An original compilation essay by pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, published in Spanish Music Awakens Time, practically becomes a proponent of a vital and professional ideology, as well as a passionate defense in favor of music. power over man, both individually and collectively.
The article consists of two parts, firstly a compilation of a series of lectures given at Harvard University in 2006, and then a compilation of articles and interviews titled “Variations”. Both eventually construct a single, singular, audacious and thought-provoking corpus that is a golden pedestal of musical truth, which Schopenhauer sees as “the idea of a world” and Ferruccio Busoni as “the air of sound”.
The Argentine maestro does not go around the bushes in his vision of how existing society relates to music, expressed in a critical view that is incapable of understanding its value for character form, lashing out at the debacle of the education system in this area. from the youngest. He explains how silence is key and an essential part of the performance – which is why it is so rigid in concert halls, so closely associated with cultural trivialization and insensitivity to noise – and also emphasizes that it is inherently present in all music: “Three centuries separated Bach and Boulez, but both created universes that we modernize as performers and listeners.”
Understanding the musical story is very important, so Barenboim says, “listening to music is not the same as reading. When we read a book, we create our own associations only from the text and our own being. When listening to music, there are physical laws of sound, time and space that we must consider for each note. When we listen to a piece at a concert, it is not possible to repeat a sentence or a section that we do not fully understand»; In that sense, he adds, “listening to music also means listening to it to understand the musical story.” Therefore, the recordings do not receive its full approval, to the extent that the recorded sound transforms the music surrounded by other parallel activities that disrupt concentration into something secondary.
In her lectures she also tackles what we might call the “abuse” of music, which surrounds us superficially, conjures up absurd connotations and destroys the musical experience itself. Barenboim is very emphatic in emphasizing the very persistent mistake of our time of “breaking” works using doomed pieces and various experiments: “Accessibility (to classical music) is achieved not by populism, but by greater interest in increased curiosity and increased knowledge. There are places where wheelchairs can enter. , you just have to place ramps or elevators (…). When it comes to classical music, education is the ramp or elevator that makes it accessible.” Hence the current tragedy of the educational cornerstone to which he is exposed and which has spoiled the basic minimum education in this field: a concentration is necessary, which must be developed from an early age “for it to develop organically like understanding a language”. . Thus, it ceases to be a luxury and becomes a necessity.”
Much of Barenboim’s career has been impregnated with reading Spinoza’s Ethics, a philosopher in which he pioneered his musical praxis, guided above all by freedom as the premise upon which the work of art would be built.
His thoughts on the West-East Divan Orchestra are extremely interesting, one of his life projects that he promoted with Edward Said, including the globally recognized Prince of Asturias Award given to Concord in 2002. The idea of influencing the serious Palestinian-Israeli issue, which is the focus of serious tensions in the Middle East. It was about bringing together young musicians from Israel, Palestine and other Arab countries. There was an important premise for both: playing chamber or orchestral music “means doing two very important things at the same time. The first is to express yourself, because only in this way will you contribute to the musical experience, and secondly, listening to other musicians is a must when commenting». This multi-base was aimed at fostering dialogue, finding common ground between disparate communities, and ensuring mutual acceptance that recognizes “the difference and dignity of the other”, not tolerance—rejecting the word. The adventure, which reached crushing milestones such as the concert in Ramallah, which required impressive diplomatic logistics, in which Spain played a decisive role, was a winner in the results.
The articles and interviews in the second part of the book are a veritable chest of wonders, from which we can appreciate his view of Schumann or his thoughts on Mozart – those of Don Giovanni, of course – or Bach or Pierre Boulez, as well as his memories. Edward Said and the humanitarian orchestra they created together.
Perhaps this is one of the key points of the work: “Music does not discriminate against race, gender, religion or place of origin. Before a Beethoven symphony, all people are equal and everyone can learn from it or find inspiration from it, according to their abilities and desire to achieve it.