October
MUSIC Information:
- All Year Round Music
- C Major / A minor
- 48 Measures
- Cello and Piano
- 3:32 min
- Pages: 4
"I have been younger in October than in all the months of spring." — W.S. Merwin
FULL MOON
I was out for a walk last night. It was only 7 pm, but the temperature was already dropping fast. There were some clouds in the sky, and as I walked down the street, I could see the mountains in front of me. From behind the mountains, a bright light was beginning to shine. As I continued walking, the light grew gradually brighter - until suddenly there it was: the most beautiful full moon I’ve seen in a long time.
I stopped in my tracks and I admired the satellite for a few minutes before turning my attention back to the road ahead. I finished my walk, but even after I got home, I couldn't stop thinking about the celestial body. How quietly it had risen, with no warning and effortlessly it lit up the mountains.
FASCINATING OBJECT
I went online _ as anybody would do these days _ and did some research on the luminous figure. _ Funny that I called it “luminous”, because it lacks the ability to emit light_ The first thing I noticed is how much information there is on the Moon. I was mesmerized by the details: scientific measurements, orbital attributes, gravity forces, extensive explanation for why we only see one side of the Moon, the influence the satellite exercise on the ocean tides, among many other things.
I also read some of the experiences of the twelve astronauts who walked on the surface of the Moon. One of them described a sense of total desolation, which in a way contradicts the romanticized ideas I perceive when I read poems or listen to songs about the Moon. My own thoughts _ when I see the moon up in the sky_ are not of desolation at all, but of a fascinating object that feels close enough to reach by stretching out my arm and touching it with my fingertips; perhaps even inspiring and romantic.
UNPREDICTABLE BEHAVIOR
There is a common denominator among astronomers, songwriters, poets, astronauts, teachers, and just about anyone who admires the satellite: the strategically positioned place the Moon occupies in the sky - that is, between the Sun and the Earth - which orchestrates what is seems to be, an unpredictable behavior, not easy to understand to the untrained eye.
For obvious reasons, "The Harvest Moon" was consider perhaps the most important full moon of the year, because it traditionally helped farmers and field workers harvest their late summer crops. The technology available today - constantly evolving and taking over many aspects of our lives - has made the Moon cease to be an essential aid for farmers. In short, the Moon is no longer as practical for survival. Culturally, in the other hand, continues to be deeply appreciated. And its Scientific importance is greater today than ever.
HIJO DE LA LUNA
There's a song called: Hijo de la Luna, (The son of the Moon) by the Spanish band Mecano. The lyrics manage to describe the Moon's selfish behavior in such soothing way, that the listener is inclined to forgive the desperate plea of the Gypsy, and forget the reckless contract she makes with the uncanny Moon, in the name of love, resulting in the most disastrous ending.
The story is a reflection of love and sacrifice, and the consequences of our wrong doings. It is a tragic tale of such proportions that an unsettling feeling will stay with you long after the songs ends. Its weight lingers not because it tries to shock you, but because it is a reminder that our choices can shape the lives of those around us.
The lyrics:
Tonto el que no entienda
Cuenta una leyenda
Que una hembra gitana
Conjuró a la Luna hasta el amanecer
Llorando pedía al llegar el día
Desposar un calé
Tendrás a tu hombre, piel morena
Desde el cielo, habló la Luna llena
Pero a cambio quiero
El hijo primero que le engendres a él
Que quien su hijo inmola, para no estar sola
Poco le iba a querer
Luna, quieres ser madre
Y no encuentras querer que te haga mujer
Dime, Luna de plata
¿Qué pretendes hacer con un niño de piel?
Hijo de la Luna
De padre canela, nació un niño
Blanco como el lomo de un armiño
Con los ojos grises, en vez de aceituna
Niño albino de Luna
¡Maldita su estampa!
Este hijo es de un payo y yo no me lo callo
Luna, quieres ser madre
Y no encuentras querer que te haga mujer
Dime, Luna de plata
¿Qué pretendes hacer con un niño de piel?
Hijo de la Luna
Gitano, al creerse deshonrado
Se fue a su mujer, cuchillo en mano
¡De quién es el hijo! Me has engaña'o fijo
Y de muerte la hirió
Luego, se hizo al monte con el niño en brazos
Y allí le abandonó
Luna, quieres ser madre
Y no encuentras querer que te haga mujer
Dime, Luna de plata
¿Qué pretendes hacer con un niño de piel?
Hijo de la Luna
Y las noches que haya Luna llena
Será porque el niño esté de buenas
Y si el niño llora, menguará la Luna
Para hacerle una cuna
Y si el niño llora, menguará la Luna
Para hacerle una cuna
IT WILL CONTINUE
October is a piece I originally wrote for my beloved K Street Orchestra in Sacramento, where it was performed in the year 2019 at our annual concert. I created an arrangement for piano and cello, introducing a few changes to reflect the intimacy of the two instruments.
Originally written in G Major, October is a piece very closed to my heart as its first life belonged to a full string orchestra setting. In this arrangement, the music carries a more personal message - one that is willing to return to the places where light struggles to reach. For reasons only meaningful to me, I felt the need to transposed it to C Major. In doing so, I hope the piece finds a new clarity without changing its purpose.
Today, as I revisit every measure, phrase and musical note - and not afraid of being too pagan - I find myself reflecting on the Moon and the influence it holds over our lives. Whether we acknowledge it or not, the Moon ignites great inspiration in many. Wrapped in centuries of mystery, it continues to borrow light from our nearest star, offering it back to us as a gentle guide through the night.