Antonio Vivaldi

Imagine that you are in a girl orphanage and yes, you are a girl living there. Now imagine a cottage that is in the back yard of the orphanage and a guy is living in it. Can this turn out to be a beautiful romantic story or will it be Romeo and Juliet in real life?

Antonio Vivaldi, a famous composer from the Baroque period, lived in a cottage that was in the back yard of a girls’ orphanage. Every day he would sit under a tree busy with his composition. The composition’s name is ‘The Four Seasons’, because when you listen to it you can hear every season in the song and how it develops from Summer to Autumn to Spring to Winter.

He fell in love with one of the orphanage girls. Luckily for him she fell in love with him as well, and who wouldn’t? He can make her live in compositions that he writes for her, just like Shakespears’ Sonnet 18, Shall I compare thee to a Summer’s day? In the end they decided to elope.

That is the story my music teacher told me and the way she told it was as if it is her own memory. So much passion came out in every word that you actually stop with your work and listen to what she has to say.

Antonio Vivaldi, may your music still be with us just like the four seasons.

Music is made to be seen

I watched a movie that is based on the book ‘The Soloist’. I’m not going to tell the story, but realized how Nathanial lived only on his passion for Beethoven’s music. Beethoven composed music in the Romantic Period (1810-1900) and even though it’s not my favourite, Nathanial surely showed me what it really means to love music and instruments.

My favourite composers are JS Bach from Baroque Period (1600-1750) and his son CPE Bach from the Classical Period (1750-1810). While watching The Soloist one character said,” with no Johann Sebastian there would be no Ludwig Van” and it’s true. And with no Ludwig Van no one would’ve realized that you don’t have to hear music to see the pure beauty of it.  

When I was 10, my father often used to refer to the 80’s as to music of his teenage years. This was back in the 2000 and I was very excited to live through 2002-2012 decade and to find out what my teenage years soundtrack will be like. Now it is 2012, I am 21 and very grateful that my father showed me the 80’s before 2000 ruined my life.

I just believe I was born in the wrong time

See music as it is in heaven. Be the soloist who played violin with two strings and see music in colours when he closed his eyes. Let music be a passion that even if you live on the street the reason is because you feel that it is a sin to put it behind walls. Hear music when wind blows through wind chimes.

Must seen movies: The Soloist, As it is in Heaven, August Rush

Songs on the Rock

From the late 1960’s to the early 1970’s rock music expanded the scale of its instrumentation and formal structures as well as the scope of its harmony and textual content. Technological advancements in recording techniques often added important features to the sound as well. Rock style grew more theatrical as many groups began to concentrate on visual aspects of their stage shows. Rock also began to have a strong impact on Hollywood films and Broadway musicals.

Starting in the late 1960’s many rock performers assembled concept albums, such as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Beatles) and Bookends (Simon and Garfunkel) in which the songs are linked by a basic idea. In the sense, the concept album is analogous to the song cycle of the Romantic period (1810-1900).

The 1970’s saw continuation of many styles from the 1960’s, the revival of early rock and roll, and the rise of a dance music called Disco. Many veteran performers of the 1960’s continued to be active, but new stars also emerged, including the singer-songwriters Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen, as well as the Mexican American Linda Ronstadt and the “Disco Queen” Donna Summer.

A blend of country music and rock called country rock became popular in the early 1970’s. Country music itself moved into the musical mainstream as its stars (Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton) won national popularity.

In the early 1980’s new wave bands from Britain such as the Police and the Clash were popular with American rock audiences. This “second British invasion” was comparable to the one that had been led by the Beatles during the early 1960’s. Though their styles varied, many British bands of this period, such as New Order and The Cure made extensive use of electronic technology.

The 1980’s saw a renewed interest among teenagers in heavy metal. Popular heavy metal bands of this period include Metallica, Iron Maiden and Guns `n Roses.

Cover Up

This is a song I wrote :)

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I've created a Monster

 The main person who made me realize that music is my life is my dad. He would play on the piano while I try and stand next to him watching his fingers run freely over the keys. I knew that this was everything for me.

