I don't know if y'all have heard of Richard Strauss, but for those of y'all who don't know, he was a German composer who wrote a lot of music for French horn since his father, Franz Strauss (also a composer of horn concerti) played horn. I am currently working on Strauss 1 (Strauss' first horn concerto, opus 11), among other things, and I can't get over the fact that he wrote this world-renowned masterpiece at the age of eighteen. I am almost eighteen and I can't fathom composing something that will be played for centuries after I die.
We are all afraid of death, and other people have posted about the importance of living every day like it's your last and not taking anything for granted, which I definitely agree with. But I think it's also reassuring to know that you will not be forgotten after you die. So many composers died in despair - Bizet, for instance, died without knowing what an incredible success his opera Carmen was. Bach lived and died in poverty, and Mozart died in debt. But they immortalized themselves with their music. No one now thinks of Mozart as anything but a gentlemanly genius - not the type to need money in a pinch, certainly not the type to get hopelessly hung over - but in truth, he wrote the entire score for his world-famous opera Don Giovanni while incredibly inebriated.
This week, I made a practice account on Instagram to record my French horn journey. I've gotten follow requests from musicians in Peru and Canada, which is super flattering, and it's really nice to be able to share my passion with so many people. I hope people will remember my music after I'm gone, even though I'm certainly not going to break Strauss' record of composing an entire concerto at eighteen - or Mozart's record of "how many shots can I drink and still compose an opera in the morning..."
Anyway, all of this to say, people have to remember something in order for it to continue existing. So let's remember all of our fun "Mozart" stories to laugh about later, and let's promise each other never to forget those we love.
3 comments:
Clara, this was such a sentimental story. I think you are phenomenal and I love watching your instagram stories whenever it’s someone’s birthday because it brings me so much joy and happiness. You don’t meet a lot of people like you, with such a kind heart everyday, and I am so happy that I’ve met and gotten to know you over the years. I see such a successful and happy future for you, and just know that I for sure will always remember you and your French horn achievements. I am so proud of you!
Hi, Clara. I really like how you brought out the idea that while it is important to live life to the fullest, death is not necessarily the end of our existence. So many people live on through music or writing, and the arts is such a good way to express oneself. In today’s society, we have a lot of “yolo” aspects, often causing people to do things when they have the chance, but I also think that we can live life to the fullest by also taking a step back and just enjoying the day, which is something that Erica alluded to in one of her previous posts. I look forward to hearing Strauss I one day.
hi clara!! I just wanted to say how inspired I am by you everyday. You are truly one of the kindest people I have ever met. It's rare to meet someone filled with so much kindess, yet so much strength, and you are just that. You challenge yourself and whether you truly are or not, you look fearless doing it. I loved this blog post because it made me recognize just how much one lives on after they die. Like you said, I sometimes can get caught up in the idea of living life "to the fullest." I never want to take a day for granted because I feel like I have some perspective on how quickly life can be taken from you. With that being said, the way you treat others and your successes, that can live on forever. Clara, I can't wait to see what you do in this world with your intelligence and that French horn. You have brought so much happiness into the lives of your peers and I can't imagine what you're going to be capable of when you enter the real world. I promise I will always be cheering you on.
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