Art for Ourselves or Art for Others?

There has always been a difference of opinion regarding why we make art.  Do you, as an artist, create a work of art - be it music, painting, sculpture, play, novel or anything else - for  yourself?  Or do you create it for others?

I have met many people over the years who blog, and I recall a good many of them say they blog for themselves - not others.  In some cases they create their blog as a kind of therapeutic exercise for themselves, putting their thoughts and feelings out there on the screen to fill their own needs.  If others come along, happening to read these thoughts and in turn have opinions - it really doesn't matter, because the blogger writes the words for himself or herself only.  Other peoples' opinions and reactions are ultimately unimportant.  The act of artistic creation is an expression of the artist's soul, and as such is ultimately truly  meaningful for them alone.

Some visual artists use pigments or clay or a myriad of other mediums to bring to life a figment of their imaginations.  It is said some cannot exist without transforming these feelings into a vibrant visual representation.  These souls create painting after painting and keep them to themselves, holding on to them as they would their own innermost thoughts.  Similar stories and actions echo throughout the artistic world.

But still others use their talents to create artistic works for other reasons, not simply for themselves.  True, all artists must draw from within to ensure originality, but for some that's not the only goal or encouragement.  For a playwright, the sound of audience laughter, or crying, or even abject silence, is a sign that the story he has written has touched someone in a profound way. Some musicians create a composition, or play a concerto, because they know that by putting just the right notes in the right combination they can change another person's life.

So which is better?  I have my own reasons for the things I do, and the reasons I work to create art in my own eclectic and unusual ways.  I can give my opinion on which I prefer, and defend it if necessary - but I really would just rather hear what other people have to say.

You out there, you who are an artist.  Why do you create art, and who is it for?

Social Symphony

Frank Murphy informs us it's time again for Blogger Night at the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra!

Be the first 50 49 48 local bloggers to email Stephanie Burdette at the KSO and, assuming you promise really nicely to blog about the concert the next day, she will give you a pair of tickets to the January 15, 2009 performance free!

The KSO will perform selections from Bach, Mozart and Mendelssohn that night, and the featured soloist will be pianist Navah Perlman (daughter of violinist great Itzhak Perlman - or as my kids know him, "that guy with the violin that introduces the whale segment of "Fantasia 2000")

Because sometimes we all just need a little Bohemian Rhapsody...

Music? What's Music?

Tish has tagged me on this one...

What music are you currently grooving to?

For a while the last few weeks I was getting myself psyched for the trip to Orlando by listening to my Disney stuff. I know, go ahead laugh, you magically-deficient fools. I have the album, "Millenium Celebration" which is the music they play at EPCOT for Illuminations fireworks, plus the big 25-minute "Tapesty of Dreams" parade Music - which is awe-inspiring. I have a CD compilation of all "Haunted Mansion" music and sound effects - some of which are from other country's like France's version of the Mansion. Also some outtakes and original recording sessions, plus the great Barenaked Ladies cover of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" (that's for Tish). I have another CD of various music played throughout the other parks, and finally a CD of the incidental music played all around Islands of Adventure park. It's a great way to get in the mood.


What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favorite album?

Probably "Abbey Road" by the Beatles.


What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it?

I can't remember - it may have been MECO's disco-rock version of "Star Wars" that came out in the summer of 1977 and was all over the radio at that time.

Good grief, stop laughing already - you're going to hurt yourself.


Which musician have you ever wanted to be?

I always wanted to be Billy Joel - one man, one piano, all talent.


What do you sing in the shower?

I'm usually not awake enough to put coherent lyrics together while I'm in the shower - besides, that's the best time to listen very closely to the voices in my head telling me what I'm supposed to be doing that day... When I do sing it's usually was playing on the radio when I woke up.


What is your favorite Saturday night record?

What's a Saturday night record? Something you listen to while club-hopping on a Saturday night? Ok, now it's my time to laugh hysterically...


And your Sunday morning record?

Christian Contemporary, pretty much.

Remembering Rebecca Lee Koberie

Last year I participated in the 2966 Project, an internet commitment to pick a victim of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, learn about their life and post a tribute to them. On today, the 6th anniversary of the attack, I want to repost what I wrote that day about Rebecca Lee Koborie.

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"A Requiem for Rebecca" - Sept 11

Today is September 11.

I've struggled deciding what to post about Rebecca Lee Koborie on the actual day. I've spent the last several days posting tidbits, remembrances, tributes and anecdotes of her life that have been left in various places online.

