Deconstructing Johann

How's my mental health today?

The music won't quit!

I'm enjoying the music but it's interfering with my sleep. The music won't stop even when I'm exhausted and lay down, close my eyes, and try to sleep. This is not good!

So what do I do? I need a little wisdom here.

Do I go back to avoiding music? For so many years I believed that God had given me a gift for music. I pursued it as a career. At one time I participated in a lot of musical performances - at my busiest I played in 9 different Christmas concerts in less than 3 weeks. The rehearsal and performance schedule was manic. A handful of times I enjoyed the privilege of being part of  an orchestra consisting primarily of Winnipeg Symphony players. My gifting seemed obvious to me at that time.

Was I wrong? Was the idea of being blessed with a gift for music an illusion? A delusion? If it's not a gift - what is it? If it truly is a gift, how do I use it without putting my health at risk.

Years ago one person said to me, "You have a gift that you can't control - in fact, it controls you!"

Last night Heidi told me I should try doing things in moderation instead of going overboard and completely immersing myself in the things I choose to do. She's not the first person to tell me to employ the concept of moderation. I'm not sure I've ever done that or even know how. I've been more of an all or nothing kind of person. Does that lie at the root of some of my challenges?

I'll let that idea of moderation percolate for a while.

In the mean time, I'll continue browsing music.

I found another amusingly clever clip this morning. It added some lightness to the beginning of the day for me.

Check it out. It's titled 'Deconstructing Johann' by the King's Singers. (link)

 

When griping grief the heart doth wound,
and doleful dumps the mind oppresses,
then music, with her silver sound,
with speedy help doth lend redress. 

-  William Shakespeare

Deconstructing Johann Lyrics 

J. S. Bach had a little problem.

J. S. Bach was in a fix.

J.S. Bach couldn’t find an answer.

What to do?

“I’ve written most of a rather fabulous work.

Toccata… it’s in d minor… but now I’m feeling a bit of a jerk.

I can’t think of what should come after it.”

Now said his wife, who was resting up after her thirty third child….

“Johann my dear, you should just go to bed. Something always comes up.”

Don’t be a twit. It’s a real crisis and I’m working to a deadline.

What can I fit? What’d fit after that great Toccata?

Maybe it needs to be something faster?

I haven’t got a clue, and in a week the piece is due.

I’m in a panic and I’m stuck like glue.”

“Don’t get your knickers in a twist Johann.

‘Notes are only notes’ you always said.

There’s only twelve so use your head.

How many arrangements of twelve notes can there possibly be?”

That’s a problem I don’t want to deal with.

How many permutations of C and D and E and F and G is a thing that I’ve never heard of.

You can leave that to Arnold Schoenberg.

He is the person to do that twelve-tone thing.

NO! It isn’t the answer… I haven’t the foggiest…

What am I gonna do? I’m all in a panic… 

Aaah! NO! What can I do?

I’ve finished my Toccata but I have no fugue.

(Fugue plays ;-)

aaah…. And now I’ve got a fugue!”