JANUARY
“And we say goodbye and we pray to God, that next year, instead of a million, let it be two” ― Nacho Cano
Hello everybody,
THE IDEA OF TIME
Tabulating time is an extraordinary concept. If you think about it, the idea of time exist only in our minds, a human invention shaped from observation and need. Yet, because nature works in cycles_ the rising and setting of the sun, the waxing and waning of the moon, the turning of the seasons_we can take advantage of that movement to organize life's events. In this way, we measure what has passed, mark what is present, and even anticipate what is still to come.
Among these divisions, January stands as both a beginning and a threshold, reminding us that time is not only counted but also felt. It's a time that draws my mind into reflection_ not only on the past, but also on the future. It is not about making resolutions and more about gaining perspective. Resolutions are just a silly reminder that a year has passed and I didn't become a "better person".
The energy that January carries impels me to feel that something new_ beyond the simple turning of the calendar year_ has just begun. It is as if the month itself holds a doorway between what has ended and what is about to emerge. This sense of passage recalls Janus, the Roman god for whom January is named. As the guardian of beginnings and transitions, Janus looked both backward with gratitude for what had been, and forward with anticipation of what lay ahead_ a symbolic reminder rather than a belief, but one that speaks to the rhythm of my own reflections in January.
Among these divisions, January stands as both a beginning and a threshold, reminding us that time is not only counted but also felt. It's a time that draws my mind into reflection_ not only on the past, but also on the future. It is not about making resolutions and more about gaining perspective. Resolutions are just a silly reminder that a year has passed and I didn't become a "better person".
The energy that January carries impels me to feel that something new_ beyond the simple turning of the calendar year_ has just begun. It is as if the month itself holds a doorway between what has ended and what is about to emerge. This sense of passage recalls Janus, the Roman god for whom January is named. As the guardian of beginnings and transitions, Janus looked both backward with gratitude for what had been, and forward with anticipation of what lay ahead_ a symbolic reminder rather than a belief, but one that speaks to the rhythm of my own reflections in January.
MIXTURE OF FEELINGS
As a musician and teacher, January often brings with it the need to learn and prepare new music. A few years ago, I came across a piano collection by Sarah Reaser O'Brien titled Full Circle_ a brilliant set of twelve pieces in which she explores each month through catchy and memorable melodies. I found the concept inspiring, even though it is not the first time a composer has attempted a musical project shaped around the calendar.
Inspired by Full Circle, I began to consider some of my own ideas_ writing music based on each month of the year. This piece, then, is the result of the feelings I often experience in January: hope for a brighter future, happiness at having made it through another year, and a touch of melancholy for the good times that now exist only in memory.
Inspired by Full Circle, I began to consider some of my own ideas_ writing music based on each month of the year. This piece, then, is the result of the feelings I often experience in January: hope for a brighter future, happiness at having made it through another year, and a touch of melancholy for the good times that now exist only in memory.
JULY OR MARCH
My first attempt to capture the essence of January was, to say the least, a complete disaster. I found myself writing and rewriting lines, erasing others entirely, and at times it felt more like I was writing about July or March instead. Eventually, everything came together, and I am happy to present the final outcome.
A while back, my friend Clayton and I performed "January" as the opening number of a recital at the CLARA auditorium in Downtown Sacramento, a space where I have often played with the K street Orchestra. Sharing the piece there brought the emotions of January to life.
January's melody offers the opportunity to reflect on the idea that, in the new year, I can do anything_ but not everything at once. It is a reminder to focus on what truly matters and to pace myself as I move forward. The Spanish rock band Mecano, in their song "Un Año Más", captures this feeling, describing the emotions of living through yet another year.
A while back, my friend Clayton and I performed "January" as the opening number of a recital at the CLARA auditorium in Downtown Sacramento, a space where I have often played with the K street Orchestra. Sharing the piece there brought the emotions of January to life.
January's melody offers the opportunity to reflect on the idea that, in the new year, I can do anything_ but not everything at once. It is a reminder to focus on what truly matters and to pace myself as I move forward. The Spanish rock band Mecano, in their song "Un Año Más", captures this feeling, describing the emotions of living through yet another year.
ONE MORE YEAR
En la puerta del sol como el año que fue
Otra vez el champagne y las uvas y el alquitrán de alfombra están
Los petardos que borran sonidos de ayer
Y acaloran el ánimo para aceptar que ya, pasó uno más
Y en el reloj de antaño como de año en año
Cinco minutos más para la cuenta atrás
Hacemos el balance de lo bueno y malo
Cinco minutos antes de la cuenta atrás
Marineros, soldados, solteros, casados
Amantes, andantes y alguno que otro cura despistao'
Entre gritos y pitos, lo españolitos
Enormes, bajitos, hacemos por una vez, algo a la vez
Y en el reloj de antaño como de año en año
Cinco minutos más para la cuenta atrás
Hacemos el balance de lo bueno y malo
Cinco minutos antes de la cuenta atrás
Y aunque para las uvas hay algunos nuevos
A los que ya no están le echaremos de menos
Y a ver si espabilamos los que estamos vivos
Y en el año que viene nos reímos
Uno, dos, tres y cuatro, empieza otra vez
Que que la quinta es la una y la sexta es la dos
Y así el siete es tres
Y decimos adiós y pedimos a Dios que en el año que viene
A ver si en vez de un millón, pueden ser dos
En la puerta del sol como el año que fue
Otra vez el champagne y las uvas y el alquitrán de alfombra están
POSSIBILITY OF REDEMPTION
Every year, without fail, as we approach the beginning of a new year, I find myself thinking about all the possible changes our world may endure. When you listen to this piece, I invite you to reflect on the hopes and expectations for the new year, as well as the regrets and lessons from the one behind us. The month of January, in its quiet and reflecting energy, offers the possibility for redemption.
Humans have been measuring and interpreting time for centuries, shaped by culture, religion, and geography. At times, they have manipulated time for practical or political purposes. The introduction of the Gregorian calendar, for example, was largely a political move, and daylight saving time adjusts clocks each year to benefit some, while the majority of the population—most of whom are no longer farmers—gain little from the change.
With the All Year Round Music notebook, I feel I have the opportunity to share, through music, my own understanding of time: how it passes, how it cycles through a year, and how it affects me personally.
Humans have been measuring and interpreting time for centuries, shaped by culture, religion, and geography. At times, they have manipulated time for practical or political purposes. The introduction of the Gregorian calendar, for example, was largely a political move, and daylight saving time adjusts clocks each year to benefit some, while the majority of the population—most of whom are no longer farmers—gain little from the change.
With the All Year Round Music notebook, I feel I have the opportunity to share, through music, my own understanding of time: how it passes, how it cycles through a year, and how it affects me personally.
MUSIC Information:
- Key: Bb Major/G Minor
- Parts: Cello and Piano
- Duration: 3 min
- Measures: 26
- Pages: 4
Comments
Post a Comment