The july episode "Porto Novo" is out!!!!!!!

(click the pic to join the podcast)

Direct download (right click and save) : Francois X - Porto Novo

Watch Out

p.s : Luis Davis episode is coming.....

His Work is a combination of pen and ink and the result is absolutely amazing, check some of his illustrations...

He has just made a colloboration with a small  clothing label called Electronic Poet (my second discovery of the week), wich is a brand who developps continuously projects with electronic music labels.

It's a lovely brand and like they said :

*Electronic Poet is a blend of the Art & Science of Music & Fashion

An acknowledgement to DJ's, producers and bands who through their creative means are breaking boundaries and pushing electronic music forward to new heights."

(Scott's own interpretation of techno music family tree)

Enjoy those two discoveries, all about music and fashion......(was not a short post as i said...lol)

Peace Out

Francois X

It's really been very busy weeks, trying to get things done musicaly, riding a lot and modifying bicycles...
The Sonar festival was really HUGE, and even frightening, but we managed to have some fun with Goran, Mauricio, Jacob the others....

We all got to mix and get recorded in the Redbull Music Academy lounge @ Sonar day, and personnally it was one of the greatest experiences I ve had.
I started quite slow, and finished my set with New Order; seeing all the people actually singing the songs and clapping was very touching.

Here is what I played @ Sonar :
Rah Band - Clouds accross the moon
Jacob Korn - Re Faust - Mad Bros Records
D Tennaglia - Loft in Paradise
Luis Davis - No Requests - Mad Bros Records
Ame - Shiro
At Jazz - MUSIC
Global communication - The way
Kebekelektrik - Wardance
Eyes Closed - Crescendo - Mad Bros Records
New Order - Blue monday
Cajmere - Brighter days

The show was recorded and will be availble on streaming @ rbmaradio.com very soon.
You can already check a few of the 2008 performances.

Will post some more of the mechanical aspects later... but here are a few pictures of our rides :

Título do post é uma música do Miyavi na qual ele ressalta o orgulho dele em ser japonês. Eu também teria muito orgulho se fosse japonesa, já que eu não sou eu tenho orgulho pelo Japão ter me feito eu mesma.

Hello Gyspsies

Here is a litle taste , of what we like @CRESCENDO's office : Horror Film

But when you are talking about horror films you need talk about those scary OST and the right dude for it, is Il Signore Claudio Simonetti...........

Check this interview (thanks to Bill Brewster and Dj History)

Born into a musical dynasty, Claudio Simonetti's career was dramatically launched when his young band Goblin were chosen to produce the soundtrack for Italian horror auteur Dario Argento's latest flick (Argento is pictured right with Simonetti). Profondo Rosso went on to sell three million copies and the band also scored his next soundtrack, the classic Suspiria. After discovering disco, Simonetti made an array of classic records under a variety of names from Easy Going to Capricorn, before returning to movie scoring in the mid-1980s.

I believe your father was also a composer, is that right?

Yes yes, my father was very well known in Italy. He was very famous. He was a musician and also a TV entertainer during the 60s and 70s he worked a lot on the TV as a showman. More than a musician. His name was Enrico Simonetti.

Was that an influence on you growing up?

Yes, I was born in Brazil and because my father worked for 15 years in Brazil, he was also very popular there. So when I was born, I was born into a musical world, because of my father. He never said you have to study musuic but when I was eight years old I started playing piano. When I started at eight I was not very interested in studying music seriously. I listened to the bands of the Sixties like the Beatles and Rolling Stones, I was a kid during that period and I loved them so I started playing guitar in a small band.

This was in Italy or Sao Paolo?

No Italy, I came back to Italy when I was 12. I arrived here and started studying when I was 13 or 14. So I decided to be a musician. So my father said, ‘OK, you can be a musician but it’s better if you study’. So I studied composition and piano at the Conservatore Saint Cecilia. But during that period I played with many bands so I studied classically but I played a lot with bands in the underground. That’s how I came to play with my band Goblin later. Cherry Five was actually the same band as Goblin, more or less. It was a record we recorded before we did Profondo Rosso and Dario Argento chose us to do the soundtrack for this after listening to what we were doing in the studio with Cherry Five. But when we recorded Profondo Rosso we changed the name to Goblin. So the album that was released later, but we actually recorded first, was done under the name Cherry Five. I don’t know why they chose this name, it’s a mystery. We were never contacted about it. Before this, I had a band called Ritratto di Dorian Grey [Dorian Grey’s Picture]. I was a big Oscar Wilde fan. It was one of my favourite books so I chose the name.

How did you meet Dario Argento?

When he came to shoot Profondo Rosso he was looking for a rock band to appear in his film. We were lucky because when we were recording the Cherry Five album we signed a contract with the same label that my father was signed to. And this label was also same label that released Dario Argento’s music. So he asked Carlo Bixio, the producer of Cinevox Records, and he said, ‘Oh I have Enrico Simonetti’s son’s band!’ So Dario came into the studio to listen to our music and he loved it. So he gave us the chance to do the soundtrack. He was very brave because we had only just turned 20 and were very young. He was a very big, famous director. We were lucky to find Dario but he was lucky that he found the right band. Profondo Rosso sold 3m. copies.

You seemed to be experimenting with electronic music and sounds from quite an early age. Even Goblin is very electronic sounding. When did you start dabbling with electronic keyboards?

I was always a fan of electronic music. My first Moog, the Mini-Moog, I bought in 1972 so I was one of the first keyboard players in Italy playing synthesiser. I had a lot of synthesisers later. You can hear it in Goblin stuff and for Suspiria we used the big Moog, Robert Moog’s1500 Moog. We had to rent this Moog because it was so expensive. Keith Emerson used it. I saw a concert of his recently and he still uses the same big Moog. It’s unique. Emerson has the original one. They were very expensive to buy. It cost maybe £20,000 at the time. So we rented it and a technician came and I told to him what to do and he programmed it for me. Even now I’m very happy with Suspiria; maybe it’s the Goblin masterpiece. We did a lot of research for this soundtrack. We used this big Moog, but we also used ethnic instruments, like tabla, bazouki and dobro. We used a lot of stuff to record it and three months recording it.

Is it true you recorded the Suspiria soundtrack without first seeing the movie?

No we did just demos before. We read the script but Dario uses the music just for ambience you know. But actually when the film was finished the music was completely different from the demos. So nothing remained from those demos.

You had a very unique disco sound, was that deliberate or was it just the way it came out?

Firstly, I was born in Brazil so the Brazilian rhythm and sound is in the music everywhere. I’d grown up with this in my blood, even if I play rock. When the 70s progressive rock era finished, after the split of Goblin, I met a producer Giancarlo Meo and with him we decided to make disco music. At that time, especially in the middle seventies and the end of the seventies, disco was full of orchestration, choirs etc. I loved this music, it was very powerful. In the seventies if you wanted to do arranging for disco you had to be a musician, otherwise you couldn’t write or play. It was a very nice period for me. I have great memories of this period. I changed my lifestyle completely, coming from rock bands to becoming a disco producer. I spent five or six years like this I decided to change, after Phenomena, in 1984. I decided to write just soundtracks and make rock music again.

