Imaginary

Fictional Narratives

In the meantime, while some sang, the rest talked together tumultuously all at once; it was no longer anything but noise. Tholomyès intervened.  "Let us not talk at random nor too fast," he exclaimed. "Let us reflect, if we wish to be brilliant. Too much improvisation empties the mind in a stupid way. Running beer gathers no froth. No haste, gentlemen. Let us mingle majesty with the feast. Let us eat with meditation; let us make haste slowly. Let us not hurry. Consider the springtime; if it makes haste, it is done for; that is to say, it gets frozen. Excess of zeal ruins peach-trees and apricot-trees. Excess of zeal kills the grace and the mirth of good dinners. No zeal, gentlemen! [Victor Hugo, Les Misérables (1862), Volume I – Fantine; Book Third – In the Year 1817, Chapter VII, “The Wisdom of Tholomyés”.]

Tempering medieval justice:

Every city during the Middle Ages, and every city in France down to the time of Louis XII. had its places of asylum. These sanctuaries, in the midst of the deluge of penal and barbarous jurisdictions which inundated the city, were a species of islands which rose above the level of human justice. Every criminal who landed there was safe. There were in every suburb almost as many places of asylum as gallows. It was the abuse of impunity by the side of the abuse of punishment; two bad things which strove to correct each other. The palaces of the king, the hôtels of the princes, and especially churches, possessed the right of asylum. Sometimes a whole city which stood in need of being repeopled was temporarily created a place of refuge. Louis XI. made all Paris a refuge in 1467. [Victor Hugo, Notre-Dame de Paris, or, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831), Volume II, Book Ninth, Chapter II, “Hunchbacked, One Eyed, Lame”.]

Poetry

Loved a little, Worked a little…

Those were very fortunate people,
Who considered Love an obligation,
Or they just loved their task,
I remained busy all my life,
Loved a little, worked a little,
Sometimes love was a snag in the way of my work,
While sometimes duty didn’t allow me to love with passion,
Ultimately I got upset of the situation,
And left both my love and my work incomplete.

[Faiz Ahmed Faiz, “Loved a little, Worked a little”]

Two poems by John Milton express the value of balance:

• • “L’Allegro”

• • “Il Penseroso”

From the dark side:

• Edgar Lee Masters, “Cooney Potter”
• Michael Rosen, “Chocolate Cake”

Music: Composers, artists, and major works

George Frideric Händel, L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato (The Cheerful, the Thoughtful, and the Moderate Man), HWV 55 (1740) (approx. 100-140’) (libretto), is a pastoral ode studying two alternating moods, or tempers. “The texts of Parts I and II are based on the two delightful companion poems L'Allegro and Il Penseroso written in the previous century by the 22-year-old John Milton. The first of these poems depicts the joys of the active or extroverted life, the second the joys of the contemplative or introverted life.” “. . . the piece honors an Enlightenment aesthetic of balance and self-control that still resonates today.” Live recorded performances are by Gabrieli Consort (McCreesh); and Nicholas McGegan at Harvard in 2016. Excellent performances on disc are by Monteverdi Choir & English Baroque Soloists (Gardiner); Bach Choir & Ensemble Orchestral de Paris (Nelson) in 2000; Paul McCreesh & Gabrieli Players in 2015; Orchester der J.S. Bach-Stiftung (Lutz) in 2017; and Les Arts Florissants (Christie) in 2022.

Béla Bartók, Piano Concerto No. 2, Sz 95, BB 101 (1931) (approx. 28’): “The overall architecture of the work is intricately planned and reveals the composer’s characteristic fascination with symmetrical patterns.” Top performances are by Anda & Fricsay in 1959, Rudolf Serkin & Szell, Pollini & Abbado in 1979, Bronfman & Salonen in 1993, Andsnes & Boulez in 2004, Schiff & Iván Fischer in 1996, Bavouzet & Noseda in 2010, Wang & Rattle in concert in 2017, and Aimard & Salonen in 2023.

Jean-Yves Thibaudet is a classical pianist who has taken a balanced approach to music. “From the very start of his career, he has delighted in music beyond the standard repertoire, from jazz to opera, including works which he has transcribed himself for the piano.” He “has the rare ability to combine poetic musical sensibilities and dazzling technical prowess.” Thibaudet is known for “elegant and insightful musicality . . .” “Without exception, his interpretations are always inspiringly original yet remain in keeping with the composer's intended spirit . . .” Here is a link to his releases.

Conductor Pierre Monteux was known for his elegance, refinement and balance. “To some observers, his conducting semmed almost effortless. His beat was small. He never indulged in histrionics. And yet, when in front of an orchestra, his authority was absolute. The music unfolded with the utmost subtlety of nuance. One orchestral section was always transparent to another.” Here are links to his playlists and of him conducting live.

