Being On Your Own

Hello, Music Lover!

Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen is an anthem about following what’s important to you, and it was chosen by Pat. Cohen reportedly struggled with this song for a long time, and he achieved little initial success with it. Apparently he wrote as many as 80 verses to it, before paring it down! The song didn’t find popular acclaim until it was covered by several other artists, first by John Cale, but since then it has been used in many film and television soundtracks, and it is considered by some to be one of the greatest folk rock songs of all time.

Designing the square took a bit of time too. In the end I focused on the things that really stand out for me – the fourth, the fifth, the chords, Cohen’s Jewish heritage, the reference to crowning the king, the “lord of song” (the figure of Cohen is holding a crown and an Old Testament style lyre). In the Star of David, I lowered the middle of the top line to represent a minor triad, and then raised it for the major chord. Thinking on it now, I should have just straightened the line again: I’m not sure that a triad with an augmented third would be allowed. But if not, I bet Cohen has used it anyway!

Now I Have the Time by Rod McKuen isn’t really a song, as much as a moving poem, lyrically read against the background of acoustic guitar music. It was requested by Max, who has loved the poetry of Rod McKuen for many years. 

Doing this square was more about focusing on Max while I was mechanically putting it together, since he is currently recovering from a serious accident. I just want him to come out of this experience the same man, fit and healthy, so he can gaze on the water, and dream about a long life to come.

Chopin’s Prelude #4 is from his series of 24, Opus 28. These have often been compared with Bach’s preludes in The Well-Tempered Clavier. Chopin also wrote a prelude in each of the 24 keys, but instead of following an ascending chromatic order, as Bach did, they are arranged in a circle of fifths (with major preceding relative minor). Chopin was known to have studied Bach’s music, although it is not known if he ever performed it in public.

Number 4, the largo in E minor, was played at Chopin's funeral. But it is not necessarily melancholy. In fact, k.d., who requested this piece, feels it is tender, and poignant. She sees both the masculine and feminine in it, in a caressing way. It reminds her of the summertime end of an affair, and of good memories of it, as symbolized by the rose left on the window sill.

Well, that's it for today.

Take care, all.

Susan