Music and its Magic

I have never learned to play an instrument, I end up listening to mainstream music because I don’t make the effort to discover other bands and music, and if you asked me what music I’m into, I couldn’t give you any answer, unless you let me think for half an hour.

Still, music is something very special to me. It’s the soundtrack to my life.

It moves me, takes me on a journey, makes me want to dance, helps me fight through a work out, eases my pain, brings me to tears, and creates images in my mind that I wished I cold share with you as music video clips.

In fact, if someone offered me a job, where all I had to do is listen to a song to create a video clip for it without having had to study anything specific, and I had the best team on my side, I would so say “I’m in!”.

But, oh well!

The other day I watched a Tim Minchin video (I posted about him on the “Lau..haha..gh” section), where he performed something that crosses my mind on a regular basis.

What if you had your personal orchestra installed in your brain and it played the matching music to whatever goes on in your life? I admit it could be annoying at times but wouldn’t it be hilarious as well? 

(The first few minutes demonstrate what I / Tim Minchin mean):

Last week my friend, who plays the French horn in a classical orchestra, invited me to her last concert with Carmina Burana as its main program.

I love Carmina Burana – it’s ideal for movie scenes like the following:

A monk in his cowl with the hood on, walks down a dark candle lit medieval church hall with its high ceiling, and is about to commit an evil act.

Make all that slow motion! Like in the movie “Elizabeth - The Golden Age”!

Brilliant!

Goosebumps!!

So, me and another friend got cozy quiet seats in the third level balcony because we were both sure that we’d nod off at some point. Before Carmina Burana they played two other pieces I didn’t know, of which one is called Lauda Concertata by Akira Ifukube.

That’s when I did something I’ve never done before at a concert: I fished a piece of paper and a pen out of my bag and started creating a story around the music, just out of an impulse. I didn’t know where the story would take me when I translated the first images in my mind into words. The more I played along, the more I put effort in the story. It was so much fun!!  

Lean back and imagine the story telling as a black and white silent old movie. 

Setting:

Around the time when Jack the Ripper took place – 1880s/90s.

Foggy and dark streets of London at night.

A Jekyll-and-Hyde-type of murderer walks through a poor district, looking for a new victim.

He doesn’t want to kill anymore. Instead he wants this madness in his head to stop! But he can’t help himself. The beast in him is unleashed and thirsty.

Finally, his eyes spot the right victim.

A poor looking young woman in old clothes, who stands at a bridge, obviously thinking of bringing her life in misery to an end.

He feels drawn to her. Almost obsessed with putting his hands around her throat to watch her breathe her last breath.

He approaches her and just when he is about to let his hands do the work, someone attacks him with a strong kick in his stomach and then face. He falls hard on the ground and has to grasp for air.

He looks into the eyes of a young Asian man in a Chinese costume.

He can’t move. He is in pain.

He just hears the girl scream.

The Chinese man presses a handkerchief on her face.

She passes out and falls into his arms.

Before the murderer can get up, the Chinese man is already on the run with the girl on his shoulder.

New scene:

Early morning.

Countryside.

Wide fields.

You see the back of a horse running like the devil. On top is the Chinese man with the unconscious girl in his arms.

They reach a busy port and get on a big ship.

Finally, when the ship is on the open ocean, the girl opens her eyes.

Frightened at first, she tries to free herself from the Chinese man but then he tells her that she is the lost and found granddaughter of a famous and rich English lord, who lives in New York now. He tells her that he was ordered to find her and bring her back to her grandfather.

They arrive in New York.

A beautiful rich townhouse.

She meets her grandfather. They fall into each other’s arms.

Finally, she is safe and at home.

A couple of months pass by. Grandfather spoils her with beautiful gifts, takes her to events …

The Chinese man is her bodyguard but also a silent and wise companion.

One night the three attend a party.

The girl dances and has fun. Then she goes out on the terrace to get some fresh air. She is alone.

The Chinese watches her but the grandfather orders him to come inside. He leaves for a second.

Little does he know that the murderer, who is actually a well-respected doctor, visiting N.Y. on business, is at the same party, and that he has discovered and recognized the girl. The murderer follows her to the terrace intending to finish what he had started in London.

He kidnaps her.

The Chinese is back but he can’t find the girl. He catches a glimpse of a flying cape in the far distance. The murderer gets on a carriage. The Chinese follows them.

Meanwhile the murderer has knocked out the girl and his taking her to the docks. There he gets off the carriage and pulls his knife out.

The Chinese finds them but he is far. He sees the knife and shouts.

The girl opens her eyes.

Right in that moment the murderer stabs the knife in her chest.

Before the Chinese reaches the girl the murderer runs off.

The Chinese holds the girls in his arms. His eyes are in tears.

She smiles at him with love but then dies.

He cries and kisses her lips.

Shortly after he is filled with rage. He looks around and sees the murderer running towards the bridge. He quickly carries the body in a hidden corner to come back for her later.

He runs after the murderer. He catches him. They fight on the bridge.

The Chinese has no mercy. The murderer wants to kill him with his knife but the Chinese holds his hand and pushes the knife in the murderer’s throat! He is out and falls off the bridge into the deep sea.

The Chinese stands on the bridge. Alone. Devastated.

After all, he couldn’t rescue the girl from her fate.

THE END.

When the piece ended, I was hyped up. Excited! Thrilled by the classical music that put this story in my head!

I desperately wanted to share this experience with my friend next to me, so I turned to him and while everyone was clapping I explained to him what game I played and summed up my story. He looked at me, smiled and said “That’s really cool!” .

When I asked him whether HE thought of something when he listened to the piece, he looked up with an “I’m ashamed to say this”- grin and said: I thought of The Little Mermaid.

We burst out laughing.

For the rest of the afternoon it was Sebastian the crab from The Little Mermaid singing Under the Sea that was stuck in our heads.

So much for going to a classical concert.