Audio

Friday 21 July 2017

Tragedy

This week I'm in a bit of a somber mood, given the passing of yet another fellow musician and human being. Many of you would be familiar with Linkin Park, and the voice of Chester their lead singer. May he Rest In Peace.

In hopes of avoiding participation in reckless speech, I turn yet again to contemplating Tolkien, and his amazing gift for insight through story. I harken back to The Silmarillion, where the previously chained Melkor is freed to live in Valinor, though hate still resides in his heart. He devotes himself to spreading lies amidst his seeming wise counsel, and the Noldorin elves receive it. Sure, he helps them in their crafting, all the while sowing seeds of distrust in the minds of the elves toward the Valar. This leads the Noldor to making of weapons and the poisoning of the Bliss of Valinor. 

It is amazing that Tolkien puts this so saliently at the beginning of the book. To put it reductively, I believe Tolkien to be saying this in that text - that it is the whisper of evil that causes one to ponder violence (including violence against oneself).

As it pertains to suicide and depression, there's really only one exhortation I can give, after looking into the abyss more than a few times myself:

Don't.Give.Up.
Don't listen to that voice.
We need you here.

Saturday 8 July 2017

Score prep

This past week I've taken on score preparation of The Fall of Fingolfin. You may be wondering why, given the album is complete. Let me explain.

Often symphonies will call for new music to play, and my work certainly qualifies as that. Hence, I've been preparing the scores from the most recent cd, even though most of the parts are quite close to being finished. A couple of these calls are due in the next week and I plan on completing the scores in their entirety in hopes of securing a premier.

Many of these symphonies are local to the USA, and for that I'm grateful. However, if any of you good folks in other places in the world, whether India, Germany, France or anywhere else happen to know of a philharmonie or two looking for some new music, by all means let me know in the comments. Or even better, tell them about the Silmarillion Symphony!