Though they were written early in the Romantic era, Robert Schumann’s piano trios are more nearly like those of the twentieth century than they are like their contemporaneous works. In addition, because of Schumann’s inner turbulence, they are on the gray-dark side of temperance and balance. Listen to the works also for the balance among the instrumentalists, which Schumann preserved. “Schumann’s trios, like his symphonies, gravitate toward the middle in sound and substance. Neither the piano nor the violin use much of their higher registers, and Schumann being Schumann, there is no superficial brilliance in any of the parts.”

• Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 63 (1847) (approx. 29-33’), is the most highly regarded of the three. “From the opening bars of Robert Schumann’s Piano Trio No. 1, we are swept into a drama filled with soaring passion and turbulence. . . . Schumann composed the D minor Piano Trio in a single burst of creative energy during the summer of 1847.” “In spite of (or precisely because of) the erstwhile angst, the music steadily builds to a glorious ending that, like other Schumann conclusions, may propel you to your feet with an energetic shout of glory. The composite work is a definitive study in bi-polarity, perhaps a personal reflection of Schumann's own soul.” Top recorded performances are by Cortot, Thibaud & Casals in 1928; Gilels, Kogan & Rostropovich in 1958; Previn, Chung & Tortelier in 1978; Borodin Trio in 1989; Florestan Trio in 1998; Nicholas Argerich, Capuçon & Capuçon in 2006; Andsnes, Tetzlaff & Tetzlaff in 2009; Vienna Piano Trio in 2010; Melnikov, Faust & Queyras in 2014; and Trio Karénine in 2015.
• Piano Trio No. 2 in F Major, Op. 80 (1847) (approx. 27-32’): “The opening movement of the F-major Trio is athletic and optimistic, with a feeling of jovial bigness. The descending theme introduced just before the contrapuntally dense development is an allusion to one of Schumann’s songs, and the main theme of the slow movement is a cousin to that song-theme. The third movement is not a scherzo, but a sort of barcarolle in 'moderate tempo' . . .” Top recorded performances are by Beaux Arts Trio in 1966, Andsnes, Tetzlaff & Tetzlaff in 2009, Trio Karénine in 2016, Kungsbacka Piano Trio in 2020, and Trio Wanderer in 2021.
• Piano Trio No. 3 in G Minor, Op. 110 (1851) (approx. 24-28’): “The G-minor Trio explores darker, more passionate territory.” “Schumann the reader, the writer and the storyteller was also the great composer of character pieces, little tableaux like illustrated pages in a book with narrative suggestions and recurring dramatis personae. . . . The trio is sometimes criticized for its haphazardness and repetition yet it is studded with jewels and suffused with a personality that is so recognizably and purely Schumann's.” Top recorded performances are by Beaux Arts Trio in 1972, Borodin Trio in 1990, Andsnes, Tetzlaff & Tetzlaff in 2009, Benvenue Fortepiano Trio in 2010, and Horszowski Trio in 2019.

Johann Sebastian Bach, Cantata No. 211 in G Major, “Schweigt stille, plaudert nicht - Kaffeekantate” (Be Still, Stop Chattering, or Coffee Cantata), BWV 211 (1734) (approx. 26-29’) (lyrics), “. . . is essentially a miniature comic opera that tells the story of a disgruntled father, Schlendrian, who argues with his caffeine-obsessed daughter . . .” 

“Counterpoint is the relationship between two or more melody lines that are played at the same time.  These melodies are dependent on each other to create good-sounding harmonies, but also are independent in rhythm and contour.” “Counterpoint is a musical style of composition that employs more than one voice; however, rather than having a melody line and a harmony line, each voice is equally important in the composition and carries part of the melody. Counterpoint is a form of polyphony that creates a dialogue between the treble clef and the bass clef, and each contributes something meaningful to a joint conversation instead of one serving a supporting role to the other.” “Good counterpoint requires two qualities: (1) a meaningful or harmonious relationship between the lines (a ‘vertical’ consideration—i.e., dealing with harmony) and (2) some degree of independence or individuality within the lines themselves (a ‘horizontal’ consideration, dealing with melody).” Several Renaissance composers notably developed this style.

• Vicente Lusitano, Motets: “Vicente Lusitano’s name is familiar to specialists of the Renaissance as a key witness to the practice of improvised counterpoint . . .”
• Josquin des Prez, Motets and Chansons
• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, choral music
• Alexander Agricola, “A Secret Labyrinth” album
• Jacob Obrecht, Missa de Sancta Donatiano; Missa Sub Tuum Praesidium; Missa Maria Zart
• Heinrich Isaac, “Choralis Constantinus 1508” album
• Adrian Willaert, “Adriaan Willaert and Italy” album; Missa Christus resurgens
• Cipriano de Rore, Il quinto libro di Madrigali (1568)
• Orlando di Lasso (Orlande de Lassus), Psalmi Davidis Pœnitentiales; motets and chansons
• Carlo Gesualdo, Música sacra a 5 voces
• Ludwig Daser, “Polyphonic Masses” (2023) (56’), album by Huelgas Ensemble with Paul Van Nevel

Two minimalists have highlighted the idea of symmetry:

• Morton Feldman, Crippled Symmetry (1983) (approx. 78-94’): “Feldman was fascinated by the designs in Turkish rugs. Their symmetry was never quite perfect; in other words, it was crippled. Feldman realized this concept in musical terms.”
• John Adams, Fearful Symmetries (1988) (approx. 26-28’): “The music is, as its title suggests, almost maddeningly symmetrical.”

