Width. I am often longing for width. Sometimes I go up a hill to have an overview, hiking in the mountains or to the sea. Then the horizon seems far away and the world bigger. It gives me a feeling of more space. More space around me and inside of me.
I found this width in the music of Bartok’s 1st suite. Have a listen to this wonderful music. Listen especially between minute 2:00 and 3:00 how Bartok is painting in large strokes of the brush:
Bartok: Suite No. 1 III. Presto, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Thomas Dausgaard:
In the following poem Christian Morgenstern is describing width from another wonderful angle:
Weiter Horizont
Das ist’s, was mich hier so entzückt:
Diese unbedingte Weite,
dieser Horizont in Tief’ und Breite
verschwenderisch hinausgerückt.
Christian Morgenstern
There is another piece of music which reminds me very much of width.
It is Sibelius’ Andante festivo. Have a listen how Sibelius paints a wide landscape, a deep horizon. This music is so full of hope and life-affirming. Let yourself sink into it:
Sibelius: Andante festivo, Oslo Philharmonic, Mariss Jansons:
