Passacaglia… In Portuguese, as in Spanish, the word “passar” means “to pass”. In his new composition, Leszek Możdżer moves from a frequency imposed on musicians years ago to another, slowly discovered, less recognized one. The frequency played on the second piano (to which he has to specifically turn in the music video below) sounds false, but this sound is closer to our human vibration.
Social life is guided by principles that we learn from an early age. When my dad put a vibrating tuning fork to my ear, he explained that all instruments are tuned to this sound. I never asked: “why this and not another?”
My mother always dragged me to the toilet with a ring, the kindergarten teacher moved my little body to the “appropriate” place among other children, the priest explained the categories of light and grave sins during catechesis classes, and the teacher always “knew better”. Even the piano teacher kept saying: “Iza, you will never play Chopin,” and I assumed she knew what she was saying since I played the violin in my first years and my friends were already working on their piano playing technique at that time.
However, it was among musicians that I had the first opportunity to see that it is worth breaking the rules. It started with my beloved rhythm teacher, who taught us how to break stereotypes. I have always had difficulty with improvisation, regardless of whether the instrument was the piano (Autograf) or my own body during rhythm classes. I watched with delight my friend Madzia (I’ve got rhythm), who with her eyes closed “drew from her inner world” and her body was able to paint beautiful, moving pictures inspired by the sounds of music, only because the girl trusted her intuition.
During writing courses, I learned the basics of writing, but I have known letters for a long time. I was warned: “don’t write an autobiography, because it’s boring for readers – everyone thinks that their story is interesting, but it is only interesting for the writer.” “If you don’t have a name or celebrity status, no one will read it,” I heard. Result: so far I only have the cover of my book.
Fortunately, I find places for improvisation: I write “as if from sheet music” on the blog and I play instruments “without sheet music”. I found places between sounds and I go here and there…
It turned out that sometimes it is not worth paying too much attention to the rules that have been instilled over the years. It is worth looking for your perspective and going beyond the rules, especially when it is good for your health. Just like listening or playing an instrument, at a different frequency.
ps. The piano professor was wrong – after the age of 50, I also gave myself permission to play Chopin! Because who will forbid the RICH?
Translated by Szymon “Zachary” Mański