Were you going to discotheques in the early 1970s?

Yes. One of the most famous clubs was Easy Going in Rome. It’s where I met the DJ Paul Micioni. We start to make productions together with Giancarlo Meo. We did the Easy Going albums. I also found Vivien Vee in the same discotheque. So this discotheque was one of the first I went to in Rome. It’s where I found the disco life! We had also another one, before, called Jackie O in Rome. Paul did a lot of productions after and some very good ones. They worked with Amii Stewart and many others.

Do you remember the music he was playing at Easy Going?

All the 70s and 80s music like Cerrone and Moroder, stuff like that. Many kinds of music. But very full of orchestration. Donna Summer, Aretha Franklin.

What disco groups or producers inspired you?

I enjoyed a lot of Moroder. He was one of the first electronic producers. He made a lot of Donna Summer records. I remember I loved I Feel Love, it was completely electronic. This was the kind of disco I loved. But I also loved Barry White. His productions were great.

What background did Giancarlo Meo have?

When I met him he was not from a musical world. He was a businessman. He worked a lot with Italian fashion. But he decided he wanted to do this and be a record producer. When I met him he had finished recording a small production. When we met together, Paul Micioni and Giancarlo, we decided to do an Easy Going record. It was the first time in Italy anyone had done this. There had maybe been the brothers LaBionda, they were recording on a German label. But actually in Italy no one was producing this music when we decided in 1978 to make this record. Many Italian producers told me I was crazy for doing this. It’s Americans who do this not Italians! So Easy Going was probably the first album. The only other guy was Mauro Malavasi, he recorded Macho at the same time and then Change and others. I never met him, I don’t know him personally. I think I spoke to him once by telephone. I know his musicians and I have played with some of them but I never met him.

Is it true you recorded demos for English groups in London in the early 1970s?

No we [Goblin] lived in London for almost one year and we made some demos there. We had an American singer living in London and we recorded some demos with him. These were the same demos that we brought to Italy that eventually became the Cherry Five album; but he never sang on the Cherry Five album he left before. His name is Clive Haynes. He now lives in America and is a very good painter.

Once you’d started to make disco records did you go to a lot of discos in Italy?

Yes especially in Rome. We had a lot of discos there. Everywhere you go in Italy, France, Germany there were people dancing. I have great memories of that period. With Giancarlo, we recorded some records in Madrid, New York and Philadelphia. It was fun.

Do you remember where you recorded in New York and Philly?

I did the second Easy Going album Fear at the Power Station. I recorded the brass and background choir at a studio in Philly but I can’t remember the name.

Around that time you did some session work with Herbie Mann didn’t you?

Yes. A friend of mine was producer for Atlantic and I met him in New York. Someone bought the rights to release Baby I Love You in America. A producer wanted to make a new version so when I arrived in New York with the 24-track I met Silvio Tancredi and I became his friend and we recorded this version; straight after when he was recording the Herbie Mann album he mentioned to Herbie that he knew a good Italian musician.

What were your favourite discos?

I loved Studio 54 and Xenon in New York.

Were you aware of DJs like Mozart and Baldelli in the early 1970s?

Yes but I never worked with them.

Were you conscious of the sound you had created that became known as Italo-disco?

Maybe now I know this and I can feel it. At the time I didn’t know. We recorded a lot of music that had global appeal. Maybe now I feel we invented something but at the time…. It’s like spaghetti westerns… there were many directors who were inspired by this. A lot of Italian disco was imitated. Now I know this. In the 1980s, I had no idea. It was the same with Goblin. We never felt we were one of the most powerful horror bands. Now I know.

Was Easy Going a touring band as well or just a studio project?

No I never played I just arranged it. Most of the concerts were just playbacks with the singers.

Did you have any idea how big your records were in the US?

No. In 1979, we came to the US with Vivien Vee when we had some success with Give Me A Break. It was in the Billboard charts. I realised she was very famous there. It was strange, especially for her, because she’s Italian, and she spoke very bad English. She just sang in English because she learned it, but she actually had difficulty to speak with people in America. Many times I saved her because people would talk to her and she had no idea what they were saying. I’d say, “No no no Vivien Vee she doesn’t talk to anyone!” Later she did learn to speak.

Vivien Vee originally came from Trieste, one of the northern cities. She came on holiday to Rome and me and Giancarlo met her and he became her boyfriend. When we decided to record a new album we found an Italian-American singer who was a model. I wrote this song Give Me a Break and she said she liked it so we went to record it. Although she was a model she sang very well. Anyway, her name was Carol and she totally disappeared. We never saw her again. So we had the studio and we needed a girl, so Vivien said, “Well, I sing but only Italian songs”. So I did a demo with her. And she had this low voice. We loved this voice. We called an English teacher and coached her through the song.

Did you realise that your music had had such an impact in Chicago and Detroit?

No because I never went there, but occasionally someone will say, “Oh your music was a big influence”.

Do you remember recording things like Do It Again by Easy Going?

Oh yeah. We recorded that album here in Rome in one studio. Not very big but it was quite expensive. It was very good for a disco sound. They recorded mainly TV shows and orchestras there. We tried to record here because it had a very good sound for drum and bass. We recorded this album live with many nusicians. One of the guys from Goblin played on one song, Fabio Pignatelli, on Suzy Q.

You used Walter Martino for a lot of the drums as well didn’t you?

Walter Martino was our first Goblin drummer. Fernando Fera played in some songs. He was Dorian Grey guitar player. And I used the brass section from a TV orchestra.

Did you use drum loops as well as live drummers?

It depended. We used real drums until the early 80s. After the Linn arrived and others we preferred to use drum machines. If you listen to the big bands of the Eighties most of them used drum machines. The English sound especially. Keyboards like the DX7: it’s the master. It was the first midi keyboard. You can recognise the early Eighties because of the sound of the DX7.

A lot of the musicians you used had English names. Were they American or British musicians?

No. We changed the names! It’s like the ’60s when they shoot spaghetti westerns they just changed the names, even Sergio Leone had a different name. That’s because if we had told the people it was an Italian production nobody would trust that it was good, because no one had done it. It was very funny. Simon Pouds, for instance, is me.

Did you and Giancarlo Meo work well together, because you made a lot of great music?

He was a producer but he also had a good ear; he would say this is good or this is not good. But normally he was the businessman of the company and I was the music producer. He organised contracts, distribution, but he was a good talent scout. He’s found a lot of good artists. Even after we split. He’s one of the biggest producers of independent labels. He sold millions of copies of many artists.

