More rhetorical music

I've got to put this improvisation up (it's stored on the piano!). About to go to Ras al Khaimah...

rhetoric and music

thinking about exhortation, coercion and disruption in music. Teaching and learning experts group today...

Deia Impressions

Just returned from wonderful visit to Dai and Franscesca in Deia, Majorca. Fantastic weather, Izzy's first flight, Astrid's and my first attempt at clearing an olive grove, great food, fascinating conversations... all wonderful memories! Musically, two things struck me: the Spanish/arabic modal phrygian melodies - and 'the ash grove' which Dai played on the Mandolin. Bit of a synthesis here (and rather poor recording..)

Rhetorical Music

I've been thinking about Rhetoric in music (and Rhetoric in everything else)- what are the components which change our feelings. Here's one way of making distinctions about this: Music to satisfy our habits and expectations, music to appeal to our reason, music which appeals to aspiration, opening-out and transcendence. There are three types of music here - the 'grounded' open 5ths are anti-oscillatory, the rich sonorous chords are transcendental and the motivic bits in the middle are to do with reason. Still thinking about it....!

Tying things up

Gradually putting together a final presentation of the findings from the SPLICE project. In the end, I've chosen to present it as a Content Package (using RELOAD!) -because it gives me flexibility as to how I present it.

Looking back to last Easter when I was so consumed by Luhmann and the Personal/Private distinction. A lot of that is coming into the SPLICE stuff. But my real concern here is increasingly institutional change - that's the difference between last year and this.

Every year I find something new which makes me grow intellectually. Last year it was Luhmann. This year I think it's probably Cicero, and the whole issue Rhetoric vs Philosophy. This translates for me not only into the way we approach technology, but into how we manage institutions and what we do with our learners.

song

Had a go at writing words and music for this. It didn't work very well, so I think I will try to have the words already there next time...

Sunday Magnificat

Wonderful day today with Astrid (great weekend generally apart from having terrible sore throat)... I wrote about it and then turned the writing into this movie... I'm fascinated by the extent to which the pen reveals the person - it seems very powerful. The improvisation makes more use of motifs - that's something to be explored too....

Gregor Schneider and dark places

Went with Dai and his daughter to the Whitworth gallery to see the surrealism exhibition - very impressed again with Gregor Schneider - went into KinderZimmer... very dark and disorientating. Very Batesonian. On the way there, heard a Handel aria which seemed to peculiarly fit the run-down estates of Moss Side. Lots of talking with Astrid about fear. What's to fear?

Birth

Izzy's brother was born today at 10:30. I got the call when I attended Izzy's School Centenary celebrations, where I heard her sing in the school choir, and was given a tour of the school. Year 1 class very interesting: real mixed-ability teaching, separate tables, different activities (although determined by teacher, not children). This is the sort of activity design that IMS LD should try to capture! Went to hospital with Izzy to see her mum. Read Christopher Small's book 'Music, Society, Education' in the library while she was there. All is good.