Rare Breeds

The piece became a bit of a Kwaito (in a Classical way), the way we feel sometimes about a situation, arguing in our own minds, forming dialogue in a way that makes us feel better.

I started it off with Harpsichord, because I felt so terribly 'old and long ago' and, gradually during the ‘prelude’ I kind of woke up to what I’m actually doing.

Most of this music came from the past months. Whatever I saw, heard and lived would at times also remind me of another ‘rare breed’ (mostly of the present time) whom I only know by music. Thus, the main influence is based on my own perception at a very moment when I’d experience something and would think of the other who also ‘runs free’.

Aaargh, I didn’t realize this when I began composing, the sound was sparked off when I heard an old ‘rare breed’ again who disappeared for a while and suddenly popped up again.

Later, as I did some analysis of “Rare Breeds”, I couldn’t help to smile and giggle at times, seeing even how a walking duck and a Maltese Poodle chasing geese, reminded me of a character behind music.

The Kwaito stepped in hard as I would be listening to India Mynahs performing at late afternoons for the best branch to roost for the night. They are not indigenous to South Africa and became a bit of a threat to the original bird species, but the weavers are a strong bunch and won’t give an inch.

And so the story went on and on once I was caught up into it. I lacked time and facility to work on it, and would spend my earliest morning java time over several days to ‘speak my mind’. It sure was a piece that had me fast up and going each morning, and even faster if I slept a bit late since then I’d not even have quarter of an hour to work on it. I was okay when I would have around 45 minutes on such mornings, then I could take my time tasting my coffee and music.

(maybe I should now mention that I can wake even earlier than 3am regardless of time zone, totally awake and ready to kick off a long day of duties which could stretch even up to 19 hours)

I recognize others like me who live in music, with music, using it as the best way to communicate and I realize more and more that this is a natural thing, nobody can teach you that. It is just the way you ‘speak’, even if you are pressed for time. I do not know how I do it, some educated folks told me that they don’t know how I do it. But I am crazy about doing it. I love it!

Fair enough, I cannot speak in words about music as most do for I didn’t study these ‘translations’ as they did, but I learn on the run with each composition I work at. I won’t speak with them though, for my tongue ties up and I have very little idea how to pronounce most of those fancy words. So I stick to the p the pp, ppp and pppp instead of even trying to utter it. I can say it in music already and that is enough for me. I'd rather pp than p-whatever by not getting the p's and s's at their correct place. Know what I mean?

It is to know music as a form of communication that gives one the ear to understand, not what one learns from books (or the www or Wikipedia as I 'consult' for knowledge)… I did this for as long as I can remember after hearing the first human interpretations of this beautiful language.

“Rare Breeds” are people like myself, even if they are highly educated - because such folks in any case don’t follow the books, they follow their feelings, passions and interpret it all in their own unique ways. They understand what I ‘say’ in music.

A scarce breed, but oh so nice to hear them ‘speak’ from the bottom of the heart, whether a creator of interpreter (performing artist), we belong to a very rare group.