How do you view the music now you look back at it?

I like it. Sometimes I hear the old records and I like it, because it has its own story. Now I think I could maybe do it better, but I love that Eighties sound. The instruments and moods are different now. I love almost of all of what I did.

© DJHistory.com // Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton, 2008

http://www.djhistory.com/

Das heißt Mama und Papa Mutter und Vater auf portugiesisch. Er freut sich dabei sichtlich, ist stolz und scheint ganz genau zu wissen, dass das in der anderen Sprache ist.

Es sind die ersten Worte, die er auf portugiesisch ganz zielgerichtet und vor allem auch oft benutzt - "agua" kann er zwar auch sagen (und Wasser noch nicht), er benutzt es aber nicht.

Wir finden das sehr schön und ich finde, es hört sich nach einer sehr netten Koseform an. :-)

Es ist jetzt weder sonderlich kalt noch warm. Er hat definitiv A.a in der Windel. Er darf was zum Gucken, Befummeln oder sonstwas haben wenn gewindelt wird. Ich denke schon, dass ich zügig windeln kann. Spaß kann ich währenddessen auch veranstalten. Er weiß, dass er jetzt nicht aufstehen kann ohne dass die Windel gewechselt wird. Und uns geht durch das Theater jetzt gerade ein schöner Nachmittag auf dem Spielplatz durch die Lappen, was ich auch kommuniziert habe. Nun, aber zwingen mag ich ihn jetzt auch nicht, das artet nämlich wahrscheinlich nur in Strampel- und Tretattacken aus und wie sollte ich mich also da durchsetzen?!

Ideen jemand?

Ich habe jetzt sogar schon verlautbart, dass ich unten Kekse esse...

Kind bleibt stur und sitzt im Schlafsack im Bett und erzählt sich was.

Porque eu tenho vontade de gritar esse refrão.

• 3000 Bälle im Bällebad sowie eine Rutsche da hinein gegen 16 Kinder und zwei Babys bei 20 Erwachsenen und 3 Kindermädchen
• Toberei auf den Blocos mágicos
• Krabbelei durch Tunnel in eine Höhle
• Burgen- und Häuserbau mit Softklötzen
• Zaubertafelmalereien
• Kleinere Schlichtungseingriffe durch die Erwachsenen so nach dem Motto, wer wo ansteht und wann rutschen kann, weil unten wieder Platz ist, ansonsten ist der Plan aufgegangen, dass die Kinder bei den Spielsachen schon alleine genug Beschäftigung finden und haben.
• Viel zu viel Essen, wirklich! Es ist zu viel übrig geblieben, als dass wir Drei es alleine aufessen könnten. Ach könnte ich doch nur eine Menge Mousse de Maracujá und brasilianische Torte nach Deutschland beamen! *seufz*
• Brasilianische Torte beim deutschen Bäcker bestellt, der dann aber seine brasilianische Frau den Backlöffel hat schwingen lassen - super lecker, ein Gedicht, ein Traum aus supersoftem, lockeren, hellen Boden, mit leckerster, heller Cocos- und dunkler Schokoladencreme gefüllt und für den deutschen Gaumen extra nicht so süß gemacht! *hmmmschlecksabber* Allerdings mit Garantie auf direkt anwachsendes Hüftgold! ;-)
• Spiegeleierkuchen in leicht abgewandelt von Tanja ist ebenfalls extremst lecker und leicht und schnell zuzubereiten.
• Der kleine Mann hat es so genossen, im Mittelpunkt zu stehen, und besonders schön war es für ihn wohl auch, als alle für ihn gesungen haben - erst auf portugiesisch "Parabéns", dann auf deutsch "Heut ist Dein Geburtstag".
• Jetzt ist er "geschenkesatt". Dreie Zweie sind immer noch nicht ausgepackt, weil er sich sooo schön erst immer in Ruhe mit jedem einzelnen beschäftigt, wenn er sie entwickelt hat.
• Unsere Möbel stehen immer noch nicht wieder an Ort und Stelle, weil wir heute einfach nur ko und faul gewesen sind, viel geschlafen haben und ansonsten mit dem kleinen Mann die Geschenke bestaunt und ausprobiert haben. (Also ich, ich bin noch ganz und gar nicht "geschenkesatt", ich würde auch die anderen Dreie Zweie am Liebsten noch sofort auspacken, um endlich zu wissen, was da nun noch Schönes zum Vorschein kommt! ;-) )
• Es war ein wenig schwierig mit Deutschen und Brasilianern zu feiern, weil sich zwischen den "Gruppen" kaum Vermischung ergeben hat. Deutsche sind da aber auch immer schwierig! Muss ich an dieser Stelle einfach mal schreiben. Selbst wenn sie im Ausland leben und alle mehr oder weniger gut die Landessprache beherrschen. Bei einer Überzahl Deutscher wäre es ja mal vielleicht nett gewesen, die Brasilianer einzubeziehen... Also, als ich als einzige Deutsche letztens auf dem brasilianischen Buffet-Geburtstag gewesen bin, da haben sich die nächst Stehenden Brasilianer immer sofort auch mit mir unterhalten und mich eingebunden.
• Außerdem war es schwierig, weil die Brasilianer trotz nettem Hinweis, dass sie uns nicht "erschrecken" würden, wenn sie schon pünktlich kämen, trotzdem ungefähr anderthalb bis zwei Stunden verspätet kamen. Mit dem Singen und dem Anschneiden der brasilianischen Torte haben wir dann nämlich doch bis dahin gewartet. Fehler: Weil dann von dem deftigen Essen zu viel übrig geblieben ist, was es nur eine Stunde später gab. Sollte es ein nächstes Mal geben, werde ich sowas wie einen Ablaufsplan mitsenden und drauf hinweisen, dass es Deutsche als "nicht nett" empfinden, wenn jemand zu spät kommt. Oder den Brasilianern mindestens eine Stunde früher als den eigentlichen Beginn auf die Einladungskarte schreiben... ;-)
• Alles in Allem war es also wunderschön und hat uns eine Menge Spaß gemacht!!!

Unser Wohnzimmer ist einer Spiellandschaft gewichen - die Kinder (zwischen 6 Monaten und 6 Jahren) sollen sich ja nicht langweilen und den Erwachsenen auch die Möglichkeit zur Unterhaltung geben. ;-)

Ach ja, sonstige furchtbare Möbel und Bilder auf den Fotos, spiegeln nicht unseren Geschmacl wider, sondern den der eigentlichen Eigentümer. Wir haben unsere Möbel aus Deutschland nicht mitgenommen, sondern möbliert gemietet. Nomaden-Alltag.

