Friday, April 24, 2009.

you know the concept of catharsis?

the idea of purging of the emotions, cleansing and purgation, as Aristotle describes it.

It feels extremely satisfying and emotionally thrilling, especially after a great work of art, and indeed, a great work of art should always evoke a form of catharsis. That experience when an emotional climax overcomes you is really unbearable, yet leaves you craving for more.

It is an addiction.

Just properly listened to Britten's War Requiem, a work that I now regard with great esteem. It's not always that a gem like this gets discovered (not that it isn't popular), but its honesty, sincerity and simplicity of message strikes people hard. Seeing as its subject matter (what else, war.) isn't the most trivial of concepts and ideas, it's really very impactful as a brilliant magnum opus.

It's obvious right? The idea of war being absolutely dumb and stupid. Why even wage war and turn people against themselves, when after all, everyone is still of the same species? It seems so straightforward, so obvious, of the idea of conflict being absolutely unnecessary.

As Wilfred Owen wrote:

"I am the enemy you killed, my friend.

I knew you in this dark; for so you frowned

Yesterday through me as you jabbed and killed.

I parried; but my hands were loath and cold.

Let us sleep now..."

Strange Meeting

Indeed, as the tenor and baritone repeated those last 4 words for eternity, I felt in my heart a form of catharsis - really, it was as if Owen and Britten (as well as the soloists, the orchestra and the conductor = composer) were speaking to me. It was an exclamation, an exclamation indeed of the "pity of war, the pity war distilled".

Why wage war? Why combat against each other, and shed blood for nothing? Why are humans so unbelievably DUMB and FOOLISH to fight against each other? It only brings along pain, hatred, repulsion and heartbreak for everyone! It is indeed a pain too, to see infighting, to see people fight amongst each other, for that is akin to war too! Why fight? Why not seek peace and harmony?

Seek peace, not war.

And for the message, I really adore Britten's War Requiem.

Not the most melodious or easiest of music to listen to (the recording below further justifies the point), but it's truly worth it.