Siggy’s Blurbs

Music is mathematics.  A beautiful piece of music is composed of empty spaces and notes of various intensity and pitch and somehow they all fit together and become a composition.  I can not tell you how to get it there but I can tell you when it works.

I can tell you when I string together on a cassette, let us say forty minutes of music, composed, maybe, of thirteen songs, it somehow fits together.  It is done intuitively and is based on forty years of listening ten of thousands of hours.

An anthology of music I put together that way contains the “best” of what is out there and fits together.  Ultimately taste in the quality of music is a gift.  Music is mathematics and my experience in listening enables me to separate the mediocre from the very good and also know what music blends together.

The best songs from the “Stones” and “The Beatles” to name two familiar groups hold up well because the musicianship is impeccable and holds up well to repeated listening.  The composers had a superb ear and the ability to get it “right”.  Music is always mathematics.

Tags: a good ear for music, Beatles, beautiful piece of music, best songs, cassette, composers, composition, empty spaces, music, music anthology, music is mathematics, musical notes, musicians, musicianship, pitch, quality of music, Rolling Stones, years of listening to music
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For a long time there were two forms of education I was undergoing:  one, my formal education and the other, the education I was receiving on my own.

All during my schooling I continued to read what I wanted to, whatever came across my path, whatever interested me.  As far back as I can remember I had a library card to the local library and made many trips there.  At home we always had plenty of reading material–magazines and books everywhere.

I did do my school work and received good grades but I had no illusion:  my independent reading was far more important and really my true education.

Yes, it is true some people get educated despite themselves but I always found the time to read whatever came across me and whatever interested me.  I felt most of the time I just went through the motions in most subjects in school.

There were some subjects that interested me particularly in school like Latin and mathematics and biology.  And maybe, I put forth extra effort there.

If the truth be known I was far more interested in participating in gym and in high school playing for the tennis team.  In fact, I was excited that in high school we had gym every day.

I felt these sports instilled an attitude to never give up until the game is over, which was no small lesson to learn which stood me well later in life.

I no longer go to school but I still read widely and for pleasure.  The literal translation of the word “education” come from the Latin “educare” which means to lead.  Education means “to lead toward”.  It is a process, not an end point, not an degree.  It is an unending journey.  And I am still on it.

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