the geylang park connector looked new to marathon man. the last time he was in dakota, he did not see it. anyway, the place was quiet, and the air was clean. though it was hot, it was pleasantly hot, not too humid. as he was heading towards tanjung katong, he saw a hawker centre in the junction of joo chiat road and dunman road. it was the dunman food centre, opened in 2003. 2 floors, small place. he ordered the char koay teow without black source and soya water with almond, thinking that they ground the soya with the almond. instead, they just mixed the clear almond water from the bottle to the soya water. anyway it had the medicinal taste of almond. not many people came to eat. just nice for marathon man to open his nonya pasta stall here.... no need very good business, no need to have a big crowd, as long as he could earn his living, he's happy.
then he met a colleague, ah huay, buying koay chap.
"hi, koay chap good or not?"
"good, very good, i always come hear to buy. i have got an extra ticket for rwinds concert tonite, you want to come?"
"where?"
"victoria hall, at 7.30pm."
"what concert?"
"rwinds, the rjc, ri and rgs alumni band."
"ok." though he's not into brass band music, he's much into getting closer to ah huay.
so tonite, the band played the pieces, but marathon man did not connect with the music, the classical music most of which plays on and on, sometimes quarter of an hour or more..... marathon man knows that there's a theme of the music some kind of a refrain...then some off-shoots from the theme, then some crescendo, then some mellow tunes....... some theme are very catchy which marathon man likes, some are total obscure, almost all band music so far i have gone to were dead-pan unfamiliar, obscure pieces, like tonite 'Yorkshire Overture','shirim' with a familiar tune of 'donna, donna' in one of sections, 'Wintersturme' with the lead-conductor as the soloist, 'Saga Maligna ', 'the incredibles', 'beauty and the beast' which really reflects what the band looks like when it turn a beautiful score into a blowing-fish bag-of-air(the beauty being the score, the beast is the band, who else?), and edned with persis... you have to imagine what the music is trying to convey, they said.
but some pieces, whether claissical or otherwise, just click to your mind, some love at first sight, some needs a bit of time to get familiar.... also modern music or pop music does have the same obscure, non-event kind of scores, infact there's as many as those in the classical arena.... it's not the composer's fault if the music doesn't click, or climbs to the pop-chart. he just thinks that he has done a good job, good enough to let the public to appreciate, but the tune just isn't there.
all this is very subjective, people like mozart's clarinet concerto in a major, symphony 21, beethoven's fur elise, symphony 5,bach's tocatta and fugue in d minor... because they have catchy tunes... but musicians, they like everything under the sun, seems they can understand even junks to lay-people.
what's a cathcy tune?
if classical music can be accompanied by motion picture like some animation, like some thing in the movie.... it would be of much help to lay people like marathon man, instead of trying hard to make sense of he hears, the picture tells the story...
in real life, there's no background music to lead the mood.... and in real music.... only imagination makes sense out of it. but not the ordinary imagination.... with pictures, with objects..... it doesn't even need imagination to appreciate music.... it needs the an extra sense on another dimension.
it seems music and real life don't go together. but why human makes music, consciously and subconsciously?
what's that music bring to life, or what can people get out of it?
- perhaps, you don't get anything out of it, but it opens the door and lets you into some place where all things originated
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
victoria concert hall - moody night
mozart - clarinet concerto in a major.... they would not play it in the CODA 5 concert in victoria hall. instead RWinds would be engaging themselves on a journey though the lyrical lanscape of France (Beauty and the Beast), Belgium (Saga Maligna), Iran (Persis), America (The Incredibles) and more! Every musical musical journey begins, but Coda 5 will also end with an overture, marking the start of new beginnings for both RWinds and Victoria Concert Hall.... but marathon man did not care too much about these windy sounds that's not doing decent justice to these hard-to-blow instruments...
music is it created from the emotions or just the dexterity of neurons on notes?
he just sits by the piano, and start hitting some keys, hear the notes and their periods. before the next note is hit, the mind has to do some analysis on the notes just heard, trying to make sense of it in terms of melody, tempo, and harmony...... that will detremine the next notes to be hit..... it's a process of feedback between the hand, the ears and the mind.
or, everything already done up in the mind of the composer, then he would just sit down and play it out to finetune the , then jot it down on paper?
or tune comes up when the composer is walking, eating, shitting..... then he quickly stops whatever he's doing and beginning to clarify the tunes and put them into memory, or jot it down, or record it in a recording device?
or tunes comes from his dreams, daydreams......?
or tempo comes first then melody?
in the beginning, Godsaid to man, "I want you to understand that whatever you do, you must find time to make music and listen to it."