Im Esszimmer ist für den Beginn ganz brasilanisch süß eingedeckt, allerdings werden wir das zu Beginn verzehren, wenn alle angekommen sind und nicht wie hier sonst üblich, erst ganz zum Schluss. Denn da git es bei uns dann deutschen Kartoffelsalat, Wiener-Würstchen, Kibe, grünen Salat, ein wenig Käse, Kartoffel in einer Marinade, Rote Beete und Brötchen.

Als "Hauptkuchen" gibt es einen nach brasilianischer Machart. Links und rechts daneben noch Brigadeiros, die typischen kleinen selbstzumachenden Pralinen für Geburtstage und zwischendurch. ;-)

Und ich habe noch einen Spiegeleierkuchen nach dem Rezept von Tanja gemacht.

Allerdings musste ich die Rezeptur abwandeln, da es in Brasilien kein Creme Fraiche gibt. Mit Tanjas Hilfe habe ich mich für eine Mischung aus Ricotta und Philadelphia in light entschieden (eigentlich wollte ich mit Mascarpone anstelle von Philadelphia mischen, aber den hab ich Freitag nicht gefunden...). Wie er schmeckt, verrate ich im nächsten Eintrag. :-) Vielen Dank für die Hilfe, Tanja!!! :-)

(Leider hat er schon ein wenig Schaden genommen.)

Vielen herzlichen und lieben Dank auch an Schlapunzel für diese super schöne und tolle Gratulation!!! :-)

Dem kleinen Mann ist nach einem normalen Vormittag zu Hause, einer halben Stunde "festliche" Anziehsachen in lang aussuchen (kurze Sachen gäb´s ja schon genug, *seufz*, aber ich befürchte schlimmes für das Wetter am Samstag, vorhergesagt sind max. 15 Grad und Schauer..., heute sind es noch einmal sagenhafte, traumhafte 26Gard und Sonnenschein und kein Wölkchen, weswegen wir...) und einem knappen Stündchen spielen im Sportclube am Pool soeben beim Mittagessen der Kopf auf den Tisch gesackt.

Das Kind war eingeschlafen!!!

Bis ich es oben im Bett hatte dann vollends. Ohne den sonst lebenswichtigen Schnulli und so.

Erstaunlich.

Größe: 91cm

Kopfumfang: 51cm

... und damit alles in seinen Normbereichen und vom Arzt bekommen wir daher auf dem Infozettel für zu Hause neben diesen Daten ein "estao ótimo!" - alles bestens! :-)

Ach ja, welche U das jetzt heute war, kann ich gar nicht sagen, denn dieses System gibt es hier in Brasilien nicht. Man geht so ungefähr alle drei Monate, oder wie in unserem Fall, nur wenn es etwas akutes gibt. Unser letzter Besuch für eine Impfe war Anfang des Jahres und wenn schon immer alles in den Normen lag, das Kind kaum jemals wirklich krank war, dann heißt es von unserem Arzt auch schon mal, ach, dann meld Dich doch mal in einem halben Jahr wieder - telefonisch.

Heute gab es dann aber wieder eine Impfung: Meningokokken. Der kleine Mann hat sich das erste Mal ersichtlich zuvor an den Pickse-Schmerz erinnert, war aber dann sehr "verständig" und hielt halbwegs stille und hypnotisierte den zuvor vom Arzt versprochenen Hasen-Lolli. Anfang August bekommt er dann seine zweite Impfe gegen Hepatitis A und wenn wir nicht noch beschließen, in potentielle Gelbfieber-Gefahrzonen zu reisen, dann hat er dann auch erst einmal alles durch bis zum 5. Lebensjahr - juchei!

Leider bleibt uns allerdings ein Gang zum Hautarzt nicht erspart, da der kleine Mann hier sogenannte "molusco contagioso" hat, was wenn ich es richtig verstanden habe, aus dem Hause der Warze stammt und hier für das Alter weit verbreitet ist. Der Hautarzt wird die Dinger dann entfernen oder verbrennen und evtl. müssen wir dann noch zwei oder sogar drei Mal erneut hin um Nachkömmlinge eenfalls so entfernen zu lassen... Nun ja, gibt schlimmeres, deutlich schlimmeres.

Dann haben wir eine Empfehlung für einen ersten Zahnarztbesuch und ich habe ein paar Fragen in die Runde, der mitlesenden Mütter.

Geht man in Deutschland ohne Zahnprobleme mit dem Kind auch schon ab dem 2. Lebensjahr zur Kontrolle?

Hier in Brasilien ist es so üblich und die Mittelschicht aufwärts lässt dann die Zähne ihrer Kinder auch versiegeln um Karies und die daraus resultierenden Probleme wie Schmerzen etc. von vornherein zu unterbinden. Immerhin gibt es da ja jetzt dank der Versiegelungstechnik etwas gegen, dann muss man es doch auch nutzen - so brasilianische Denke. Wie ist das in Deutschland?

Ich erröte dann zum Schluss immer leicht und werde verlegen, wenn der Arzt mich ob des Sozialverhaltens des kleinen Mannes lobt, weiß ich doch, wie der kleine Mann auch unter richtig aufgedreht und verkehrt ist (s. letzten Eintrag)  und es bisher nur purer Zufall ist, dass wir noch nie an einem solchen Tag zum Arzt waren bzw. dort das Ambiente ihn auch ein wenig einzuschüchtern scheint. Heute dann fragte er mich, wie ich bei Trotzreaktionen reagieren würde und ich antwortete, dass der kleine Mann je nach Gewicht der Situation (also aggressiv auf Frust reagieren, Sachen schmeißen o.ä.) dann allein in einem Zimmer einen Moment Pause machen muss und das durchaus auch schon mal mehrmals hintereinander. Der Arzt war fasziniert, empfahl das weiter zu führen und sagte, das Grenzen für Kinder sehr wichtig seien und Brasilianer ihren Kindern leider viel zu wenig Grenzen zeigen würden mit der Begründung, es seien doch nur Kinder. Aber diese Kinder würden eben auch mal größer und dann bleibe später vielfach nur noch der Ausweg ebenfalls aggressiv, sprich schlagend, Grenzen zu setzen, was vor allem in den Favelas ein Problem sei.

Ich bin peinlich berührt, dass wir mal wieder die ersten Gäste gewesen sind.

Immerhin fuhr genau vor uns die Großmutter des Geburtstagskindes vor. Die Eltern samt Ehrenperson sowie dem Kindermädchen waren natürlich schon dort.

Ach ja, wir waren so um 19.20h da und der Beginn war für 19h angesetzt.

Machte mir aber nichts, denn dort gab es genügend Sachen zum Bespielen für den kleinen Mann und ich konnte ein paar Fotos schießen, die ich Euch und Ihnen jetzt zeigen kann, ohne allzu viele Personen drauf, die ich sonst nach ihrem Einverständnis hätte fragen müssen. (Für schönere Fotos von dem Buffet bitte hier hin klicken.) Ich schätze mal, dass so gegen 21h dann alle Gäste angekommen waren, es war sehr voll zu dem Zeitpunkt.

