Editorial

Taming reason

Developing an effective instrumental technique means working out a rigorous and systematic practice discipline. The more alive one’s intelligence is, the better the rigour and the system will be suited to his personality.

Taming folly

Developing our personality and our power of expression means allowing our imagination to roam freely along the highways and byways of our follies, large and small. It means allowing ourselves to be carried along by deep impulses towards the edge of unconsciousness, listening to the direct appeal of our senses, accepting without reservation the ludicrous heritage which our ancestors, many and varied, offloaded into our genes and chromosomes. It is out of the miraculous blend of reason and folly that our musical language and expression, our inspired Esperanto, will emerge. Plenty of institutions have been set up to develop and sharpen our reason. But folly is something we prefer to steer clear of. It can lead us to a truth so naked that the finest tuba or trumpet in the world is incapable of reproducing its unsettling song.

In our hectic and superficial world it is a good idea to look long and deep into the flames of a fire or into constellations beyond our field of vision. It is a good idea to listen to other people’s music and to think our own. It is in such moments of euphoria that the perception of immensity, our imagination work, makes us realise our weaknesses, and reveals our strengths. After that the scales and arpeggios are nothing more than the routine chores of a gardener mindful of the seasons and the elements.