Do you know Kahlil Gibran? I often use texts by him since I am fascinated by his writings.
There is a story behind. Once I was in Gothenburg, in an old antiquarian bookshop. Just looking for some books about philosophy. There it was, a large book with treasured writings by Gibran. I knew his name somehow from before, he was the author of ‘the Prophet’, a small book of 26 prose poetry fables. It was one of his best known works and became pretty famous all over the world. So I took the book with me and started to study it. It continued that I became more and more drawn into his world and it started that music pieces appeared in me that fitted to his texts. I also use often texts by Rainer Maria Rilke, an author that accompanies me since a very long time. I like that he leaves things in the unspoken. He sometimes just touches them, describes them and leaves them in a mystical world where you can find your own imagination. It is up to you to feel your images.
Another time I was in Gothenburg, I went on a boat. It was twilight, the sea was rough and the wind icy cold. It was an almost apocalyptic scenery. I stood there on an island the way back in a small shed to wait for the boat back. The shed was filled with books, most of all in swedish besides one in english by Gibran. There he was again. Gibran. I was pretty astonished one can say. I was standing there what felt like at the end of the world, just waiting for a boat to take me back to the mainland. And there, in a drafty shed again I found a book by Gibran.
Do you believe in coincidences?
Friedrich Schiller, Don Carlos
Und was
Ist Zufall anders, als der rohe Stein,
Der Leben annimmt unter Bildners Hand?
Den Zufall gibt die Vorsehung –
zum Zwecke
Muß ihn der Mensch gestalten.
And what else is coincidence
than the raw stone
that comes to life under the hand
of the creator?
Coincidence is given by destiny –
for its purpose a person
has to shape it himself.
Schumann Kreisleriana, op. 16: Äußerst bewegt
by Evgeny Kissin:
