For 53 minutes, Micus tells the story employing his collection far-flung instruments and his voice (the koan's text is sung in Japanese). One particularly interesting aspect is the 'inverted' structure. As Micus describes it, most compositions begin at the simple end of things, building toward complexity. However, the nature of the story suggested an opposite approach: complex at the start (the introduction and back story of the monk and the old master's question), simple at the end (the master's answer, presented as a solo voice).
Emotionally, the results also range widely. From the stately and prayerful ending of "The Master's Answer" to the passionate explosion of "Naration One and The Master's Question". The story is well told, with much love and attention to detail.
The capacity to liberate? Music can do that? Yes. We 'use' music for many things. Entertainment. Distraction. Emotional salve. All are valid. I can look back at my own early listening years and see clearly the recordings that started cracks in my idea of what music could be (an 'out' Chick Corea album, A.R.C, comes to mind). That 'liberation' was a small (but important!) part of my transformation toward becoming the writer/musical obsessive that I am today.
Stephan Micus recognizes that music does indeed have the power to liberate. He's traveled all around this globe to prove it. What is the meaning of Life? We all have to decide for ourselves.
(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)
Article comments
1 - GeneNY
Hey,
Nice write-up. I like the introduction and how you related the music's character and voice to the artist's life and travels.
This sounds like a good recording. I'll to get a listen to it.
2 - Temple Stark
Is there not a "clapping" attached to this?:
(probably the most famous of these is "What is the sound of one hand?")
And ditto the comment above.
3 - Mark Saleski
yea, you would think that "clapping" would be there, but i looked in several books on zen and it was written without it.
4 - Temple Stark
OK - just checking.
I don't actually understand the koan here. Despite that (or maybe because of that?):
This did make it up on Advance.net finally.
Congratulations and thank you for the review.
-- Temple
5 - Mark Saleski
thanks. i don't really understand the koan either (and initially not understanding it is the point, sort of).
thought that came to me was the maybe the meaning of life is supposed to be different for everybody.