SHELTER 13:30
19.4.2000
by Eterman A Fantasy/Folk Epic
"He heard music being played as he started
to return from the state of sleep. Soon he was
awake and opening his eyes he noticed a small
group of musical talents playing strange
unfamiliar melodies of unknown roots. At first
the music was peaceful and even quite simple.
Sham arose to his feet and rolling his
eyes around the surroundings of his whereabouts
he felt more tired than for a long time, but
somehow he soon found it impossible only to lie
down and get some rest again. So strange and
intriguing were the tones that struck his very
inner self in that sudden moment of expression.
There was a party outside, he soon
understood, and as the sounds grew louder more
instruments came to accompany them building up
an awesome sound and expression that reminded
Sham of those in Hadron when he had first heard
a small symphony orchestra playing.
He didn't know where he was, nor did he
have any idea of what might have happened to
him, or when it actually had occured, but he
surely recalled the shipwreck and that mighty
storm when the ocean seemed to turn its rage
against one lonely sailor. Sham had never been
a good sailor, nor had he considerd himself an
adequate swimmer, but by a force and action not
from this world he seemed to have survived. Another
option was, that he was dead. Pondering those
alternatives didn't interest Sham as he looked
around this new place of him, this new shelter.
Whether he was alive or not, he knew that
scarcely anything better was to come after man's
departure. So greatly touching was that influence
of inspirational melodies flowing around him combined
with dancing merry figures over a nearby low hill.
Sham could also see a small bonfire and hear gleeful
laughter as he started to weakly approach the place.
It suddenly occured to him that although he had
no idea of where he was, he didn't feel any anxiety
or confusion. Somehow he felt like being home again,
which of course could only be an illusion. Sham
wasn't homesick at all, for somehow he knew that
better home or shelter was not to come. Perhaps such
never existed. His sudden vision of happiness and the
marvelous nature of his new whereabouts was a strange
occasion, but all he could do was to trust these
feelings and let the mysterious night atmosphere
smoothly convey him that soon he would also find his
place amoung this merry group in front of his very
eyes being more welcome as ever before."
-Land of Whispers by Harri Kivisto
(shortened and poorly -I'm afraid-
translated by the same man)
MAKING THIS MUSIC:
A real long-time project, this one. Took many working days and
I had long pauses, when I just couldn't rush forward with composing. It
also took quite a lot of time to make this sound good. It's hard to make
many various intruments fit together, especially when making this kind
of fresh music and using less conventional instrument combinations. Lots
of work, but that's what one has to take in order to create something
truly new. I'm not interested in copying anyone, not even myself. I want
to make novel tunes with much inspiring music in them. (I like this term
"much music". There are many tunes with _one_ or two musics in them. Then
again, there are pieces with many musics not fitting together at all.
With music here, I mean "ideas" or "themes"; The complete thoughts in
musical world.)
I had some clear ideas on my mind as I started working
on this one, but they were mostly too used and trite. I decided not
to make the common acoustic fantasy/medieval song, but to add more
my own style and some fresh inspirations including jazzy bassline and
chord-variations plus an innovative song structure. I also combined some
scandinavian folk influences (slightly) to get a novel approach.
ABOUT THE SONG
What I have here now, is something totally different than the ideas I
started with. This gotta be something really new! The beginning sounds
quite familiar and conventional, but as the song goes on, more and more
fresh influences are added and novel and conventional elements get mixed
in a way I'd like to consider smooth.
The result is something I find highly experimental. However,
what comes to music genres, I wouldn't chategorize this piece
experimental. This is just a different song with many influences.
It seems that this song is the best I've made this far. If there's a
style I'd have to stick with, then this is it. Of course this tune
could perhaps be even better. I might make a mix some day with some
_real_ acoustic guitars and _real_ flutes.
ABOUT THE STORY
The story? Indeed. There's also a story behind this piece. The so
called "Land of Whispers" is a fantasy saga I've created. This
particular piece indicates to a place called "Enthos" and every time
I listen to this song, my vision of the place is clarified all the
more. It's not only that my fantasy tale inspires me writing notes.
It works the other way also.
This song contains some themes commonly played in Enthos,
which is translated as 'shelter'. The place provided a shelter for
a small group of shipwrecked centuries ago, who named the place and
settled there.
UNSORTED RUBBISH :)
Again something about musical values:
Lately I've been very keen to critisizing the western pop
music industry, but perhaps I've been wrong. Well, actually it's
painful for me to think about myself going astray in my thought,
so perhaps I wasn't totally wrong, but a little sideways from the
essential issues. Perhaps I wasn't all mistaken, but consentrating
on wrong topics. Yes, that sounds quite soft enough.
Anyhow, I don't like the fact, that the music nowadays is all
the lamer. There's less music and more hype. Less art and more... pop,
which I tend to take as a swear word. Pop is something which helps
people turn off their brains. Like hollywood (lowercase).
USA _is_ the evil empire, you know. Invented the hollywood, super
bowl, mcdonalds... (just kidding... I mean, Einstein wasn't that evil
although his thought led to inventing the bomb)
In music industry (hate the word industry there. It's so
correct. I quess industrialization always creates its waste also)
songs are too often based on one idea only, which idea is seldom new.
Stealing is nowadays borrowing. Or refining. Artistic rape is often
considered interpreting. O tempora o mores.
There are also one-thought movies. Curiously, they are very
often the ones to make the best profit, although very few critics find
them good. The same goes to music or everything that has some artistic
value.
Now, I'm not saying that popular music _is_ bad. How could it be, if it's
popular? It's up to how we define "good" and "bad" in music. If music
brings pleasure to many, it can't possibly be bad music. It's not only
about values, but also about different musical tastes. Writing about them
would be like trying to make a dance performance out of architecture, but
if I manage to arrange myself the time some day, I'll surely give it a
try.
Harri Kivisto eterman@writeme.com
-Oh, the chords? I was writing them, but then it said something like
"Song message too long". Limiting my inspiration! Horrendous!
Inconceivable! A felonious assault against art! The most appalling
catastrophe! An infuriating abomination! Darn!