Schätzungsweise waren deutlich mehr Erwachsene da als Kinder, auch wirklich einige erwachsene Paare ohne Kinder, natürlich die komplette Familie samt Onkel, Tanten, Nichten und Neffen.

Die größten Attraktionen waren ein Kletterdingens und jede Menge Fahrgeräte wie auf einer Kirmes (die es hier übrigens sonst nicht gibt), also Karussels ein Hochzieh- und Runterfalldingens, was aber natürlich nicht im Geringsten so hoch war, wie die in Deutschland auf den Märkten. Am Meisten Ausdauer hatte der kleine Mann mit einem Autozug zu fahren. Dann gab es eine kleine Schwebebahn und für die größeren Kinder einen Kicker, ein Snowboard an einer Maschine, sowie ein paar Computerspiele, die wie diese Spielautomaten in Kneipen aussahen. Ein kleines Fußballfeld und einen Basketball ebenfalls in einer Maschine gab es auch noch. Und nicht zu vergessen ein tiefes Bällebad. Und eine Kinderschminkecke, in der man aber nur „professionell“ geschminkt werden konnte, nicht nett mit Tieren oder so. Der kleine Mann bekam dann aber eine „Frisur“ gemacht mit Gel und darüber würde grüner Glitter gestäubt. Er war der einzige Junge, mit dem so etwas gemacht wurde, oder bei dem das zugelassen wurde. Brasilianer sind mit ihren Jungens was das anbelangt sehr vorsichtig. Es könnte ja sein, dass sie dadurch schwul werden... *seufzundaugenroll*

Das Geburtstagskind wurde übrigens die allermeiste Zeit von zwei Personen verfolgt: Einer Kamerafrau und einem Fotografen. (s. das Bild mit dem Klettergerät)

Das mit unserem Abendessen zu Hause hat nicht so richtig geklappt. Wir hatten einfach noch nicht wieder genug Hunger um halb sechs abends, unsere Zeit ist nämlich sonst sieben Uhr dafür. Aber vor Ort gab es leckeren Salat, also der sah sehr lecker aus (ich war ja alleine mit dem kleinen Mann da und da konnte ich das leider nicht in Ruhe probieren), und Nudeln mit Sahnesoße, wovon der kleine Mann so gegen 22h eine große Portion verdrückt hat, ich kam leider ein wenig zu kurz, denn es wurde schon um 22.20h Parabéns gesungen, das brasilianische Geburtstagslied.

Dann durfte man auch endlich an diese netten Pralinen, die die ganze Zeit schon so verführerisch aufgebaut waren (Ich musste sie einige Male vor dem kleinen Mann schützen, kein brasilianisches Kind kam natürlich auf die Idee da dran zu gehen, die sind das ja seit Babysein so gewöhnt). Lecker waren die! (Und es gab noch mindestens drei weitere Sorten, die ich leider nicht mehr vor die Linse bekam.)

Ja und dann haben wir uns auch schon verabschiedet und darüber ganz den Geburtstagskuchen verpasst. Schade, na ja, es gab dann am Ausgang noch Süß zum Mitnehmen und einen großen Ball, in dessen "Topf" noch weitere Mitgebsel auftauchten: Ein Springseil, Seifenblasen-Lösung, Leuchtsterne, ein Kartenspiel, "Knallerbsen" und sowas wie ein kleiner Kreisel aus Holz mit einer Schnur dran.

Daheim waren wir so gegen 22.50h und der kleine Mann so um 23h im Bett. Da unser Telefon und Internet noch immer nicht funktionierte, folgte ich ihm nur knapp später und freute mich schon auf ein "einsames" Frühstück und erwartete den kleinen Mann so gegen 9h dazu, da er normaler Weise ungefähr zehn Stunden schläft. Daraus wurde ja nichts. Der frühe Mittagsschlaf zumindest bewahrheitete sich und der kleine Mann schlief schon gegen 11h ein, um dann allerdings eine Stunde später schon wieder zu erwachen. Bis 19.45h hat er dann heute ausgehalten, auch wenn ihm während der Guten-Nacht-Geschichte des großen Mannes mehrmals schon der Kopf zur Seite wegkippte, er musste unbedingt noch das Ende der Geschichte abwarten. :-)

Von der Polizei habe ich nichts mehr gehört.

Die Treffen mit den Kindern aus dem Heim im Park möchte ich sehr gerne weiter aufrecht erhalten, allerdings ohne dass ich sie nun weiter abholen müsste... Das kann ich nicht mehr, dafür habe ich zu große Sorgen, dass die Täter dort noch einmal aufkreuzen könnten. Die Fahrten hat das Heim jetzt erst einmal selber übernommen, allerdings mussten direkt gestern ein paar Kinder zum Arzt gebracht werden und dann gibt es keine zweite Möglichkeit, Kinder irgendwoanders hin zu fahren. Traurig hat´s mich gemacht, denn ich mag die Kinder wirklich sehr gerne.

Dafür haben wir gestern auf dem Spielplatz im Park alle ein wenig Geld verdient. (Dort trifft sich ja die gesamte "alte" Krabbelgruppe vom kleinen Mann, mittlerweile zwar in deutlich veränderter Zusammensetzung, weil schon einige Familien zurück gegangen oder weiter gezogen sind bzw. andere dazugestoßen sind.)

Wie man Geld auf einem Spielplatz verdient?

Ganz einfach, in dem man zufällig zur selben Zeit wie ein Aufnahmeteam vor Ort ist, die einen Film für irgendein Geburtshaus (ne, zu alternativ) irgendeine gynäkologische Abteilung nur für Geburten eines Krankenhauses, eben für eine "Maternidade" einen Werbefilm gedreht haben. Keine Info am Nachrichtenkästchen des Parks hatte darauf hingewiesen, der Park war nicht abgesperrt, unsere Kinder tobten los und wir wunderten uns schon ein wenig, was die ganzen extrem nett angezogenen Kinder und Mütter wohl in den Park getrieben haben mochte, Brasilianer sind da eigentlich nicht so wie z.B. die Spanier, da wurden wir schon gebeten, ob wir die Kinder nicht wieder einfangen und in einem anderen kleineren Bereich es Spielplatzes nur mit Wippen drauf bleiben könnten. Die Aufnahmeleitung hatte aber ein Einsehen mit uns und fragte kuzerhand, ob wir die Bildrechte für uns und die Kinder frei geben würden, dann könnten wir uns aufhalten wo wir wollten, es würde sogar ein bißchen Geld dafür geben. Pro Person ob nun Erwachsen oder Kind gab es dann umgerechnet ungefähr 3,85€.

