Today's DailyOM Offerings...
September 14, 2011
Guitar Music of Argentina, Vol. 2
Victor Villadangos
2002
Argentina's Victor Villadangos is a cultural ambassador. His dexterity on the frets and strings is matched only by his sense of subtle moods, romanticism, and elegant passion. No matter which composer's work he plays, Villadangos has a gift of seeming to fall into each new shift in tempo, key, or mood with the fluid grace of his country’s national dance, the tango. Classical music label Naxos' second volume of Guitar Music of Argentina finds Villadangos interpreting Argentine luminaries like Carlos Guastavino, Quique Sinesi, Marcelo Coronel, the legendary Máximo Pujol, and even one of Villadangos' own pieces, "Hora Libre" (Free Hour)," which shows off his extraordinary gift with harmonics.
In the sad simple refrains running through "En Melancholia (Melancholy)," the middle section of Argentine contemporary composer's Máximo Pujol’s "Elegia por la muerte de un tanguero (Elegy for the Death of a Tango Player)," one can feel that sense of falling, the unhesitant tumble into the mournful heart of tango, the way the sing-song higher notes echo like a fading pulse, a winding-down clock in a dream always about to end. For Marcelo Coronel's four-part "Imaginario popular argentino" Villadangos dives into the flavors and textures of his diverse country, while his rendition of Sergio Natali's "El arte de cebar (The Art of Serving Mate)" provides the perfect background for sampling this unique form of social ritual, wherein a maté (gourd) full of yerba (the herb tea) is passed around in a group, while each person fills the maté with hot water and then drinks it through the bombilla (a silver straw), then refills it for the next person. Villadangos' guitar is bold and flav! orful enough to conjure a late afternoon siesta at home, on the balcony, or eating dulce de leche and serving maté as the sun sets.
Naxos has done a fine job assembling some of this classical guitarist's native countrymen's compositions for Guitar Music of Argentina, Volume 2. It's a great way to visit a wonderful country that may be on the opposite pole of the world from U.S. listeners, but can seem as close as your coffee table with a single note from Victor Villadangos. So pour yourself a maté, invite over some friends, talk long into the night about philosophy, and resonate with "the Paris of South America" as it comes tumbling out from Villadangos' strings.
September 14, 2011
Life’s Lighter Side
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
You may feel like being with friends and having lighthearted and humorous discussions today. Using your humor and sense of fun to amuse others could be a way to share with them your delight in the pleasurable aspects of life, for even though there are times when being serious is necessary, enjoying the abundance you have is equally important. Lifting others' spirits through humor might help you connect to the joy that is present in your life today. In your interactions you may want to think of seeing the positive side of things, maybe even adding optimistic thoughts or clever banter. By trying to be positive for the day, you could create a bright and happy atmosphere for everyone around you.
Seeing the lighter side of life allows us to delight in the joys of the world around us. While there are many issues that concern us, it is so important to think of life in positive and less dire terms, since there is often very little in our immediate surroundings that is really an emergency. Changing the way we view events through humor and play lets us relish every moment we have, and we will gain more in our lives as a result. Worry and concern will only get us so far; it is our positive outlook that usually carries us through even the darkest times. By letting yourself have fun and be carefree today, your life will be filled with light, cheer, and good-natured energy.
September 14, 2011
Keeping Our Minds Supple
Questioning Everything
Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted.
A lot of people feel threatened if they feel they are being asked to question their cherished beliefs or their perception of reality. Yet questioning is what keeps our minds supple and strong. Simply settling on one way of seeing things and refusing to be open to other possibilities makes the mind rigid and generally creates a restrictive and uncomfortable atmosphere. We all know someone who refuses to budge on one or more issues, and we may have our own sacred cows that could use a little prodding. Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted.
A willingness to question everything, even things we are sure we are right about, can shake us out of complacency and reinvigorate our minds, opening us up to understanding people and perspectives that were alien to us before. This alone is good reason to remain inquisitive, no matter how much experience we have or how old we get. In the Zen tradition, this willingness to question is known as beginner’s mind, and it has a way of generating possibilities we couldn’t have seen from the point of view of knowing something with certainty. The willingness to question everything doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t believe in anything at all, and it doesn’t mean we have to question every single thing in the world every minute of the day. It just means that we are humble enough to acknowledge how little we actually know about the mysterious universe we call home.
Nearly every revolutionary change in the history of human progress came about because someone questioned some time-honored belief or tradition and in doing so revealed a new truth, a new way of doing things, or a new standard for ethical and moral behavior. Just so, a commitment to staying open and inquisitive in our own individual lives can lead us to new personal revolutions and truths, truths that we will hopefully, for the sake of our growth, remain open to questioning.
