In this picture above that I created, I tried to show how I 'see' what happens when we play. Just a glimpse of it though ... This is Maria João Pires playing in the concert hall, however she is also far away, in the world the music she interprets takes her, and us. A beautiful and magical world, indeed ! But even the picture is not able to describe that ‘je ne sais quoi’, as all things that we can name or depict are only perceivable by using five senses, which are quite limited. To 'know' the ‘je ne sais quoi’ we need to use another sense. It is when the miracle happens ....
Music. We love it, we listen to it, we play it, we dedicate our time, our efforts, and finally our lives to it.
But, why ? What is that 'thing' that drives musicians to master an instrument and dedicate to it - body and soul - as would Maria João Pires say ?
What is that magical force in music that is able to so profoundly touch us, change us, even transform us ?
"One thing we can say about music is that we can do our best to grasp it and teach it, but there will always be one thing missing this way – grace – the unexpected miracle which gives music its true worth. This ‘je ne sais quoi’ (I don’t know what) is what drives the composer to compose. It is grace which invites the musician - body and soul - to master his instrument and deepen his understanding. It is grace which attracts music lovers to come to concerts, to be part of a precious and unique event: the communication of this certain something, which is part of everyone’s make-up. The requirement for this ‘transmission’ is not only aesthetic, but ethical: music, like all art, is part of the mystery that shapes humans."
It is that 'something', which we cannot name, that elevates all involved - creators, interpreters and listeners - to the spheres beyond. From ordinary earthly life to something far more profound and far more refined ... That 'something' sends light straight to our souls and hearts, enlightening even their darkest parts - which is the highest role and the truest impact of music and art on us. It simply makes us better humans and therefore betters the world around us too.
That unexpected magical miracle it creates is the true worth of music. Changing the world, one note at a time.
Beautifully written and that picture is stunning!