Hatte sich der kleine Mann bislang Spielsachen immer sehr klaglos von anderen Kindern abnehmen lassen, so wächst er nun plötzlich über sich selber hinaus und verteidigt seine temporären Sachen erstaunlich vehement. Ich war schon ein bißchen stolz auf ihn, denn zuerst blieb es auch nur bei lautstarker mehr oder weniger als "verbal" zu bezeichnender Ausdrucksform. Jemanden, der mit dem Diebesgut wegläuft einzuholen und durch an den Sachen ziehen zum Stoppen zu zwingen, finde ich auch noch absolut im Rahmen, vor allem vor dem Hintergrund, dass er das verbal noch nicht ausdrücken kann. Dann aber auch zu schlagen, um sich durchzusetzen ist schon wieder ein Grenzübertritt. Leider dehnt es sich auch zu Hause auf Situationen wie Windel wechseln, Zähne putzen und Umziehen aus... (Nun gut, ich atme abends tief durch wenn er dann endlich im Bett liegt und wiederhole mantramäßig, dass er schließlich mal ein selbstbewusster Mensch werden soll... *seufz*)

Heute hat er mich auf dem Spielplatz in Erstaunen versetzt, als er mit einer Frisbee-Scheibe spielen wollte und diese wirklich professionell hielt und weg schleudern wollte. Ich überlege schon die ganze Zeit, wo er sich das mal abgeguckt haben könnte. Vielleicht an dem Ausflugstag mit den Kindern aus dem Heim? Ist ja allerdings schon wieder eine Weile her und außerdem war mir gar nicht bewusst, dass er die Spiele der Großen so detailliert verfolgt hat. Nun, ganz richtig hat es dann trotz des korrekten Ansatzes und Drehens noch nicht geklappt, aber lang dauert das nicht mehr. :-)

Leider soll es ab morgen wieder regnen.

Da fällt mir noch eine Anekdote ein: F. meinte heute bei ungefähren 10 Grad als sie des morgens unterwegs gewesen ist (so zwischen 6.30-9h, sie bringt vorher noch immer ihre Tochter zur Schule und ist deshalb so unendlich lange unterwegs, aber auch ohne das benötigt sie ca. anderthalb Stunden nur für einen Weg), dass es jetzt wirklich "frio de gelo" sei, also sowas wie eiskalt. Ich musste schon ein wenig schmunzeln, denn ich finde das Wetter eigentlich super, war es doch jetzt seit sechs Tagen schon "frisch" aber sonnig und draußen liebe ich das mal zur Abwechslung und atme auf wie ein Fisch wieder zurück im Wasser, immerhin kann man jetzt auch mal mit dem kleinen Mann toben und bricht nicht direkt in Schweißausbrüche aus. Drinnen, im Haus, da ist es mit ungefähren 18 Grad jetzt allerdings schon wieder einfach nur kalt.

“นอ / เอก / จั๋ง / แชมป์” 4 หนุ่มสุดเก๋าในนาม “เครสเชนโด้” (Crescendo) กลับมาสร้างสีสันทางดนตรีอีกครั้งภายใต้การดูแลของค่าย “LOVEiS – SONY BMG” เพื่อสร้างสรรค์งานเพลงระดับคนดนตรี “ตัวจริง” อีกครั้ง!!! ด้วยการส่งซิงเกิ้ลใหม่ล่าสุด “เห็นแก่ตัว” เพลงสุดเข้มในสไตล์ “Jazz – Rock” พร้อมยืนยัน…“ไม่ได้ด่าใคร!!!”

“เห็นแก่ตัว” ซิงเกิ้ลล่าสุดจากวง “เครสเชนโด้” (Crescendo) เน้นเนื้อหาที่สะท้อนถึงความเป็นจริงในชีวิตที่มีทั้งรัก โลภ โกรธและหลง โดยได้ “นัท – ชาติชาย มานิตยกุล” นักร้องนำหน้าใหม่แต่เก๋าประสบการณ์มาโชว์ฝีมือการเขียนเนื้อเพลงสุดกระแทกใจ (ใครบางคน)...

You2Play อ่านต่อ

La Corda D’Oro Primo Passo Ending Theme

Romaji Translation

ichibyou goto ni kimi ga ITOSHII
zutto... mune o kodou ga hibiite iru

futari de aruku kaerimichi futo damarikomu
bukiyou de tsutaerarenai omoi

ashi haya ni yuku shiki no naka
donna SHIIN demo sugu soba de kimi wo mite itanda

futo guchi zusamu suki na FUREEZU
moshimo kimi nara donna neiro wo kanaderu darou

ichibyou goto ni yaki tsuketetai kimi wo
suneta shigusa mo warai kao mo
kimi wo irodoru subete ga ima, kaze ni mai nagara
yasashiku tsutsumu...

kimi ga hitomi wo kagayakase hanashite kureta
hateshinai yume egaku STORII

ano toki kimi wa, mayotteta boku no senaka wo
sarige naku oshite itanda ne

hyaku PAASENTO ima wo ikiteru
kimi wa dare yori kirameite iru taiyou no you ni

tatta hitori ni deaeta kiseki fukaku
kimi wo shiritai kizutsuite demo

ichibyou goto ni kimi ga ITOSHII
zutto...mune no kodou ga hibiite iru
itsuka wa kitto tsuyosa to iu tsubasa wo hirogete
mamori tsuzukeru
dare yori kimi wo

English Translation

you're precious every second
forever... my heart beat echoes

suddenly becoming quiet on our way back home together
this clumsy feeling that can't be conveyed to you

in the four seasons that quickly pass by
I was always watching you nearby in any scene

the favorite phrase that I hum without thinking
if it was you, what kind of melody will you sing in

I want to burn your figure into me every second
even the pouting movement and smile
everything about you drifts into the sky and
embraces calmly...

you told me with your eyes sparkling
the story that drew out the endless dream

you naturally pushed my back
at that time when I was feeling lost

living the moment 100 percent
you're shining more than anyone like the sun

deeply feeling the miracle of meeting that one person
I want to know about you, even if I get hurt

you're precious every second
forever... my heart beat echoes
someday I'll spread my wings called strength and
continue to protect you
more than anyone else

***

If you are a fan of the anime La Corda d’Oro Primo Passo, then you are certainly familiar of the anime theme song Crescendo by Stella Quintet. I love the meaning of the song; it’s as if it echoes (in a way) as I listen to the melody.

La Corda d’Oro Primo Passo is shown in Animax in its prime telecast (back-to-back episodes) every 7:00 pm, Wednesday. If you miss this, you can always check the replays every Sunday, at 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm and 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

Don’t know how to express your love? Check this anime out. And see the hottest guys.

Unfortunately, these poor souls haven't yet grasped the untidy consequences of fiddling with emotion, especially the musicians and artists.  Many believe that with out emotions the universe would run very smoothly indeed, but the others, the few who believe in feelings disagree.  They argue that it may run smoothly, but the whole idea is preposterously boring.

This story you are now reading is not about the argument about weather feeling is better than desensitization or not, or even about emotions in general, but arguably the most powerful of all, love.  Yes the article you are now open to is about one of the most cliché subjects imaginable and how two adolescent musicians find themselves caught in not only the string of each others instruments but the strings of affection.

Our story opens in the new room of Sebastian Rennington.  Little did he know that in his new home town, he would meet the violinist that would win his heart.  Bastian stood in the large, white, nearly empty room with nothing but himself, the small bed he slept in last night, and the back pack full of sheet music.  As he stood there he was grappling with a rather tedious emotion.  Ever since he was old enough to push a key, he had not gone an entire day without playing one of his pianos, and now the fifteen year old accomplished pianist stood in a pianoless mansion while his pianos were being shipped up from his father’s old house.

Sighing, Bastian left the nearly empty bleak room and met his brother, Alexander, by one of Xander’s expensive cars.  This one was a red mustang convertible with electric blue guitar frets on the sides.  Xander said while Bastian climbed into the passenger seat, “Dad should be up with your pianos in about a week.  That is if he can get away from his editor long enough.”

“Why can’t he just send them up?” asked Bastian cringing at the word piano.

“Your eclectic collection is too delicate for movers.  Either you are dad has to be there to supervise the movement of them.  I’m telling you, you should have chosen a more portable instrument to play other than pianos that weigh thousands of pounds.”

Xander drove onto the main road when Bastian remarked, with a slight smile, “And your electric guitars are less delicate than my pianos?”

Xander shook his head, turning into the school parking lot now.  “Well in a way yes: they aren’t as difficult to tune, and they are definitely lighter.  You know, you could have brought a keyboard if you were going to have piano withdrawal.”

“I didn’t think I was,” defended Bastian, “Also, Dad had them all pack with their nice foamy cushions before I could change my mind.  They are deep somewhere in the moving van.”

“Well maybe the music department will have a piano,” thought Xander as he pulled into a space close the front.  Bastian really hoped so.

They climbed out of the car, without opening the doors and headed off to the penitentiary called high school.

High school: a facility of supposedly necessary four year education that educates children fourteen to eighteen respectively.  Bastian and his brother were unfortunately between those ages and unfortunately the human country of the United States holds a law stating that all children must have an education of some kind.  Many believe that if no one felt anything, education would only last less than a year and the world would continue to run smoothly, unfortunately emotions cause such things as procrastination and laziness, which inevitably lead to a twelve year extension of schooling, four some it is even four years longer.  What a waste of time?

Bastian was never good at coping with the emotions of others, which made it very hard for him to make friends.  Even at his old school on the east coast, people only liked him because his father, Edward Rennington was a famous author and girls would use him to get close to his reasonably attractive older brother, there are prime examples of the emotions of lust ruining Sebastian’s life.

His father always told him that he should just be himself and friends would find him.  Unfortunately Sebastian was a fifteen year old tall, lanky human with incredibly long fingers and big hands and an incredible aptitude for math and science while also retaining the ability to bring a grown man to tears with his pianos.  Who would want to be friends with a weirdo like that?

Sebastian and Xander walked further apart than Bastian would have liked; in public Xander never acknowledged Bastian’s existence let alone that he was family.  Xander was currently speed walking to the front office to sign in while Bastian took his sweet time playing the air piano hearing the notes perfectly in his head.  He was aware of the odd looks the other students gave him.  Idaho was inhospitable at best.

Bastian crossed the short distance left to the front office and stepped up to the counter.  Xander had already come and gone.

“Sebastian Rennington,” he announced to the secretary in a monotone.

“You must be Alexander’s brother,” said the secretary more bouncy than Bastian thought was necessary.  “Here’s your schedule,” she handed him a piece of paper with eight classes listed, “and sign this form saying you got here on time.”  Sebastian signed the clipboard shoved in front of him, gave a week smile and left the office in search of his first class, band.

He opened the door to see a room full of kids already, even though first period didn’t start for a half hour.  They were in the middle of playing a piece, and they seemed uninterrupted, so Bastian continued closing the door as lightly as possible.  It only took them a few minutes to finish the piece.  It was common marching band song; he’d played it many times before.

When the student conductor lowered her gloved hands, she and the teacher, Bastian glanced at his schedule, Mr. Baldwin, approached him.

“Can we help you?” asked the tall, skinny Mr. Baldwin.

“Yes, I signed up for band and I got it on my schedule—,” began Bastian.

“I was notified of you,” said Mr. Baldwin in a brisk voice, then in a softer voice, “You can be her during class for attendance purposes, and you are more than welcome to sit in on our early morning practice, but I’m afraid I can’t let you play until I or the drum major Elizabeth here has time to audition you.”

Bastian nodded, and replied, “There is no place I would rather be than were music is being played.”  

He walked over to an empty seat in the corner and pulled out his note book of sheet music while Elizabeth raised her hands and shouted, “Take it from the top.”

Time passed by and the bell for first period rang and no one moved.  They kept on playing through the bell.  After they finished that piece, Mr. Baldwin came over to Bastian and said over his shoulder, “That’s pretty interesting.”

“What is?” asked Bastian.  The band began playing a new piece as Mr. Baldwin pulled up another chair to sit by Bastian.

“The music you are writing down,” he replied.  “How long did it take you to do that?” he asked while reaching out for the book.

Bastian flipped to the beginning of the piece, about four full pages, front and back.  “I started a few days ago as My brother and I started on our move.  I’m only about halfway done.”  Mr. Baldwin remained silent as he flipped through the book, about three hundred pages of musical notation.

“Fascinating,” he whispered.  “What instrument do you play?”

“Piano,” replied Bastian, “for about twelve years now.”

Mr. Baldwin’s eyes widened.  “Is that he only instrument?”

“Yeah, I guess it’s not much for a marching band.”

“Come by during lunch,” replied Mr. Baldwin, “Everyone has different lunches so we can’t practice; instead any musician is welcome to play on our instruments then.  Our piano may be out of tune, but I think it will work.  Depending on how good you are, maybe I can fit you into a different music class.”  Bastian nodded and Mr. Baldwin stood up to go critique the band’s last piece.

Bastian returned to the band room the moment the lunch bell rang, not even going to get lunch, all he could think about during math was the fact that the school did have a piano.  As he walked through the door, he saw many of the band members he saw during class sitting on the risers eating lunch and chatting avidly.  Some people were playing instruments, one girl was playing a violin quietly, and one boy was banging on a drum set.  Another was playing the xylophone, and yet another was tapping out a bouncy song on a kettle drum.

Bastian’s eyes drifted across the room until his eyes beheld a relatively new tan upright on wheels sitting in a corner he couldn’t see earlier.  He almost ran to the instrument.  Sitting on the cold piano bench, he lifted the cover to reveal ebony and ivory keys with a matte finish.  Touch the keys with shivering fingers, he straitened into the correct posture and spread his large hands.