"what is music, God?"
God said, "music is sound, any sound."
"then why some sound sounds so irritating, like when people quarrel. is that music also?"
"it is. if you take away all that's rude and improper."
"so it's sound that's filtered?"
"sound that leaves memory in the mind."
"can a good advice be msuic?"
"it is."
"what is the person is deaf, music to him is a non-event, then?"
"he cannot hear what normal people hear as music, but he has other way of getting to know the beauty of music, equivalently."
"what is equivelent to music for a deaf person?"
"viusal represetation of notes? vibrations felt thru the sense of touch. if you train them from small..... they could very well get the hang of it like what great musicians do."
"music without the mood is not music..... music is mood....."
"or rather MY mood is music..... "
music is it created from the emotions or just the dexterity of neurons on notes?
he just sits by the piano, and start hitting some keys, hear the notes and their periods. before the next note is hit, the mind has to do some analysis on the notes just heard, trying to make sense of it in terms of melody, tempo, and harmony...... that will detremine the next notes to be hit..... it's a process of feedback between the hand, the ears and the mind.
or, everything already done up in the mind of the composer, then he would just sit down and play it out to finetune the , then jot it down on paper?
or tune comes up when the composer is walking, eating, shitting..... then he quickly stops whatever he's doing and beginning to clarify the tunes and put them into memory, or jot it down, or record it in a recording device?
or tunes comes from his dreams, daydreams......?
or tempo comes first then melody?
in the beginning, Godsaid to man, "I want you to understand that whatever you do, you must find time to make music and listen to it."
"what is music, God?"
God said, "music is sound, any sound."
"then why some sound sounds so irritating, like when people quarrel. is that music also?"
"it is. if you take away all that's rude and improper."
"so it's sound that's filtered?"
"sound that leaves memory in the mind."
"can a good advice be msuic?"
"it is."
"what is the person is deaf, music to him is a non-event, then?"
"he cannot hear what normal people hear as music, but he has other way of getting to know the beauty of music, equivalently."
"what is equivelent to music for a deaf person?"
"viusal represetation of notes? vibrations felt thru the sense of touch. if you train them from small..... they could very well get the hang of it like what great musicians do."
"music without the mood is not music..... music is mood....."
"or rather MY mood is music..... "
seletar camp - freedom
the seletar camp trip this time brought a lot of surprises. he never have thot that the camp was actually much bigger than what he imagined it to be, for the few times he jogged there and the many times he played golf in the 9-hole public golf club. he crossed the bridge across the tpe, from jalan kayu, and hit the seletar westlink, then passed the seletar golf country club. as he wanted to turn to the dike on seletar reservoir going to yishun, he realized infront of him, the road led to some new place he never stepped feet on before. he continued on, without turning. found quite to his pleasant surprise, that this corner of singapore also had some home-made wooden jetty-like terminals, from a few fishermen's homes into the sea, for their fishing boats and a few privately-owned power boats. he met a few guys collecting mussles from the seaside and knocking out the concrete-like stuff sticking to the shells. he said to one guy, "are you collecting toa-tau's?" "no, its chai luan."
