Every great artist inspires love, devotion and awakening of true self as does the pianist, Helene Grimaud. I visited her guest book on her web site at Deutschgrammophon and spent a long time perusing her messages.
These intimate conversations with Helene Grimaud, left anonymously by her fans touched my heart. They were a fascinating and poetic outpouring of love, spiritual confession, appreciation and devotion.
It seemed wrong to me that these lyrical letters written in the tradition of courtly love would be left in a dark, virtual dead letter office to eventually disappear. Many of the letters are glimmers into intimate recesses of the human heart, for like an archetypal Moon Goddess, Helene's music rides across the night night sky and into the human spirit.
I felt that they deserved to see the light of day and be appreciated for their beauty, charm and authenticity. Whether one is reading the witty and erudite prose of PrincePeterofNew York or the dark despair of Brontian youth in search of their diva anima, or poets inspired by her such as A of Croatia, they deserve to be preserved for their artistic value.
Once a month I will be devoting a special post to these "conversations with Helene Grimaud." Perhaps it is a particular and luminous quality of otherness in la belle, Helene's music that makes it possible for her audience to connect with their deeper selves. I remember writing that Helene was a poet's musician and these letters prove this to be true. Threaded like silver through out them are the words of all who understand the universal language of music.
The postings presented are extracts in many cases of longer conversations. Dates, names and other details have been changed to further protect the anonymity of the original posters.
I hope that you enjoy them as I did.
Princess Haiku
Conversations with Helene:
PrincePeterofNewYork
United Sates
07-11-2008
Mon Cherie Helene,
Bonne Anniversaire!
Pour toi!
Aphrodite by Victor Daley
On a golden dawn in the dawn sublime
Of years ere the stars had ceased to sing,
Beautiful out of the sea-deeps cold,
Aphrodite arose- the flower of Time,
That dear to the day of her blossoming,
The old, old Sea had borne in his heart.
Around her worshipping waves did part
Tremulous-glowing in rose and gold.
And the birds broke forth into singing sweet,
And flowers born scentless breathed perfume:
Softly she smiled upon Man forlorn,
And the music of love in his wild heart beat,
And down to the pit went his gods of gloom,
And earth grew bright and fair as a bride,
And folk in the star- worlds wondering cried-
"Lo, n the skies a new star is born!"
O Beloved, thus on my small world you
Rose, flushing it all with rosy flame!
Changing sad thoughts to a singing throng,
And creating the earth and sky anew!
As Love you appeared- and, lo, you are Fame,
And, all my follies and sins despite,
You yet, Beloved, may see my light-Small, but a star- mid the stars of song.
Bonne Anniversaire!
Je t'aime et je t'adore,
Pierre
Song
Chicago
16-03-2009
The seats were filled with all kinds of people
Mine was filled with me... but a different me
I did not shed a tear... my eyes did not fill with tears
I missed your playing and your smiling face
The piano did not sound like a bell...
I love a Helen who dazzles me with creativity...
I love a Helen who dazzles me with hide and seek
I love a Helen for she hides in the dark ocean
I love Helen like I love Houdini!
Samurai
Japan
10-03-2009
The Samurai is like the water. His mind is in abysmal stillness. When she calls him he doesn't come... When she wants to give he doesn't accept because he's not a beggar... The Samurai understands the meaning of everything she says, even her silence.
Silver
Greece
05-12-2008
Megaron the palace of music in Athens, Greece
I used to go by this building almost daily
I did not known that one day in the future it would be a place to display your talents.
I did not know I would not be present in physical sense
I did not know I could be present in a mental sense wither
I loved your presence and talk before the concert started.
The walk below the Acropolis and the Plaka restaurant we had lunch
A climb to the Erotokritos site not far but only a heavy climb to the foothill.
Love,
Opus
Greece
11-22-2008
My dear Helene,
The theme is "safe and sound"
The frequency is 54.6
Colors are Violet
M twin sister and You
A huntress with bow and arrows
My sculpture on display in Louvre, Paris.
