pianogonzology

Saturday, August 1, 2015

Those of Us. . .

. . . who Merely Fiddle & Pipe. . .

(from Joseph and His Brothers by Thomas Mann, translation by John E. Woods)
". . . it was not very clear-cut, but mysterious instead, and yet as grand as Jacob himself in the telling of it. She heard about brothers as enemies, and the murder out in the field. About the children of Cain and their descendants how they were divided into three types over the earth: those who dwell in tents and raise cattle; those who are artificers of metal and make themselves shine with it; and finally those who merely fiddle and pipe. . ."

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

(To Access all Ray Jozwiak - Gonzo Piano music you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser: http://http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/RayJozwiak)

Also, be sure to visit:
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Friday, July 31, 2015

Developing . . .

Wisdom
©2015 Raymond M. Jozwiak

This piece is evidence of my musical fascination with modal improvisation, although technically it is not modal. It is, in fact, a simple pattern of 13th chords. It is very similar to IMPRESSIVE (from Another Shot ©2010 Raymond M. Jozwiak) but while the latter leaned more toward the modal, two consecutive chromatic 13th chords only, WISDOM actually contains six, arranged in a slightly more complex pattern. And for some inexplicable reason, 13ths seem to require a 3/8 or 6/8 time signature for me. Note even the melodies of these musical cousins contain a family resemblance, although my WISDOM is not yet complete.

Can one's wisdom EVER be complete?

Wisdom
©2015 Raymond M. Jozwiak

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Misspoke . . .

(from Joseph and His Brothers by Thomas Mann, translation by John E. Woods)
". . . So he took his Egyptian handmaid and sired with her a son and named him Ismael. But what he had sired was a detour, leading not to the road of salvation, but belonging to the desert, and the primal father did not believe God's assurances that he would also still have a son named Isaak by his true wife, but fell upon his face laughing at God's word, for he was already one hundred and Sarah's life was no longer after the manner of women. But nonetheless this laugher was reshaped in her, so that Yitzchak, the averted sacrifice, appeared of whom it was said from on high that he would sire twelve princes - which was not quite correct. God misspoke Himself at times and did not mean precisely what He said. It was not Isaak who sired the twelve, or only indirectly. Actually he had done it, the solemn teller of stories himself, on whose lips the country girl hung-Jacob, brother of the Red Man, had sired them by four women while serving that devil Laban in Shinar. . . "

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Interpretation . . .

I never have put much stock in the interpretation of dreams. The vast and varied array of characters, places and circumstances always appeared to be too outrageous, too unbelievable, to be able to place any stock in or to glean any worthy or rational lesson, instruction or insight therefrom. It almost seemed as if the nature, detail or level of gruesomeness contained in my dreams was purely the result of the food that I consumed at the dinner table and nothing more.

But now in my increasing years (and hopefully accompanying wisdom) dreams, like so many other aspects of life that I (and we all) ponder from time to time, no longer seem to be such a cut-and-dried affair (black-and-white, if you will and NO pun intended). On a (for lack of a better word) 'higher' plane, and when one does not attempt to skew, elucidate or embellish the significance of any one aspect, interpreting dreams may not be so ridiculous a pursuit as I once thought.

In short, I now view dreams in a broad, very, very human way as first, reflecting many and varied thoughts that cross our minds during the course of a normal day. But in addition to a reflection, maybe dreams are also a mechanism to reassure, comfort, or even dare I say - instruct us about situations or issues with which we are confronted being the mortal animals that we are. Much like the strength we glean from the support of friends, family and community in the instance of an abnormal human tragedy. Or even not unlike the comfort we receive during bereavement which girds and grounds and sends us back into the fray of our everyday lives.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Wisdom . . .

(from http://www.notable-quotes.com/w/wisdom_quotes.html)
Knowledge is flour, but wisdom is bread.
Austin O'Malley, Keystones of Thought

The difference between a wise and foolish man is this--the former sees much, thinks much, and speaks little; but the latter speaks more than he either sees or thinks.
William Scott Downey, Proverbs

An ignorant man is always able to say yes or no immediately to any proposition. To a wise man, comparatively few things can be propounded which do not require a response with qualifications, with discriminations, with proportion.
Horace Mann, Thoughts

There is a wisdom of the Head, and ... there is a wisdom of the Heart.
Charles Dickens, Hard Times

Let men be wise by instinct if they can, but when this fails be wise by good advice.
Sophicles, Antigone

Wisdom is not communicable. The wisdom which a wise man tries to communicate always sounds foolish.... Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it.
Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha

Wisdom is the daughter of experience.
Leonardo Da Vinci, Thoughts on Art and Life

Wisdom comes only through suffering.
Aeschylus, Agamemnon

Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error.
Charles Caleb Coltron, Lacon

An intelligent man believes only half of what he hears, a wise man knows which half.
Evan Esar, 20,000 Quips & Quotes

Wisdom is a treasure, the key whereof is never lost.
Edward Counsel, Maxims

Wisdom is the perception of the unimportance of the things we call great, and of the importance of the things we call small.
Charles Edward Jerningham, The Maxims of Marmaduke
Wisdom
©2015 Raymond M. Jozwiak

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html or at
http://www.ohomusic.com

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak. Please Visit http://www.ohomusic.com

My latest solo offering, Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak, featuring original, instrumental piano music is now available at - Just More Music by Ray Jozwiak

Monday, July 27, 2015

Help . . .

(from http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/obamas-real-record-poverty)
". . . Obama expanded the safety net through his 2009 stimulus, but the legislation actually prevented even more Americans from falling into poverty through larger tax credits, emergency unemployment benefits, and expanded food assistance. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) estimates that the recovery act ultimately kept about 7 million people above the poverty line. . .

. . . The more important question to ask is whether Obama could have done more to alleviate poverty during the worst of the recession. . . the president was hardly the only one at the helm: It wasn’t the Republicans’ priority either. “Both the president and the Republican party really weren’t focused on jobs.". . . ”

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Stagnation . . .

. . . and immediate gratification . . .

. . . which is worse, exemplifying the first or demanding the second?

(http://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/mcdonalds-all-day-breakfast-may-debut-nationwide-october-n396621)
". . . Pope Francis' popularity in the United States has dropped significantly . . . fueled in part by conservatives . . . 59 percent of Americans have a favorable view of the pontiff, down from 76 percent a year ago. The plunge was greatest among those who identify as conservatives — from 72 percent a year ago to 45 percent now. . . Francis' criticism of capitalism, comments on climate change and focus on the poor may have hurt him with conservatives. Liberals who were drawn to Francis' populist message may have become impatient with the slow pace of change in church policy, the pollsters theorized. . . "