An Aria of Grace

La Mamma Morta They have killed my mother at the door of my room She died and saved me. Later, at dead of night, I was with Bersi, when suddenly a bright glow flickers and lights were ahead of me the dark street! I looked – My childhood home was on fire! I was alone! surrounded by nothingness! Hunger and misery deprivation, danger! I fell ill, and Bersi, so good […]

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Counterpoint

Plotinus’ idea of “unity-in-diversity” is perhaps best reflected in music in the art of the Fugue, which invariably brings me to J.S.Bach and Glenn Gould, my favorite interpreter of Bach on the piano. There is philosophy in music, and prayer too, if I may say so. I recently came across a WP post on Glenn Gould, with a link to a very interesting film titled “Thirty Two Short Films About […]

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“Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain” by Oliver Sacks

A comprehensive overview of the various aspects of musicality and the relationship between music and the mind, especially emotion and memory. Although I didn’t gain any further insights into the neural correlates of musicality (than what I’ve already learned from his other book “The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat”), I enjoyed stories of people whose lives are intimately bound with and affected by music. Links Oliver Sacks […]

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“Joys and Sorrows: Reflections” by Pablo Casals

Casals and Bach’s Cello Suites About a week ago I got interested in Bach’s cello suites. I started with Rostropovich’s EMI 1995 recording. The sound was beautiful, but the music was bland, entirely not what I expected from Bach as interpreted by Glenn Gould on piano and Jascha Heifetz on violin. Then I listened to Yo Yo Ma, Pablo Casals, and Pierre Fournier. That’s when I discovered Casals for myself. […]

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