Plato in the peonies
Click to viewThere are authors, novels, films, paintings, and recordings that I count among my most prized possessions and experiences. Mostly for sentimental value. I feel grateful that I was exposed to, and was able to experience these specific things, and in some instances, feel as though they've played (however small) a part in shaping me as a person. A new outlook or perspective, a new interpretation of a piece, a reaction, etc. I guess put simply, I feel these things help me live more fully; vividly.
Horowitz keeps me grounded. Over the years, I always come back to his, Gieseking's, and Heifetz's recordings. Horowitz playing Chopin never fails to inspire me. After having read some books on him, I find his humanity comforting as a musician (he suffered from crippling nerves and low confidence). I'm unreasonably upset I wasn't able to see him play in person while he was alive. I could write pages on the effect the man has had on the people I know, myself included, but it wouldn't be enough. I couldn't articulate it well enough. For now I'll just keep listening to his recordings. Chopin, Mozart, and Schubert. It's really strange what an impact those three composers can have on a person. Even those who are not classically trained, or who scarcely listen to classical music, it seems, can discern the music of these three composers from the rest. I play tons of music while I'm at my mum's, cleaning, cooking, lounging, etc. She, my brother, and my father probably can't name more than 2 classical composers and yet when Mozart, Chopin, or Schubert are played, they stop whatever they're doing however briefly, and ask who the composer is. It reminds me of something I once read that Vladimir's wife said:
"People think they don't like classical music, good music, but once they really hear it, they love it."
There are a few other things I hold dear in my mind, though not in my possession. These include:
Degas paintings:
Manet paintings:
Ensor's paintings:
In other news, the bullocky shit wank semester is starting tomorrow. Goodbye, sleeping after 9AM in the morning, the past month was nice while it lasted! Looking forward to getting this degree done, and over with!