πάντα ῥεῖ

 

πάντα ῥεῖ (panta rhei, „everything flows“)

Inscription on a memorial stone in front of a hospice in Heidelberg

 

Dear friends of piano music,

“Religion is the opium of the people ” – It only recently occured to me how clever this sentence is. Like an opiate, religion can cloud the senses, produce delusional states, but also alleviate otherwise unbearable (emotional) pain. The same can be said about music. Nevertheless, it seems to me that it is too short-sighted, because both faith and music can also give consolation, and I think that opium does not fulfill this function, since consolation is "lasting",it is exceedin the duration of music or of prayer, while the opiate represents a kind of escapism.

I am sure that if there is a God, He gave us the music to comfort us. I first noticed "Hungarian Melody" a long time ago in a film in which it was the theme of a young girl. You saw the girl in the swimming pool, wearing a black swimsuit on a bright blue tile background, and the "Hungarian melody" sounded, you could see her riding a bike to the Hungarian melody, etc ... With the best will in the world, I can't remember the name of the film, but the association of swimming, the light blue tiles and the water bothers me incredibly today. Perhaps I am also in too gloomy mood, given the impending gloomy winter, in which Corona will bring us loneliness and worry - that is what the forecasts are at the moment. For me, the Hungarian melody symbolizes the inevitability of fate, interrupted by dream sequences that tell of light, warmth and confidence. I imagine Schubert, who, like Chopin, knew very early on that he was suffering from an incurable disease that would lead to a premature and painful death. But both of them had the music that gave them strength and consolation, and for this reason it can also give us strength and consolation. I feel it is a great grace to be able to accept this gift as such. Because those who now rely on hedonistic escapism, who want to fight against the impending winter gloom with celebrations and parties, have a difficult time in the pandemic.

 

Best regards from Heidelberg

Kerstin

 

Schubert - Hungarian Melody in B minor, D 817 (Ungarische Melodie)

https://youtu.be/kRNgPDuBsX0