What it means to us.

It was a somber day in NY.  I wasn't here ten years ago, but I remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news about the World Trade Center.  I don't want to go on too long about this, but I think it's important to mention.  Because that feeling, that hung in the air today, was powerful and potent.  It wasn't energetic or pressing... but somehow trapped our breath.  A muslin atmosphere.

I practiced a lot today.  I pulled out a piece that is very close to my heart: one of Beethoven's last sonatas, the Opus 109.  All of the last sonatas have a special, contemplative quality to them, but this one in particular is, for me, so representative of acceptance, grace, dignity, life, love, beauty, humanity, perseverance.  Every time I hear it or play it, I go inside myself and connect with these raw emotions.

Today when I played Opus 109, it was new.  And I really, truly believe it is owed to these improvisations.  By nature, the piece already sounds very improvised, so in execution today, it really felt as though I could play it from my heart, have courage, and let go of any expectations.  It was as if it were all mine.  And it felt right, and good.

But today's improv is nothing like that piece.  Today's sounds a lot like many I've already posted.  I tried to fight it at first, but it wasn't right.  This is what wanted to come out.

Here we go, Day 28: https://ia700703.us.archive.org/10/items/Improv91111/9_11_117_50Pm.mp3