Guitar Music of Argentina, Vol. 2
Victor Villadangos
2002
Argentina's Victor Villadangos is a cultural ambassador. His dexterity on the frets and strings is matched only by his sense of subtle moods, romanticism, and elegant passion. No matter which composer's work he plays, Villadangos has a gift of seeming to fall into each new shift in tempo, key, or mood with the fluid grace of his country’s national dance, the tango. Classical music label Naxos' second volume of Guitar Music of Argentina finds Villadangos interpreting Argentine luminaries like Carlos Guastavino, Quique Sinesi, Marcelo Coronel, the legendary Máximo Pujol, and even one of Villadangos' own pieces, "Hora Libre" (Free Hour)," which shows off his extraordinary gift with harmonics.
In the sad simple refrains running through "En Melancholia (Melancholy)," the middle section of Argentine contemporary composer's Máximo Pujol’s "Elegia por la muerte de un tanguero (Elegy for the Death of a Tango Player)," one can feel that sense of falling, the unhesitant tumble into the mournful heart of tango, the way the sing-song higher notes echo like a fading pulse, a winding-down clock in a dream always about to end. For Marcelo Coronel's four-part "Imaginario popular argentino" Villadangos dives into the flavors and textures of his diverse country, while his rendition of Sergio Natali's "El arte de cebar (The Art of Serving Mate)" provides the perfect background for sampling this unique form of social ritual, wherein a maté (gourd) full of yerba (the herb tea) is passed around in a group, while each person fills the maté with hot water and then drinks it through the bombilla (a silver straw), then refills it for the next person. Villadangos' guitar is bold and flav! orful enough to conjure a late afternoon siesta at home, on the balcony, or eating dulce de leche and serving maté as the sun sets.
Naxos has done a fine job assembling some of this classical guitarist's native countrymen's compositions for Guitar Music of Argentina, Volume 2. It's a great way to visit a wonderful country that may be on the opposite pole of the world from U.S. listeners, but can seem as close as your coffee table with a single note from Victor Villadangos. So pour yourself a maté, invite over some friends, talk long into the night about philosophy, and resonate with "the Paris of South America" as it comes tumbling out from Villadangos' strings.
September 14, 2011
Life’s Lighter Side
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope
You may feel like being with friends and having lighthearted and humorous discussions today. Using your humor and sense of fun to amuse others could be a way to share with them your delight in the pleasurable aspects of life, for even though there are times when being serious is necessary, enjoying the abundance you have is equally important. Lifting others' spirits through humor might help you connect to the joy that is present in your life today. In your interactions you may want to think of seeing the positive side of things, maybe even adding optimistic thoughts or clever banter. By trying to be positive for the day, you could create a bright and happy atmosphere for everyone around you.
Seeing the lighter side of life allows us to delight in the joys of the world around us. While there are many issues that concern us, it is so important to think of life in positive and less dire terms, since there is often very little in our immediate surroundings that is really an emergency. Changing the way we view events through humor and play lets us relish every moment we have, and we will gain more in our lives as a result. Worry and concern will only get us so far; it is our positive outlook that usually carries us through even the darkest times. By letting yourself have fun and be carefree today, your life will be filled with light, cheer, and good-natured energy.
September 14, 2011
Keeping Our Minds Supple
Questioning Everything
Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted.
A lot of people feel threatened if they feel they are being asked to question their cherished beliefs or their perception of reality. Yet questioning is what keeps our minds supple and strong. Simply settling on one way of seeing things and refusing to be open to other possibilities makes the mind rigid and generally creates a restrictive and uncomfortable atmosphere. We all know someone who refuses to budge on one or more issues, and we may have our own sacred cows that could use a little prodding. Being open-minded means that we are willing to question everything, including those things we take for granted.
A willingness to question everything, even things we are sure we are right about, can shake us out of complacency and reinvigorate our minds, opening us up to understanding people and perspectives that were alien to us before. This alone is good reason to remain inquisitive, no matter how much experience we have or how old we get. In the Zen tradition, this willingness to question is known as beginner’s mind, and it has a way of generating possibilities we couldn’t have seen from the point of view of knowing something with certainty. The willingness to question everything doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t believe in anything at all, and it doesn’t mean we have to question every single thing in the world every minute of the day. It just means that we are humble enough to acknowledge how little we actually know about the mysterious universe we call home.
Nearly every revolutionary change in the history of human progress came about because someone questioned some time-honored belief or tradition and in doing so revealed a new truth, a new way of doing things, or a new standard for ethical and moral behavior. Just so, a commitment to staying open and inquisitive in our own individual lives can lead us to new personal revolutions and truths, truths that we will hopefully, for the sake of our growth, remain open to questioning.