One thing that comes up time and time again was Rebecca's obvious love of music and performing. That's something that easily and quickly resonated with me as I have been in love with music my whole life. I continue to be involved a great deal in many different musical expressions, including church music, a band, musical theatre, even just singing with my kids in the car. This evening I discussed with some friends that sometimes I feel I love music so much that I lose sight of God in the notes and words and rhythms. They correctly pointed out to me that in many cases, God is the notes and words and rhythms. His voice reverberates in the songs of a choir, the sound of a marching band, an orchestra, a string quartet, a cabaret band, a soloist, a duet, a pianist, a cellist, a drummer, a harpist. Sometimes most eloquently in the sweet, pure voice of a child singing "Jesus Loves Me."

In Les Miserable the final line of the show is "To love another person is to see the face of God"...I've always firmly believed that to hear music is to hear the voice of God.

Therefore I quickly discovered the fact that Rebecca was randomly assigned to me not by chance, but by some sort of design. Her deep involvement with music allowed her to be one of those lucky folks that convey the voice of God to her brothers and sisters in music.

On September 11, 2001 that particular instrument was stilled.

I never met her, never heard her sing. According to one person she was a mezzo-soprano, which to me is one of the loveliest tones a female vocalist can possess. I also never heard her play the piano, which unlike any other instrument can invoke emotional reactions that audiences never realized they had. I will never hear her play, either.

I thought for a while that this final post would be a rumination on the loss of a musical artist to the world, how her voice would never again inspire, create, emote, or cherish. I thought I could best pay tribute to her by remembering her song.

But then I thought some more, and a deeper meaning came to me.

If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

I Corinthians 13:1

What Paul meant was that one can sing, one can play an instrument, one can create beautiful music - but if there is no love in your heart, the music is hollow and empty.

I have no idea if Rebecca was religious, but I feel certain she would've agreed with this passage. And I feel strongly that while it's a tragedy a great musical talent was lost five years ago, something more important was lost. And the comments on the tribute sites, while almost always mentioning music, consistently mentioned something else. She was a good friend.

She was also a daughter. And a sister. And an aunt.

All the people I've read who offered stories of Rebecca remember her for her kindness, her friendship, her love. If she didn't have these traits, and if these traits didn't come through in her music, few people would've remembered her. She cared about her friends and her family as much or more than she cared about music. The music was simply a way to express her love of life and those around her.

God's voice spoke through her, and used the music to help her express her love and caring.

So while the world lost a wonderful musician that I will never hear, more importantly the world lost what might've one day been a good friend. She lived in New Jersey and worked in New York so it's doubtful we would have ever met, but now that chance is gone forever. And along with the many, many people's whose lives she touched and continues to touch to this day, there are hundreds and maybe thousands of people she will never touch because her life was taken from her too soon.

I miss her. And I never met her. But I'll think about her from time to time when I hear a piano.

I titled this post "Requiem for Rebecca". But it's not a dirge, not a song of sadness. It's not largo or grave. This requiem is full of joy, it's andante, allegro, or cantabile because the lives she touched will always remember her and rejoice because of it. Even if they never knew her.


If you knew Rebecca, or had some connection and would like to contact me with personal stories or anecdotes, please email me at lasthome@gmail.com. I'd especially love to hear from family members and friends who can tell me more about her musical interests and history with music.

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Rebecca, I never met you and I miss you.

Blogging for Clarinets

The Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is sponsoring a blogger night at their Sept. 27th concert at the Tennessee Theatre in downtown Knoxville.

Stephanie Burdette, Communications Director for the Symphony, has invited area bloggers to win free tickets by emailing her at stephanie@knoxvillesymphony.com by 2:00 on September 27 and pledging to blog about the event. Unfortunately we'll be leaving that day for our trip to Orlando, but if we get tickets I know plenty of folks who would love to have the opportunity to hear the Knoxville Symphony.

Hat tip to Frank Murphy (you can read more on his page as well)

"Faerie's Aire and Death Waltz" - The Unplayable Symphony

Got this the other day from a friend of mine, and have spent much time laughing over it.

These are a couple of pages from the conductor's score of "Faerie's Aire and Death Waltz" - and it's inherently (and deliberately) unplayable. If you have any experience at all reading music - or even if you don't - take a look at the graphics and have a number of good laughs.

To give you a taste: here's a thumbnail of the top lines of both pages. Click on the pictures to download the full versions.

Page 1:




Page 2 (Note: Now rumored Apocryphal):

(Oops - sorry, lost to the ether. Currently searching for new copy)



"Faerie's Aire and Death Waltz" was "composed" by John Stump.

Oh, yes, and it's "Based on a Cro-Magnon skinning chant."

Don't ask.


UPDATE: You can also purchase professional, sturday, 11 X 17 laminated copies by emailing a request to info@faeriesaire.com. According to distributer Tom Hall, these laminated sheets, when held firmly between the fingers and waved in the air, make a most wonderful "woop - woop - woop" sound. Wow! That has always signified fine quality music to me ;)