For A Moment You Belong To It

Today I would like to point out the power of the arts.
I can only really talk to you about art in terms of how I know it best, which is through music, though I'm sure the same can be applied to any other branch.
Prevalent in my mind lately has been what music does to me sometimes; sure, there are always songs we enjoy, that make us feel good, that we listen to over and over again, but has music ever full out incapacitated you?
It's never a whole song, never a whole movement, never a whole anything, it's a solo, a small section, a certain theme, a climax.. it's a small thing that renders you so absolutely helpless that all you can do listen and wish for nothing more in the world than to be a part of that sound, because if that sound could encompass you, you would be whole.

I don't think it could ever be the same thing for any two people, but I'll hear something and a part of me will identify with it in a way I can't describe. For a few seconds, nothing else in that god damn world matters but the music. (Kind of like an orgasm in that sense I guess). Have you ever been in love and at some particularly tender moment felt that swelling of affection in your chest that almost moves you to tears? Beautiful, fleeting, and overwhelming.

I doubt you'd feel what I felt listening to the same thing, I think it's a very personal reaction, but I'll give you some examples of what has this overwhelming affect on me: In LOTR 'The Riders of Rohan' from about 2:30 until after the solo violin has finished; the most noticable of the harmonic changes in movement I of Vivaldi's 'The Spring'; what I think is a pan-flute when it solo's in the middle of 'The Circle of Life' (thats right, the lion king); bar 52 of Ghost Train mvmt 2; and yes, the sax solo in Ride.. try as I might I have yet to be able to make myself play the couple of bars I'm supposed to during it.

Maybe I'm just a nerd, but I know for a fact that people have similiar moments with other genres.

It's also pretty amazing what an impact books, movies, and television have on me. When I'm alone I'll get really into these things.. if I'm watching a movie alone in the middle of the night, or have read a book for hours without pause, and finish it.. my state of mind is actually considerably altered for a while after. It's a like a drug. Sometimes it's almost like the dominant feel of a book will seep into me.. if I've just finished reading a book written through the eyes of a psycho, you'd better watch out for an hour or so.

It's creepy, and beautiful stuff, what the absorption of someone else's passion and expression can do to us.

Last night Ronald and I went to see the Toronto Symphony Orchestra do Shostakovich's cello concerto and 11th symphony. I liked it, extraordinary talent all around, it was a cool experience, I can appreciate it as a musician but.. my heart belongs to Mozart and 2 something hours of 20th century music was a bit much for me..
After the cello concerto, the soloist left and came back on stage EIGHT TIMES. I found that slightly ludacris, but then what do I know.

Look around you. Take a good look, just between you and me. Are you sure that this is where you want to be?