I begged him to teach me how to play and he just said, “You can do it.” Very frustrated every afternoon I sat in front of that piano and sang to myself every note until I eventually got it. Only then he came to me and said, “These are the basic notes of a different song, now you must improvise on it.” Dumbfounded I sat there and thought by myself, ‘are you serious? You want me to do what exactly?’

One afternoon after school (gr.3) my dad picked me up and said that we are going for a walk. First I thought don’t I play enough outside, but okay, let’s go for a walk. He took me to a music teacher for piano lessons :D. I was so excited to start.

In grade 4 my mom’s uncle came to visit and brought me my own guitar!! I thought I’m going to faint of excitement. He immediately started playing and showed me most notes and threats. I started teaching myself after that and until today I still write lyrics and play guitar. I’m now the proud owner of 7 guitars and just 1 work, ha-ha.

Two instruments weren’t enough, I had to play more and find out the unique sounds of every one. I listen to any genre of music and before listening to the lyrics I immediately focus on the instruments first and the beat. I want to know the timing of every note and what instrument plays on what “note”. After that I start singing with and then improvise my own notes while the song plays on.

In grade 8 I started nagging my mom for a recorder. I really wanted to play something challenging or I thought it’ll be challenging, but my mom kept on saying no. My older brother got a bass guitar that year. So imagine me, standing there, staring at this beautiful piece of work in front of me. I had to play it… and I did :D. I played the bass more than my brother, at least he didn’t mind, but I think that’s the reason why he sold it, ha-ha. Now I’m the proud owner of two amps, but no cable to plug my guitars into the amp. Christmas that year I got my recorder!!

While this was going on in my life I remembered that my mom said that she was in the choir… so yes, I started singing in the choir since pre-primary until grade 12. Didn’t really have a choice in high school, because the teacher gave me one look and said, “Melanie, you’re going to be in the choir.” I was too afraid to argue, believe me, you would be as well. I’m glad I did it until the end. Good thing came out of it; she smiles now every time she sees me in town. I think she misses me.  

There I am, not yet satisfied with all my instruments, so I started nagging my mom for drums. AND… I’m still nagging my mom for drums. I didn’t give up yet, so there’s still light at the end of the tunnel… watch this space.

In grade 11 I asked my mom if I can please get a violin. I started looking in newspapers for secondhand one just so that I can start. I was on a mission to get one at a reasonable price. I found one and begged my mom for it. The next day my mom phoned and bought it for me. I went for few classes, but sadly I moved away and now it lays here in my flat gathering dust.

I don’t know what I would’ve done if it wasn’t for my dad saying I can do it and for his amazing talent for still playing after a horrible sickness that almost meant his death and my mom for supporting me all the way. My great uncle with his talent of playing pure Afrikaans sokkie music and the harmonica. I still want his harmonica though. God bless his soul. Mostly I’m glad I have a younger brother who I forced in front of the piano to teach him… he still can’t play.

Even though my life song isn’t done yet, my feet are the beat, my voice my melody, my words my lyrics and this song will be a hit :)

Love

Black and White controlling my life

“I just wish for once that I can escape from reality!” These words keep wandering in my mind every night when I go to bed. Everything about life haunts me and I just want to escape from this place.

Ever since I was young I used music to explain myself. This took any form from lyrics to instruments. I don’t agree what is going on in reality and the only way to keep quiet is to lock myself in a room and play music.

Music allows me to create a world where I want to live and to turn the reality off. It’s the only way to escape and so far it is the best way to escape from everything. I’m not running from anything, I just don’t like what the world has become.

“What do you want to tell the world today? What do you want them to say when they see you through their own eyes? What do you want to show the world today?” We’re covering up who we really are, because we are afraid of what other people may think of us. Friends aren’t really friends anymore; it’s a safe zone to be in so that you feel that you are not alone.

Everything I tell about music or write will be part of my personality. Everyone’s life has a part that is black notes. It’s two faced people making us sad. But like every piano the white notes are more, meaning that we must always look for the bright side of life.

I’m a singer, dancer, writer, and musician. My music is mostly from the past while I live to be successful in the future