To my ears, twentieth century piano trios outside the lingering tradition of French romanticism do not convey as clear a sense of attentive listening as do their nineteenth century counterparts; they seem distracted by the concerns of their era. Still, they strike a scrupulous balance between the three instruments.

• Josef Suk, Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 2 (1891) (approx. 15-17’)
• Vitĕzslav Novák, Piano Trio quasi una balata in D minor, Op. 27 (1902) (approx. 16-17’)
• Anton Arensky, Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 32 (1894) (approx. 30-32’)
• Arensky, Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 67 (1905) (approx. 27’)
• Dmitri Shostakovich, Piano Trio No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 8, “Poème” (1923) (approx. 12’)
• Mieczysław Weinberg, Piano Trio, Op. 24 (1945) (approx. 30’)
• Lera Auerbach, Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 28 (1996) (approx. 12’)

Other works:

• Pierre-Octave Ferroud, Serenade (1927) (approx. 9’)
• Benjamin Frankel, Symphony No. 8, Op. 53 (1971) (approx. 26’)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Il Sogno di Scipione (Scipio's Dream), K126 (1771) (approx. 83-108’) (libretto): Scipio must choose between wealth and stability, personified by Fortuna and Costanza.
• Walter Douglas Munn, piano music: Munn “was a mathematician (with a Ph.D. from Cambridge University) by profession, but also an accomplished pianist, and judging by the evidence on this CD, a composer with a good ear and a keen sense of balance and structure.”
• Alban Berg, String Quartet, Op. 3 (1910) (approx. 21-22’), “was probably the first extended composition consistently based on symmetrical pitch relations.”
• In Richard Strauss’ opera Daphne, Op. 82 (1937) (approx 94-114’) (libretto), a young woman is obsessed with nature, to the exclusion of everything else. Here is a more recent recording.

LPT is a ten-piece Afro-Cuban salsa band whose style could best be described as one of controlled energy. Though their rhythms drive forward consistently, they always remain controlled and balanced. Their albums include: “Se Quema el Mundo” (2021) (45’) and “Sin Parar” (2020) (40’). 

Albums:

• Liquid Mind III, “Balance” (1999) (57’)
• Third Coast Percussion, “Unknown Symmetry” (2013) (78’) 
• David Preston, Kit Downes, Kevin Glasgow & Sebastian Rochford, “Purple/Black (Vol. 2)” (2024) (41’): the tracks “hold the line” in a low-key straight-ahead jazz style.

From the dark side:

• Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp & Joe Hertenstein, “Scalene” (2017) (50’)
• Alarm Will Sound, “A/Rhythmia” (2009) (55’)
• Binker & Moses, “Feeding the Machine” (2022) (50’) presents images of a dystopian, out-of-balance world. 

Compositions from the dark side:

• Missy Mazzoli, Dark with Excessive Bright (2018) (approx. 13-14’); Dark with Excessive Bright for violin and string quintet (2021) (approx. 14’): the title drawn from Dante’s Inferno, this work highlights the opposite of moderation. “The concerto riffs on baroque formulas while recycling motifs in fresh disguises. Like a photographer, Mazzoli captures moments rich in texture and charged with expression. They are hard to describe, but you can see them in your ear.”

Music: songs and other short pieces

• The Beatles, “Slow Down” (lyrics)
• The Band, “The Weight” (lyrics)
• Franz Schubert (composer), Genügsamkeit (A Feeling of Sufficiency), D. 143 (1815) (lyrics)

Visual Arts

• Jasper Johns, Target with Four Faces (1955)
• M.C. Escher, Symmetry Watercolor, 55 Fish
• M.C. Escher, Symmetry Watercolor 70 Butterfly
• Wassily Kandinsky, Balancement (1925)
• Giotto, Temperance (1302-05)

Film and Stage

• Chocolat, about the importance of keeping things on an even keel
• What’s Eating Gilbert Grape: a story of a young man whose sense of family responsibilities leaves him no room for himself
• The Pillow Book, this offbeat film that goes out of its way to challenge the viewer “is best watched as a richly sensual stylistic exercise filled with audaciously beautiful imagery, captivating symmetries and brilliantly facile tricks.”
• Coco: the underlying message here is about the balance between personal ambition and family obligation.