Klimt

Looking at Klimt's drawings and studies for his paintings made me think of the parallel with the song in its acoustic form and the finished produced recording... The exhibit was beautiful, this was one of my favorite drawings :

Fish Blood, 1898

Camille Claudel

I just watched Camille Claudel, the 1988 movie starring Isabelle Adjani in the title role. Besides the sometimes horrendous (read : over-dramatic) soundtrack, I enjoyed the portrayal of the artist. And was touched by Claudel's genius, and her tragic story. The long fought struggle of women artists to exist in their own right, not as merely other (male) artists' muses. And the hardship that comes from not having what most of those men had : support and care in the form of female companionship and inspiration. As a woman you have to be the artist, the muse and the caretaker all at once. And what was her brother Paul thinking? she introduced him to the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, and all he found to do to repay her was to keep her interned for 30 years - even though the medical personnel recommended she be released. Maybe he felt threatened...we yet have to see the day when most men are not, by strong women. I find her willfulness and dedication so inspiring, and her art beyond moving. I loved when Blot (the gallery owner) says about it : "...puisqu'il m'arrache les entrailles, moi" ('since it tears my heart out'). I guess next time I'm in Paris a trip to the Musée Rodin will be in order - not to see his works (although I will too) but to visit the room dedicated to her.

 la vague

Camille Claudel in 1884, at 19

la valse

vertumne et pomone

la petite châtelaine

les causeuses

...and Rodin's arrogance:

'Who is a good musician?'

Lately I have been inspired to read music, which has been nice. Music in my head, inside my ears, whorled sounds. Most satisfying when done late at night when the outside world has grown quiet.

This mostly came about from reading an article by the composer Zotlan Kodaly entitled 'Who is a good musician?'
Although some of it is dated or refers specifically to classical music (he wrote it for an audience of music students in Hungary in 1954, at a time when he and others were trying to further and better music education while developing a specifically Hungarian classical music culture), here are a few excerpts that felt relevant or inspiring:

'Rather play an easy piece well and beautifully than a difficult one in a mediocre way.'

'Try to sing, however small your voice, from written music without the aid of an instrument. This will sharpen your ear. But if you have a fine, sonorous voice do not hesitate to train it; consider it the most beautiful gift of Heaven.'

'You must learn to understand music on paper, too.'

'When you are playing, do not be concerned about who is listening to you.'

'If you have done your daily work in music and you fell tired, do not persist. It is better to rest than to work without freshness and the right mood. To rest, read poetry.'

'Walk often in the open air.'

'Do not miss any opportunity to play with others. Thus your playing will become fluent and buoyant.'

'If everybody wanted to play first violin, there could not be an orchestra. Honour every musician in his own place.'

'Make friends with those who know more than you.'

'Be modest! you have not yet devised anything that was not thought of before by others. And if you succeed in inventing something new consider it as a gift from above, a gift you have to share with others.'

'So who is the good musician? [...] You are one [...] if the music lives not only in your fingers but in your head and heart, too.'

'Listen to all folksongs attentively, for they are the treasure trove of the most beautiful melodies and through them you get to know the character of peoples.'

'When you start composing do everything in your mind first.[...] If the music has come from the core of your being, if you have really felt it, it will have the same effect on others, too.

'Look into all aspects of life, other arts and sciences too.'

'Without enthusiasm nothing good can be born in art.'

'Art is not a means of gathering riches. Be an even better artist, the rest will come by itself.'

'[...] the characteristics of a good musician can be summarised as follows:
1. A well trained ear
2. A well trained intelligence
3. A well trained heart
4. A well trained hand.'

From my heart to yours.