Revising the Riot: Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring

I am reading Igor Stravinsky’s autobiography. It is a sparse and unadorned account of his life. Of great interest so far is his recollection of the famed premier of The Rite of Spring, the ballet that caused a well-known riot. In his autobiography he claims that it was not the music that created the ruckus but a very specific element in the choreography. Here is a quote from page 36 of An Autobiography by Igor Stravinsky:

The scandal which it produced is a matter of history, but that scandal was in nowise due to the so-called novelty of the performance, but to a gesture, too audacious and too intimate, which Nijinsky made, doubtless thinking that anything was permissable with an erotic subject and perhaps wishing thereby to enhance the effect of the production.

This realization comes as a great shock to me. According to both popular legend and the teachings of music school it was the brutality of the music and the general ritualistic nature of the choreography that created the uprising. Here Stravinsky suggests that it was a single offensive gesture or movement.

Habit or Ritual

Most everyday I start by slicing and apple and making a cup of coffee. It seems like the most mindless of habits, but it is a meaningful part of my new day. I know the apple will nourish me and the coffee will jump-start my mind. Contrastingly, when I was younger I attended church every Friday (Catholic School). Religion is something that is often considered a ritual but, for me, fell into the realm of a habit. I went because it was what I had always done. The big difference between a habit and a ritual is mindfulness.

A habit is something we do without thinking about: turn the radio on when we get in the car (if it is not already on), brush our teeth before going to bed, answer: `Good` when asked `How are you?`. Once we have done something enough times, we automate the action or response so that we can do it without thinking. That is when it becomes a habit. Habits can be effective savers of mental space. But they can also be stubborn and difficult to change. Because habits are defined by their mindlessness, they are tough to recognize. We usually just do them without even realizing, and therein lies their danger.

Rituals are what we do regularly in order to create a place of meditation or serenity. They can look like habits from the outside because they are repetitive behaviors. But the intention of a ritual is to create mindfulness and awareness, not remove it. Even behaviors that seem mundane can be rituals: a deep breath to calm and focus yourself or walking to the end of the driveway to get the mail. We can ritualize everyday activities by seeking the joy, beauty or necessity in them. When we do something, however small, with intention and mindfulness, it becomes meaningful.

30 Hands Challenge

In line with my last post about getting Beyond Boredom, I have been making a point to slow down my life and focus on a small handful of tasks. Instead of trying to do everything under the sun and getting nothing done, I am focusing on doing a few things and doing them often and well. There are 5 elements and I am trying to do this for 30 consecutive days, so I am calling it my 30 Hands Challenge (cause there are five fingers in a hand and it is easier for me to remember that way).

The 5 Elements:
1) Sleep - this may seem obvious, but often I get too little sleep. And then I go the other direction and get too much. Since sleep is an important daily routine I want to be mindful and consistent. 6-8 hours per night. Not stay up too late, not sleep in too late.
2) Lots of Water/Good Food - When I am drinking lots of water I feel better. I have heard that the majority of Americans are clinically dehydrated, and I can tell the difference when I make a point to drink lots of water. Half of my body weight in ounces (I weigh about 170 pounds, so that is 85 ounces of water every day). Minimal sweets, minimal coffee, no alcohol. Lots of fruits and vegetables. This is not a diet but a lifestyle challenge.
3) Write - For me this applies mostly to words. Most of my day is spent writing music, so I do not feel the need to create time for it. But words: spend at least an hour every day writing letters to family, friends. Write essays, articles, blog posts. Tweets do not count.
4) Read - This is the biggest change for me. Read at least an hour every day. The internet does not count even if it is the NY Times. I am talking about books. Even good magazines will get the job done. Do not watch TV or movies. 30 days without movies is a challenge.
5) Exercise - For me this is yoga. It takes care of my body, calms me and focuses me. Again, this is not a diet or an exercise regimen, but our bodies are important and we should take care of them. Take care of your body every day.

I made this little chart to document how long I have been going. Each day I cross out another number at the top. (Feel free to download and/or print this sheet for your own use.) I have already done 10 days in a row of this lifestyle challenge. I have noticed a shift in my ability to generate longer threads of thought and sustain ideas over time. The hardest part has been not watching movies, which I normally do regularly at the end of the day. Now I read instead which is usually very peaceful and not really a sacrifice.

