devil's cantata

Greetings Mr. Leechard:

My name is Richard Si, residing in Toronto, Canada. Ever since my immigration to here 15 years ago I have been reading your column "問到底" (frankly I do not understood much nor comprehend your ideas in depth back at my youth, I was intrigue by your name because that's how my friends pronounce my first name in Cantonese). I was sadden that It was canceled but lacked the drive to follow your writings and thoughts on the blogs...that was 3? or 4 years ago. By coincidence I have searched your pen name and have discovered your continuing works and felt I would have some reading to do.

My question is based on a personal need: I am currently studying music composition at York University and aspiring to contribute towards the contemporary compositional scene. A coincidental correspondence with a fellow forum member (mainly based in Taiwan) have invited me to participate in their joint project, which is to provide music for their "devil's cantata". At first I cheerfully accepted but recently I realized how little I understood the nature of "evil" or even the concept of "devil" is rather lacking, despite the fact that I myself am a regular church-attending Baptist.

Hopefully your answers (perhaps your questions rather? ha-ha) can give me some directions and assistance.

Yours truly,
RS

p.s. please excuse my faulty use of Chinese language, pretty much stagnant since my departure from grade six primary school.


Dear Richard Si,

I do envy you could have such a chance to study music composition,and could join such interesting project. I am always an outsider to all this.

It happens that when I pratice Chi Kung, and founded the energy in music could be ome times positive, and sometimes negative. Some Chi Kung teachers do mention about this, but they could only distinguish "sad" music to "happy" music, which i think is rather confused.

As for the concept of "devil" in music, it is another matter. In the field of music, people use this term in highly skilled pieces which is nothing to do with positive or negative meaning. However, when people are too much consentrated on the technical side, they will lead the music into a more physical direction, instead of the spiritual direction. That is the difference of Paganini and Bach.

However, I dare not to "label" different kinds of music into "devil's" or "angel's", though I do believe this is a very important issue. Tchaikovsky was a very unfortunate example in his last symphony. And Wagner is worth to study too. May be he is the real devil in music. His compositon could lead to the bad side of human nature, I guess.

Wishing you a good success in the "devil's cantata", hoping I could have the chance to enjoy it.

Leechard.