I finally bought Hillary Hahn’s “Hillary Plays Bach” and her Brahms
concerto CDs. I really admire this girl. She’s at the same age as me, but the
depth of thought she shown in her music, as well as her understanding of the
music literature, her sincere attitude towards her audience, and the confidence
from her eyes… She’s really a model to me in my musical learning.
Last night I was listening to Stern’s CD playing the same Brahms
concerto. I really moved. I can’t remember when was the last time that I was so
moved by the music that I listened to and dropped my tears. But I can remember
that in the past, most of the time I was moved because the music reminds me
some of my ‘laments’ which leaded me to shed tears. This time, though no tears,
I felt so moved deep inside my heart – purely because of the music itself, and
of the heart of the performer.
I’m so attracted by Brahms. I can easily attracted by any one of his
compositions. I started his Violin Sonata No. 1 last September. That is a sweet
piece, with lots of masterly crafted details. My memory is very visual. Brahms’
Sonata No. 1 to me is a very green piece. It’s the kind of ‘bluish-white’
atmosphere that one can see it through, which quickly turns into assertive
“sunshine-orange” acclamation. The development seems like bunch of green and
blue vary from darker spectrum to lighter spectrum of colours. In the
recapitulation the original “sunshine-orange” second theme now becomes
“romantic violet” in colour… Just like a dreamy journey.
Bach’s solo violin sonatas and partitas are always stories to me -
stories by an old man who are so experienced in this world. The happiness, joy,
truthfulness, love, as well as his grief, his sorrow, his morn, and his firm
serious statements of his believe.
I’m so grateful to have chances to learn
their music. I always think that we can know more friends through books and
music. And now I’m working hard to communicating with them. Ho~