MUSIC|WRITING|CREATIVE WRITING
Why Most of Us Sing From the Same Hymn Sheet When It Comes to Music
In a world of ever-growing divisions, this artform is a unifier
Only two seconds into the video and the right hand comes down on the piano so hard that you wonder if there are any keys left. There are. Fifteen seconds later we see them. Not so much being tickled by his hands, but being made to work overtime.
This is Sviatoslav Richter, and we are entering his world.
Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, №12, known as “Revolutionary”, is the Polish author’s most personal of his early works. It was composed during the failed November Uprising of 1831, when Polish mutineers, challenging Russian imperial forces, were beaten. The effect of this news on Chopin was devastating. He was gripped by bouts of depression and panic attacks. He was burdened by sorrow, regret, and guilt. Small wonder that the étude, usually designed as an exercise, became a cri de guerre.
Richter’s performance tells this story and speaks of what cannot be expressed by everyday language. Every time I watch this video on YouTube, I come away feeling a strong sense of connection to both author and executor. This is not surprising. Of all the artforms, music is perhaps the one that binds us together the most. You might meet people who never go to art galleries or haven’t got any time for fashion. But, I dare you to find someone who doesn’t like music at all. Who doesn’t like any type of music. At its basic level, most people have at least a preference for chart toppers or middle-of-the-road melodies. In fact, you might meet people who will tell you they’re not into music, only to be caught whistling or humming a well-known ditty later.
Where do we go after a break-up? To the vault of sad songs. Where can we be found after getting a promotion at work or witnessing the birth of our first child? Rummaging in the chest of happy tunes.
Richter’s clip is testament to the power of this artform. As wars rage in the world, and populists try to “fool all the people all the time”, we’d do well to look at the things that bring us together: music, for starters. And this time, you can play that song as many times as you want, Sam.
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