This may seem like a small challenge, but I mainly want to do what is best for my ability to create. I feel that the abundant stimulation in the forms of TV, movies and the internet is distracting and detrimental to coherent and extended thought. This is a search for my higher self.

Beyond Boredom

It is hard to imagine being bored in this day and age. Between radio, television, video games, smart phones, twitter and youtube we are constantly bombarded with information from all sides. How does this affect our creativity?

The creation of something where there was nothing requires significant perspective and vision, both of which are difficult if not impossible to achieve when we are distracted. Yes, while the many stimuli of today’s world are interesting and exciting, they are also distracting.

The beauty of the internet and smart phone apps are that they give us endless choices of surroundings and stimulation. If one web page is uninteresting, we simply click to another and another until we find something to stimulate us.

The big problem is that the more we seek stimulation externally, the less we seek it or even recognize it from within. If we are used to reading about great ideas in the New York Times we will have difficulty seeing a great idea that comes from our own mind.

Boredom is not a problem. It is the hole in which a building is built. It may seem like a step backward at the time: “I want to build up, why am I digging this hole down?!” But without the hole your building will have no stability.

Take a day or two away from the constant stimulation of the internet and television. Let yourself become bored. You will soon find that boredom is not the end, it is the beginning of individual creativity. When you create the vacuum in your mind, it will fill itself with ideas and thoughts. You will be overwhelmed with things to create.

Picasso said “Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.” Let your mind wander. Let it be quiet. That is the road to creativity.

Namaste: Recognizing Myself and Others

For the past year I have practiced yoga regularly - about 6 times per week. I have done lots of vinyasa in the Baptiste style, lots of Bikram, and a little bit of Yin stretching. Regular yoga practice is an empowering and humbling endeavor. Many things that I thought I was capable of turned out to be untrue. But I also found strength in myself, body and mind, that I never knew was there. The physical exertion - the strength and flexibility - is hard to pretend. Some days are effortless. Some days are a struggle. Each day is different, and that is a lesson too.

Each day of practice ends with an Indian greeting and show of respect - Namaste. We place our hands together as if in prayer next to our hearts. We bow our heads. Some say the word Namaste. It is an act of recognition of the self and those around us. Many describe Namaste as saying “the divine in me salutes the divine in you.”

Namaste requires, above all, a recognition and respect for the self. We must believe that there is value and even “divinity” within ourselves. Once we can recognize our divine self, we start to see others more clearly. When we bow our heads in Namaste at the end of a class, I remind myself that no matter how different we all are and no matter why we are here, we are all here together in the same place so we can't be that different. One person might be here to relax, another to focus, another to exercise, another to heal her back. Despite our seemingly different intentions we are in the same place at the same time when we could be anywhere doing anything. We are more similar that we may recognize. Any strength that I imagine to be within myself is also within those around me.

Namaste works the other way too. When there are days that I am feeling weak or depressed, I use Namaste to remind me of the divinity within myself. If I am in the same place at the same time doing the same practice as the strong and dedicated people around me, I too must be strong and dedicated. It is a powerful phrase. A powerful idea.

Book Worth Reading - Music By Philip Glass

Philip Glass' autobiographical book Music By Philip Glass covers the period between 1965 and 1985. It starts with his involvement in progressive theater in New York in the 60s, especially with the Mabou Mines theatre group. After this brief introduction, the three main sections of the book regard Glass' three large-scale operas from the period: Einstein On the Beach, Satyagraha, and Akhnaten. He writes in-depth about the development process, the rehearsals and somewhat about the musical material that went into each work.

The book is clearly presented and without fluff. We are shown behind the curtain of one of the great composers of our time. It is invaluable to read Glass' own words and perspectives about music and theatre.

A Culture of Accord

Have we lost the ability to disagree? Is there only room in the world for one right answer?

I am struck recently by a lack of respect for diverging opinions and ideas. When there is disagreement about any topic - politics, art, food - the conversation turns toward reaching agreement. There is an underlying belief that we all must believe the same things. Perhaps it is our own insecurity that leads us to want affirmation of our beliefs.

Can't we hold different beliefs and different opinions? Are there so few who believe in what they say enough to hold their ground; and who are willing to let others believe differently? My father always said "if both of you agree, one of you is irrelevant."

If all of us are in agreement, has our culture lost its creativity and its potency?