there's a bridge spanning across the small bay. he went up the bridge and crossed it over to the other side. it was a reclaimed land, characterised by the big stretch of cauarina trees planted as wind-breakers. he was heading into no man's land, no idea of where it would lead him to. it must be more than an hour now, still he did not see any familiar road names or landmarks that he could figure out where he's heading towards. he came to a big lokang-like river, with the end of it separated from the sea by the road that marathon man was stepping on. beside the river, he noticed a pathway cut into the big stretch of casuarina forest. he saw some people playing in the river, some distance away from him. he decided going for the pathway, instead of going ahead on the main road. he smelled the very faint scent of the casuarina trees... some kind of pine-tree smell, but so faint that the next minute, he wanted to take it in all, it evaded his nosy sense. he went down to the river, and the water was very clear. he could not figure out what river was it. he went deeper into the path, saw a van with a driver stopping beside a shack, he pointed to the front and asked, "is there a way out that direction?" "i don't know, i came from the other direction." pointing to where marathon man came from. he decided to moved on toward the unknown destination any way. and he was rewarded by the many birds, big and small, that made the bushes in the river bank their paradize, obvioulsy, quite a remote place for any normal guy to step feet on. and he saw the river turning into a sort of lake, opposite the place he stood, he saw some factories, smelling of oil processing. and ther's a flood-gate on the other side, joining another river.
amidst all the nature and man-made artifacts and creatures, he was totally captivated by two small yellow butterflies, frolicking in the air.... one going after the other, dotted in the air, high, then low, then parted, then came closer again, then set feet in the grass, then took to the air again.... after a couple of minutes, they finally flew apart. but for that brief couple of minutes, nature had shown marathon man what freedom was all about - it was all about, to do whatever you like, to whoever you like and in whichever way you like, wherever and whenever you like.... and the same freedom was available to all in the group.
and the freedom to intrude into some unknown space which befits marathon man the title of some sort of explorer, did lift his drooping and tiring spirit; since his handphone ran out of battery after his fren ah cheng called him 2 hours ago, he did not have any way to call for assistance if his feet give up on him, at this juncture.
but he found his way out anyway - back to where he started - the bridge that spanned across the small bay.
seletar camp has changed alot. they were tearing down old houses and put up new building and extend the seletar airport run to accomodate the aero-tech industry here. marathon man used to play golf in the 9-hole public seletar golf club here. he got his pc and handicapp cards here a few years ago. he met a lot of strangers in the golf course and he befren them one and all.... though he has not kept in touch with any of them, he specifically remembers one chap.....
ah huat, that's what he told marathon man his name was.
ah huat got this very funny sound when he laughed, something like a revebaration from a big tong. and he laughed a lot. obviosuly he's a happy man.
they played golf a few times. one time, their flight-mate, ah kong said, "my wife is pregnant, and her mood swing is really fantastic. one moment she feel very high, then the next cries like a baby..... how ah?"
marathon man, single himself, don't know what to advise. the flight mate ah seow, a father of 3, said, "don't worry lah.... mood swing due to hormone only. once delivery over, ok already."
"i heard there's something call post natal blue.... how if she continues her pre-natal into psot natal?"
"blue is the color of the bright sky..... should not be signifying anything melancholic." marathon man somehow blurted out something, though it sounded irrelavant.
"what? you must be drunk. blue is blue which is like blur, blur lah... like you cannot see anything clear.... sad, low mood, unhappy.... lonely.... " ah kong said.
the ah huat, who'hv been keeping quiet so far said, "your wife situation is temporary, whether pre or post natal blue. my wife is chronically feeling blue, her sickness is post marriage blue syndrome?"
"wow, how do you deal with it?" ah kong was curious, since ah huat didn't seem to be bothered by it.
"simple lah... when she's angry, i just tell myself that, to make her happy, i would have to let her feel that she's still single."
"how?"
"to act like a single myself..... go pubbing like nobody's business, go ktv's, go golfings.... just don't stay at home."
