Writing Under the Influence (of Music)
An experimental workshop lead by Dr. Mira Mataric
6:00 - 8:00 pm Tuesday April 23, 2013
Altadena Library, Altadena, CA
Music 1: Disney, Oz, Ballet
Disney nostalgia may corrupt absolutely. It can creep with its precious Bambi feet, unseen, over felt, overstuffed to silently suffocate. Promising a perfect existence, a magical place, a safe haven with calculated lies fostered by Burbank's bloated visionaries.
Even the orchestra sounds speak the unreal--hollow bass clarinet, sparkling celesta, quivering solo violin, thrilling harp--calculated to destroy thought. Soaked and choked with emotion, what chance clarity?
Leaving Disney and Oz we dance. But, it's still unreal. A place at home almost 200 years ago. But, what's wrong with that? Appreciating old treasures may be good. But, this greedy legacy pushes most new dance aside. Go on. Perform the Nutcracker till you regurgitate; starve the rest of the year.
Interlude:
First we were shoved into new spaces; the writing/music world. Uncomfortable brains complained. We move readily to a more comfortable writing/talk world. Our subconscious mind at work. It's safer here. Again,we move maybe even further from talk-about-writing to one-person-talking-about-writing.
Before artists didn't tell how they did things.
Today, we expect artists to tell us how they do it.
Thirty people write for half an hour.
Thirty writings emerge, so distinct, so different
We write; we read; we talk.
We're told it should not be so
Homoginized is legal
But the mind is a criminal
And the genome won't tell us how or why
It's down deep
It's up to you to pull it out
Surprise, surprise.
From nothing a flow
The river finds it's way
Push the block asside
Just write anyway
Music 2: Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto
Rare fragile sparkle; carbon fiber core
Answer stomping elephants
Wagner hated it so; hated you so.
Spawn of low life; it and you
Those predictable too-many notes
"Too many notes my dear Mozart."
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