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On fire! |
Registered: March 2012
Messages: 2344
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Neph here.
One of the recognized forms in classical music is 'variations on a theme'. In this genre the composer takes a theme and "plays around" with it. Sometimes the theme is "original": that is to say that the composer himself devised the theme on which he developed the variations. More often than not, however, the composer takes a theme that someone else composed and uses it to develop his own variations. There are many famous examples of this: Brahms' variations on a theme by Haydn and Chopin's variations on a theme by Mozart. Possibly the one that might be best known to people here is Benjamin Britten's variations on a theme by Henry Purcell, which is better known as the "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra". (Britten himself was featured in the 'Famous Gays' slot on this message board some time ago.)
The latest story by Grasshopper also falls into the genre of 'variations on a theme'. In its own way it is a masterpiece of writing. It is almost as if Grasshopper were saying, "Yes, Anne, it could be as you say; but it could also be very different: take a look." The ideational and circumstantial connections between 'Promises To Keep' and the short story by Anne Proulx 'Brokeback Mountain' are pretty obvious. Indeed, they are so obvious that this must have been Grasshopper's intention. (I am talking about the short story, not the movie which I have not seen.)
'Promises to Keep' is not a short story: it is more like a novelette. But its theme and the author's development of the story kept me entranced and I read all nine chapters within almost one sitting. I found only one problem with 'Promises to Keep' and that is that it is too short: I wanted it to go on and on. I am truly awed by Grasshopper's ability to write from the heart in a manner that is engaging and heart-wrenching: "what comes from the heart goes directly to the heart" - of each and every reader. Now this ability is not easily achieved; sometimes it can seem to be contrived. For example, there are moments in Puccini's score for his opera 'La Bohème where I can almost hear the instruction 'tear glands work - now'. When Grasshopper makes you weep from the heart it is in no way contrived: it is a natural reaction to the dramatic situation so wonderfully created.
Thank you for reading this rather verbose appreciation. All I really want to do is to thank Grasshopper for creating such wondrous 'variations on a theme'.
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