there's a bridge spanning across the small bay. he went up the bridge and crossed it over to the other side. it was a reclaimed land, characterised by the big stretch of cauarina trees planted as wind-breakers. he was heading into no man's land, no idea of where it would lead him to. it must be more than an hour now, still he did not see any familiar road names or landmarks that he could figure out where he's heading towards. he came to a big lokang-like river, with the end of it separated from the sea by the road that marathon man was stepping on. beside the river, he noticed a pathway cut into the big stretch of casuarina forest. he saw some people playing in the river, some distance away from him. he decided going for the pathway, instead of going ahead on the main road. he smelled the very faint scent of the casuarina trees... some kind of pine-tree smell, but so faint that the next minute, he wanted to take it in all, it evaded his nosy sense. he went down to the river, and the water was very clear. he could not figure out what river was it. he went deeper into the path, saw a van with a driver stopping beside a shack, he pointed to the front and asked, "is there a way out that direction?" "i don't know, i came from the other direction." pointing to where marathon man came from. he decided to moved on toward the unknown destination any way. and he was rewarded by the many birds, big and small, that made the bushes in the river bank their paradize, obvioulsy, quite a remote place for any normal guy to step feet on. and he saw the river turning into a sort of lake, opposite the place he stood, he saw some factories, smelling of oil processing. and ther's a flood-gate on the other side, joining another river.
amidst all the nature and man-made artifacts and creatures, he was totally captivated by two small yellow butterflies, frolicking in the air.... one going after the other, dotted in the air, high, then low, then parted, then came closer again, then set feet in the grass, then took to the air again.... after a couple of minutes, they finally flew apart. but for that brief couple of minutes, nature had shown marathon man what freedom was all about - it was all about, to do whatever you like, to whoever you like and in whichever way you like, wherever and whenever you like.... and the same freedom was available to all in the group.
and the freedom to intrude into some unknown space which befits marathon man the title of some sort of explorer, did lift his drooping and tiring spirit; since his handphone ran out of battery after his fren ah cheng called him 2 hours ago, he did not have any way to call for assistance if his feet give up on him, at this juncture.
but he found his way out anyway - back to where he started - the bridge that spanned across the small bay.
seletar camp has changed alot. they were tearing down old houses and put up new building and extend the seletar airport run to accomodate the aero-tech industry here. marathon man used to play golf in the 9-hole public seletar golf club here. he got his pc and handicapp cards here a few years ago. he met a lot of strangers in the golf course and he befren them one and all.... though he has not kept in touch with any of them, he specifically remembers one chap.....
ah huat, that's what he told marathon man his name was.
ah huat got this very funny sound when he laughed, something like a revebaration from a big tong. and he laughed a lot. obviosuly he's a happy man.
they played golf a few times. one time, their flight-mate, ah kong said, "my wife is pregnant, and her mood swing is really fantastic. one moment she feel very high, then the next cries like a baby..... how ah?"
marathon man, single himself, don't know what to advise. the flight mate ah seow, a father of 3, said, "don't worry lah.... mood swing due to hormone only. once delivery over, ok already."
"i heard there's something call post natal blue.... how if she continues her pre-natal into psot natal?"
"blue is the color of the bright sky..... should not be signifying anything melancholic." marathon man somehow blurted out something, though it sounded irrelavant.
"what? you must be drunk. blue is blue which is like blur, blur lah... like you cannot see anything clear.... sad, low mood, unhappy.... lonely.... " ah kong said.
the ah huat, who'hv been keeping quiet so far said, "your wife situation is temporary, whether pre or post natal blue. my wife is chronically feeling blue, her sickness is post marriage blue syndrome?"
"wow, how do you deal with it?" ah kong was curious, since ah huat didn't seem to be bothered by it.
"simple lah... when she's angry, i just tell myself that, to make her happy, i would have to let her feel that she's still single."
"how?"
"to act like a single myself..... go pubbing like nobody's business, go ktv's, go golfings.... just don't stay at home."
Friday, December 25, 2009
seletar farmways - Merry Christmas
seletar farmway 4 it is. some years ago, marathon man was here. he could hardly recall details of the place. that's why he wants to try it again this morning. there's a foreign worker dormitory at the beginning of the road, converted from some old hdb shop houses and hdb flats. they could have been very good quarters for the locals, but why they were abandoned?
he turns into farmway 5, and enters the 'animal resort'. it's the same resort he visited before, not change as far as he can remember. though he couldn't remember whether there was a horse, a lovely horse. marathon man wants to whisper to it, since it comes close to him, with its double-eye-lid eye, ignocent look, it tempts him to say something to it. they interact for sometime in silence. then it turns away.
