Sunday, August 01, 2004

Baltasar and Blimunda III

I finished a new piece for piano and viola that will be performed on the upcoming ARTSaha! festival.

The following was appropriated from Jose Saramago's Baltasar and Blimunda:
“Baltasar and Blimunda began work on the flying machine.”

Sometimes Blimunda rises early, and before eating her bread she examines the work that has already been completed to see if there are any flaws in the cane work or construction of the machine. Impressed, the scientist Padre Bartolomeu exclaimed to Baltasar that he was Sete-Sois because he saw the work in the light of day, and Blimunda was Sete-Luas because she saw the work in the dead of night.

That night the suns and moons slept together in each others’ embraces while the stars circled slowly in the heavens.

Scarlatti Asked Padre Bartolomeu what was the secret which would make his machine fly. He asked if it was animal mineral, or vegetable. “It is neither Vegetable, mineral, or animal. Not everything is one of these things… take music for example.”

Scarlatti looked incredulous.

“I myself am transported into the air when I hear your music played.”