The boy on the kettle drum had stopped playing to watch and mostly everyone had stopped talking except for the drummer and violinist.

He began to play a flowing composition he had written.  It was his favorite.  The room fell silent with the first note.  The drummer stopped pounding, and the violinist stopped gliding.  Sebastian Rennington was flying.  With each crescendo he would sway with the music.  He kept his eyes closed to enjoy the music.  The sound of hammers on wires was sweeter than anything he’d heard in days, even if they were slightly out of tune.

By the time he finished his first piece, there were students from other classes in the room.  They all clapped, including Mr. Baldwin.  Without slowing down, Bastian reached for his composition book and opened it to his latest piece and started to play.  He had trained himself not to get distracted by others.

This other piece was radically different from the first.  Instead of inducing the same joyful emotion of the first, this second one expressed a sense of sadness, like moving away from your home, or having the leaves of autumn fall in their reds and oranges.  That’s what Autumn Link thought as she listened to Sebastian Rennington play his music.  She glanced at the violin in her lap and then back to Sebastian.  Her eyes began to water.  Sebastian continued to play, uninterrupted switching between songs effortlessly, improvising quite a bit.  Eventually the kettle drummer and xylophonist started to play with him, and the drummer started to tap out a beat to accompany the piano but not over power it.

Bastian slipped into a more joyful, upbeat song, near the end of lunch, and the stopped when Mr. Baldwin put his hand on Bastian’s shoulder.

“Sebastian,” he addressed as he sat on the piano bench with him.  “How would you feel if you were in as many music classes as possible?”

Bastian grinned ecstatically.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” chuckled Mr. Baldwin.

“Though I would like to keep my computer, science, and math classes,” added Bastian, “Oh and you can call my Bastian.”

“Okay,” chuckled Mr. Baldwin, “You can keep those, but I’ll get your schedule changed by tomorrow to include you in the orchestra and jazz band.  You can stay in marching band, I think I have an idea.”

“That would be great!” shouted Bastian.  Mr. Baldwin laughed and walked away.  Standing behind him was the violinist.

“Hello,” she said in a soft voice, “I’m Autumn Link, and you are?”

“Sebastian Rennington,” he replied while playing a small jingle on the keys.  They both chuckled.  Autumn noticed his sparklingly white teeth and pure laugh, and the way his black hair flowed when his head moved.  Bastian noticed her coiled copper hair bounce like springs and her bright blue eyes.  Emotion causes distracting observations like that.

Autumn then recognized his name.  “Are you the son of Edward—,”

“—Rennington?” finished Bastian, “That’s my father all right.”  Normally he hated having people know him because of his father, but from her it didn’t seem that bad.

“I love his books.  They are so good.  When is the next— sorry,” she cut herself off, “You must hate it when people talk about him that way.”

Bastian nodded.

“That was very good playing, brilliant actually!” she complimented.  Normally positive feed back like that didn’t affect him that much, but from her it made him blush.  He finally noticed the violin she was holding in one hand and the bow in the other.

“Thank you,” Bastian stuttered, then regained some composure, “Do you play?  I wasn’t really paying attention when I came in.  I was too eager to play.  I haven’t played in three days.”

“Actually,” she replied, “I do play, but I don’t want to.  I mention to my mother at a young age that I wanted to play the violin and she put me into lessons and wouldn’t let me quit.  It’s a beautiful instrument, don’t get me wrong,” she was sitting next to him now, her hair smelled of like apples, “I just want to play the electric guitar.”  The words stirred something in Bastian.

“My brother could teach you,” replied Bastian, “He could even lend you a guitar, he has so many.  Of course I’m not one to talk, I have twelve pianos.”

Her jaw dropped.  “What?! Twelve!”

Bastian blushed, “Yes, every one is unique.  I have one that is an upright curved into a circle, a grand curved into an inverted circle that I sit in the middle of to play, and then there is my favorite one.”

“Which one is that?” she asked, genuinely interested.  “A triple decked glossy black grand with blue flames.  The lower deck is regular piano strings, the middle deck is made of flat metal bells, and the top deck is an electric piano.  Each deck plays the same amount of notes and has a wider range of octaves than a standard piano.  It’s the most fun to play.”

Autumn was intrigued, “That’s amazing!  Can I come over and see it some time?”

“Well, all of my pianos are back at my old house.  My dad’s going to bring them over when he can get away from his editor.”

“Wait,” she demanded, while putting her violin away, “Your dad is going to live here?”

“Yes that is usually what happens when a family moves.”

“I wasn’t sure if your dad was on a book tour or something,” she defended.  Just then the bell rang and she stood up from the bench and headed out the door.  Sebastian’s eyes followed her out, and then he glanced back at the piano, reluctant to leave it.  He played a quick parting ballad and jumped up and ran out of the room for advanced computer programming class.

At the end of the day, he came back to the band room to play more on the piano, but as he crossed the room to the instrument, he saw autumn preparing her violin.  He immediately walked away from the piano, nothing had caused such a strong emotion in him to do that, and so tightens one of Autumns strings.

“Play me something?” asked Bastian as he approached.  She shrugged and immediately lapsed into a rendition of the bumble bee.  It was less classical and more something else.  Sebastian couldn’t put his finger on it.  It was more her own.  Halfway through the song she slowed down into a different song and it only took a few bars to realize it was Bastian’s most recent piece.  Her bow scratched, embarrassed.  “I’m sorry,” she said.

“No, no,” chuckled Bastian impressed at her playing by ear, “It was really good, keep playing.”  He strode to the piano and started playing a simpler version of it.  She joined him happily, adding her own flare to it.  She was a very colorful violinist.  Just like in a dance, Sebastian led her through everything, crescendo after crescendo, and set the tone for each section.  When they  got to the end of the finished version, she was looking over his shoulder at the sheet music, they just kept playing, in complete harmony changing the mood from sad to a more something more like relief and then to celebration.

They ended with a forte of complex notes and a loud bang.  They didn’t realize how long they played and there were only two sets of clapping, one from Mr. Baldwin and one from Xander.  They didn’t notice though, they were both breathing deeply from the effort of playing, they were staring into each other’s eyes understanding sweeping over them.  Humans have an annoying ability of loving one another and making it work.  It looked like these two weren’t any different.

Matthias Oreklein's Blog by Matthias Oreklein is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

There are certain songs that catch you. You're not exactly sure why, but they do. Often they start off simply enough. Possibly even with a single note repeated slowly and softly. Then...it swells. It builds, one layer upon the next slowly and surely until finally it reaches its peak and you are crying out with all of your soul and your body no long has any weight. Then, when your soul has burst open and is exposed, it gently carries you back down to the ground until your feet are once again firm. Even then, the lightness lingers for a little while longer.

This is worship.