the peacock in the coop, is excited and spreads out its technic-color feathers into a fan, strding proudly facing him.
the fat, old goose groups with the white ducks, as if he's the leader of the group.
the fishing pond begs some leisure lines; 2 adults and 2 kids try their luck, but so far no fish.
he spends half an hour in the mini zoo, fully relishing its atmosphere and its creatures. he continues his journey, walking slowly toward farmway 8. and lands in the swee lee landscape, where there are many tall trees, palm and other types, with tehir roots packed in soil, wrapped in back plastic bags, all ready to go to the IR in sentosa.
further on, he enters farmway 7. and somehow, he hits on the jalan kayu terraces - he remembers the last time he was in jalan kayu, he wanted to detour into the forest trail... now he's in the forest trail, coming out to jalan kayu.
he stops in an indian restaurant, ta'aanam for his $3.80 lunch(mutton, omlette, lady fingers and spinach). the cumin in the masalah makes his day.
On the this joyous day - what's better to spend it to re-discover the rustic lives of singpore's zinc-roof-house lot?
he turns into farmway 5, and enters the 'animal resort'. it's the same resort he visited before, not change as far as he can remember. though he couldn't remember whether there was a horse, a lovely horse. marathon man wants to whisper to it, since it comes close to him, with its double-eye-lid eye, ignocent look, it tempts him to say something to it. they interact for sometime in silence. then it turns away.
the peacock in the coop, is excited and spreads out its technic-color feathers into a fan, strding proudly facing him.
the fat, old goose groups with the white ducks, as if he's the leader of the group.
the fishing pond begs some leisure lines; 2 adults and 2 kids try their luck, but so far no fish.
he spends half an hour in the mini zoo, fully relishing its atmosphere and its creatures. he continues his journey, walking slowly toward farmway 8. and lands in the swee lee landscape, where there are many tall trees, palm and other types, with tehir roots packed in soil, wrapped in back plastic bags, all ready to go to the IR in sentosa.
further on, he enters farmway 7. and somehow, he hits on the jalan kayu terraces - he remembers the last time he was in jalan kayu, he wanted to detour into the forest trail... now he's in the forest trail, coming out to jalan kayu.
he stops in an indian restaurant, ta'aanam for his $3.80 lunch(mutton, omlette, lady fingers and spinach). the cumin in the masalah makes his day.
On the this joyous day - what's better to spend it to re-discover the rustic lives of singpore's zinc-roof-house lot?
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
oasis - found
a caravan of camels had to stop over in this oasis for the nite.
the beasts filled their stomachs with food and water. the caravaners went to look for their chicks.
and marathon man was left alone to tend the camels.
one camel said, "are you not interested in women?"
"sure..."
"but you are here with us?"
"it's my turn."
"nobody is around, you can go for some fun, and make it back here before anyone finds out."
"how about you guys? sure you won't play the hide and seek game on me, like you did with the last guy?"
"don't worry. you are a good guy, we only tricked the guy because he treated us bad."
"what did he do to you?"
"he smoked a pack of camel."
"wow.... that's very in-considerate, smoking camel infront of the camels."
"you are telling me.... so you want to go or not?"
"heeheheh,..... i need some humps... and surely not the ones that you have...."
the moral found in this story - smoke and hump don't jive, so
QUIT SMOKING
the beasts filled their stomachs with food and water. the caravaners went to look for their chicks.
and marathon man was left alone to tend the camels.
one camel said, "are you not interested in women?"
"sure..."
"but you are here with us?"
"it's my turn."
"nobody is around, you can go for some fun, and make it back here before anyone finds out."
"how about you guys? sure you won't play the hide and seek game on me, like you did with the last guy?"
"don't worry. you are a good guy, we only tricked the guy because he treated us bad."
"what did he do to you?"
"he smoked a pack of camel."
"wow.... that's very in-considerate, smoking camel infront of the camels."
"you are telling me.... so you want to go or not?"
"heeheheh,..... i need some humps... and surely not the ones that you have...."
the moral found in this story - smoke and hump don't jive, so
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