From “The Human Condition: A
User’s Manual,” by Arnold Kunst
22 November
Mozart deserves his middle
name, Amadeus – “Amare” means “To Love;” “Deus” means “God” – figuratively
translated “Love gift of God.” My daughter Simone, a voice major who has far
more experience at this sort of thing than I do, says Mozart is so easy to sing
- everything seems always to flow with such effortless mastery, every
sfortzando in exactly the right place. I am standing in line for my decaf at
the local Starbucks, earplugs in place, listening to his “Requiem.” The “Dies
Irae” is truly terrifying, the “Rex Tremendae Majestatis” [translation: “King
of tremendous majesty”] the standard by which all men might measure “majesty.”
You can't help but be swept up into the emotional state he weaves with such
consummate mastery - from beginning to end you are swept along inexorably. In
fact I’d go even further, extrapolating beyond Mozart: the outpouring of genius
feeds our souls. As a result I think a case can be made that you and I need to
put ourselves in the presence of genius on a daily basis, for genius is the
gift of the gods themselves.
And if Mozart isn’t your
thing, bear in mind genius is a many-splendored thing.
It encompasses not only the
visual and performing arts, but also sports, mathematics, politics,
child-rearing – you name it. A daily exposure to genius will of necessity impact
you and me in a most profound way. The cumulative reward for that exposure is
that that genius, the part that has your name on it, will seep into your soul.
Just like it should.
Mozart is always right here
in my cell phone, and all I need at my local Starbucks is my earphones and a
properly formed sense of values, and profound enrichment is only a click away!
Sure, I agree life is piled
high with intractable problems – but, please, don’t miss what feeds your soul!
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