Perhaps you can honor me by playing something
Study my bow and ... play the "spacious dance" songs
I promise when you direct attention this way
Artemis, Kalliste you will discover
More melodic than the sweetest concerto you ever heard
Mnemosyne will help you remember it.
My arrow traveled along the shoreline by the calm blue sea
Missed my brother's Adam's Apple landed on the
white French door below the golden ornate handle.
Come when you can!
AR
Pakistan
10-29-2008
I love watching you in the Helene Grimaud Master Class
The sounds and your explanations have become my secret teacher
Showing me the beauty I can be in every step of my development.
Mav
France
10-16-2008
I cannot tell you how much you touch me with your music... and your wolves.
Lostangel
San Diego
08-10-2008
The letter I received about postponement of your recital in La Jolla, sadly disappointed me. Three times has Southern California been forsaken of your talents. The last concert scheduled in Los Angeles you appeared only then to disappear. After effects of pneumonia. I understand. Not to sound unkind but it's been a series of bath luck. Best of luck to you in your travels.
Stairway
Greece
10-09-2008
Selene, brings the shadows and then the mind fills in the harmonies you think about but do not play.
Mystery
Malta
25-06-2008
You can continue loving her and not tell her. You can send her a love letter each day. You can train your anima to be just like her, and then you will not need her or burden her in any way. You can pray to the goddess of love. First, you must discover whom she likes and then you can bring her along. The archetypes can influence your intended lover. You can do Mantras each day. Stop being arrogant about what you love and ask her to tell you what she loves.
Noangel
Italy
06-06-2008
You can consider yourself free when you are what you've chosen to be.
Flav
Greece
I was very fortunate to get a word with you on a certain score that rings so clear in my mind. I felt like I was handling to you the beginnings of a new idea. I have been working on this score for months with passion and energy.
I read this poem by William Blake that I would like to share with you.
Unless the eye, ear, tongue, heart and mind catch fire
God will not be seen, heard, named, loved and not be known!
Cello
Czech Republic
09-25-2007
I think it should be hard to play in our country's concert halls, became many of the pianos are of a poor quality. The only Fazioli piano is situated at the Academy of Music in Prague and it is so broken and out of tune, that it rests in the corner of the concert hall abandoned.
I hope you'll not think all of the people in CZ are the same and we still want real pianists performing here. I hope that we can look forward to future performances you by in Prague!
Yours sincerely,
17 y.o.
Valentin
Amsterdam
08-09-2007
Musical Key
An explorer at heart is searching for some treasure
perhaps a lost archeological treasure
Or a desire hiding in the dark unconscious
But something right at the tips of her fingers
Eros
San Franciso
06-09-2007
Immortal Beloved
This is such a bold concept
Just like redo
She brings the aromatic breeze that cools the skin
Tantalized the mind and spirit
When the sun sets she arrives
And she is gone when the sun rises
She loves dark Eros the most
Mindful
Greece
05-24-2007
I went back to the book to discover a section where you may have hidden your secret. The secret is what the artist does with their mind. Thanks for the tour!
Imago
UK
10-12-2006
To Helen
Edgar Allan Poe
Helen, thy beauty is to me
Like those Nicean barks of yore
That gently, o'er a perfumed sea,
The wary, way-worn wanderer bore
To his own native shore.
On desperate seas long wont to roam,
Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face
Thy Naiad airs have brought me home
To the glory that was Greece,
And the grandeur that was Rome.
Lo, in yon brilliant window-niche
How statue-like I see thee stand,
the agate lamp within thy hand,
Ah! Psyche, from the region which
Are Holy Land!
Posts
2 comments:
It's partly her incredible, unearthly beauty...and the whole conversations with wolves thing. So mysterious. BUT...the music. Ahhh, that's where the lover is caught. The Rachmaninoff 2nd, the Ravel...Gershwin! One wishes to hear no other versions after her performance.
i really enjoy your posting choice, very unique.
don't give up as well as keep writing in all honesty , because it simply just very well worth to follow it.
excited to browse through way more of your own content, goodbye ;)
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