Can you recall the opening of the last movement of Beethoven's piano sonata "Waldstein"? For me that always reminds me of distant church bells echoing in the Alps. A touching expression of space, simplicity, and timelessness.
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I'm currently working on some daunting yet exciting changes for Teddie Hwang Photography. I'll share something here which I feel is why interdisciplinarity is so worth it: I was trying out a new lighting technique for myself and a friend was helping me with the set-up. Not quite understanding my intentions, my friend pointed out that one could also turn down the power of the flash.
I thought about our session on the way home and realized that this is another example of how light and sound are so comparable. Take the dynamic "forte" (loud) in music - we can either play a shrill forte or dark, immense forte. Or a diffused, ethereal "piano" (soft) versus a highly concentrated, "something is bubbling underground" kind of piano. It is not enough to just talk about the power or the "quantity" of something, but also the quality. Quality here solely means the characteristic and not whether something is good or bad. Similarly in the application of lighting, we have to consider the quality of the light. The amount of light is also a contributing factor, but it is definitely not everything. The more dimensions we have to work with, the closer we are to attaining freedom in expression. A musician is an artist in sound, just like a photographer is an artist in light. I've been revisiting and studying intensively J.S. Bach's Sonata in B-minor this past week. I'm a little obsessed about this sonata and think we flutists (and harpsichordists!) should really be thankful that Bach left us such a fantastic piece of work. Every time there is something new to discover, or at least a special detail to be reminded of. It's like looking at an intricate piece of lace and you discover a whole universe in how the threads are connected and intertwined with each other. To be honest, in many passages I'm actually quite jealous at the harpsichordist who get to play the part. It already begins with the opening motif!
The top left photo shows an incredible moment in the harpsichord part right before the crazy trill. While I was aware of this passage, somehow to see it again in print made a refreshed impression on me. That is just like "OUCH" and then you start the descent into the abyss, if you would. We want to hear a proper resolution to E but instead we get a weird cluster of notes and that stinging minor 9th. There's a similar passage later on toward the end between the flute and harpsichord, but I feel the dissonance there doesn't have that same kind of immediacy when separated between two voices. But of course, maybe you don't want to do the same trick twice... I discovered also this peculiar rhythm in the Presto, shown on the top right. It repeats itself in the next bar but doesn't appear anywhere else. While attention should be paid to the serious fugue theme happening right there in the left hand, that is Bach being really facetious in this otherwise very stern movement. If only I could be the harpsichordist. What do you find awesome in this sonata? Our benefit concert was a great success! With a turnout of around 80 people, we were able to collect 3000€. All proceeds will be going to the Monstrov organization, which is based in Odessa and the beloved hometown of our pianist Anna Tyshayeva. I thank all the performers and donors who showed us their heartfelt support that evening.
The woman holding my photo is Larysa, who fled Ukraine and arrived recently in Germany. She still has family in Ukraine. To her left is Lence, a nurse from Frankfurt who, upon receiving the last print available at our concert, decided to give it to Larysa as a gift in the name of Ukraine. It was a very touching moment for all of us. To encounter someone in real life and hearing her story in person had a tremendous impact on me. I'm very grateful that all my prints are somewhere out there now, hopefully serving as a small reminder of peace and solace. In fact, it is on backorder and for those who want to donate and receive "Path to Peace" from me, you'd still have the chance to do so. For further details, please get in touch with me directly. This image was taken on Feb. 26th 2022, as Russia was in their first days of invasion into Ukraine. It is the only composition I was able to do during my 5-night stay in the Black Forest in Germany. The location wasn’t all that ideal as there was artificial light everywhere, and night-time temperatures made sure you were serious about going out at all. The temperature here was about -5°C with wind chill on top. I had scouted out the location in the afternoon and it also suited an idea that I’ve been meaning to try, some kind of “the way to heaven”. It was also the first time after a long pause in doing astrophotography, so there was this buzz for me just like before playing a concert. That excitement made me forget about the bitter cold despite all the waiting, whether it was for the camera to do its job or for airplanes to disappear from the field of view. I felt incredible moments of peace and relief as the icy winds howled past my face.
“Path to Peace” is a composition where overwhelming feelings of peace, fear, and hope all culminate together into one expression. I actually didn’t think much about the composition afterwards and felt like it was just something nice to add to my portfolio. As the war continues to unfold, I realized how symbolic that session was and that it will always have a deep meaning for me. May this provide you with the same solace I was able to experience that night and remind us that we are under one sky. |
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March 2024
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