (I'm going to botch this) ethics in economics and Christian political thought is thrown in there somehow. Great guy. He and his wife are studying French in Paris for the month and will then return to Edinburgh. We somehow got to talking about technology and its effect on education. One of the articles he read emphasized the idea that we are shaped by our things, not necessarily that we shape our things. Which illuminated the idea of not being able to serve God and Mammon. Simplistic reduction of the conversation, but at least the basic gist.

For those of you who had no idea what I've been talking about, I sometimes use these blogs as a means to process ideas. Definitely need to get them out because I may otherwise lose them. I like thinking about the aesthetic aspects of music, but realize that they are no substitute for technique. Unless I have the means by which to reach these sorts of ideas, the ship may never sail.

Anyway, it's nice here. I feel like it hasn't been any huge revelation that has been the main point of this trip. But the importance has been in all the little things. The window at the church today. The light around the Arc the other day. Getting caught under a tree in a downpour. The mist this morning. The conversations with different people.

Well, I think I'm gonna make some dinner. Maybe watch a movie or read a book or walk around the campus. Or maybe work on the thesis a bit. Still trying to figure that out.

-Brandon