classical guitar - Spiritual Blogs - Ashtar Command - Spiritual Community2024-03-28T22:18:58Zhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/classical+guitarThe Abode Of The Blessedhttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/the-abode-of-the-blessed2013-02-02T20:30:58.000Z2013-02-02T20:30:58.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><div class="post-header" align="center"><div class="photo"><br /> <a href="http://poligraf.bandcamp.com/album/the-abode-of-the-blessed"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/the-abode-of-the-blessed-444.png?w=444" alt="" /></a></div></div><div class="post-player" align="center"><iframe src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/album=2201116323/size=grande2/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" frameborder="0" height="280" width="300"><a href="http://poligraf.bandcamp.com/album/the-abode-of-the-blessed">The Abode Of The Blessed by Christopher Stewart</a></iframe></div><p style="text-align:justify;">Believe it or not (and if you do, please help me believe it too), but I just published an album. It's a 4-song EP entitled «<em> <a href="http://poligraf.bandcamp.com/album/the-abode-of-the-blessed">The Abode Of The Blessed</a> </em>» that I recorded in an overnight session last weekend and produced this past week.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">But first things first. Before I go into more details about the music, here's the abridged version of what happened since my last post.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">After publishing « <em> Takers Economy </em> » at the end of August, I spent most of the following two months distributing and promoting it on the internet. The task was daunting and the progress was slow at first, but the process eventually yielded positive results.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Then I took a little time off, and I do mean off. I escaped to the countryside for about two weeks, where I mostly rested and dreamt about the next phase of my life. There was a lot of music making in those reveries. Far away from the city, I especially enjoyed the silence and the night skies. It had been a long while since I had last seen that many stars.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The return to civilization did not unfold quite as I had expected, and I finally had a chance to compose more music, and was even offered the opportunity to record some of it, which I gratefully accepted. The last few years had been dedicated to writing novels and essays, and so it felt very good to come back to music again. Indeed, I experienced it as a kind of rebirth, and so it was only apt that the classical guitar I had access to during this unexpected passage was a Renaissance model.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Over the course of my residency thus far, I wrote sixteen new compositions, eight songs and eight instrumentals, that I hope to release as a full-length album in the near future. I would have liked to produce them all here, but the tight recording window forced me to choose only a few.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The original plan was to record at least five of the compositions, and keep the four best tracks for the present EP. However, time constraints and technology determined which songs ultimately made it on the album.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The music is miles away from what I usually write. The pieces are basically folk songs that I believe most will categorize in the «<em> singer-songwriter </em>» genre. There are no intricate arrangements, it's just my voice and the nylon-string guitar. One thing for sure, it's a definite change of pace from the prog rock extravaganzas that I typically come up with.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Life being what it is, it looks like that will have to be it for now. I must run, really.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The album is <a href="http://poligraf.bandcamp.com/album/the-abode-of-the-blessed">available in various e-formats via Bandcamp</a>. The description follows below. Thanks in advance for your support. I hope you enjoy the songs !</p><div align="center">·</div><p style="text-align:justify;"><em>Does heaven really exist ?</em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><em>Some insist that it does, yet others seem to think that there cannot be such a place.</em></em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><em>I have been searching for paradise for most of my life, and on several occasions I actually thought I had discovered it, but in hindsight I'm not sure I can claim to have been very successful. Or in any case, that's what I used to reckon until I tried to resign myself to the unacceptable conclusion that it was merely a fanciful invention, and considered that I would never find it. That's about when I happened to stumble upon its hall.</em></em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><em>I definitely wasn't looking for anything of the sort when I was offered to stay in this surprising location. Nor was I quite certain of where I was at first. However, after various eye-opening occurrences, it finally struck me that I very possibly have reached the vestibule to heaven. Apparently, the blessed come and go to this uncanny domain, some to rest for a while, and others to perform their angelic duties.</em></em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><em>I haven't been officially admitted to paradise yet, so I'm only speculating, but it would appear that some of the guests here are waiting to be granted access. Or more precisely, we have a challenge to overcome before we are allowed to move onward.</em></em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><em>« The Abode Of The Blessed » documents my unexpected sojourn in this enchanting mansion, this antechamber of the promised land, were I received much support, was taught important lessons, and experienced many validations of prior understandings.</em></em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><em>The songs depict the task that I must discharge, some of the dwellers, and their own trials and tribulations. The music aims to provide inspiration and encouragement to those who have to go through a similar process.</em></em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><em>All in all, having seen this place that feels like a gateway to paradise, it looks very likely that there's a heaven. So here I am, advancing into the unknown, all the while attempting to leave footprints behind so you can find your way too.</em></em></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><em><em>Onward, beautiful dreamer !</em></em></p></div>Exposition (Polygraph part 1)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/exposition-polygraph-part-12012-09-17T21:30:00.000Z2012-09-17T21:30:00.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/444px-bookfred_011.png?w=444" alt="444px-bookfred_011.png?w=444" /> <br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(<a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BookFred_011.JPG">Untitled Artwork</a> by Fred Bonneau)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object width="290" height="24" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><embed wmode="opaque" id="audioplayer" width="290" height="24" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" flashvars="playerID=audioplayer&soundFile=http://k002.kiwi6.com/uploads/hotlink/7hy1wmmcdp" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal"></embed> </object></div><p></p><p>« Polygraph » is intended as a portrait of human relationships turning to the sour, hinting at the necessity of constant genuineness. The composition lasts a little over 10 minutes and is composed of the following four sections :</p><ol><li>Exposition</li><li>Confrontation</li><li>Consideration</li><li>Vindication</li></ol><p></p><p>I have a particular fondness for that piece of music. One fine evening many years ago, the TV was on to Robert Lepage’s movie « Le Polygraphe » as I stumbled upon the main motif while trying some tapping patterns on my classical guitar. When time came to sequence the motif, the music reminded me of the movie and so I named the file « Polygraph. » The band was still looking for its name at the time, and I felt compelled to add this peculiar word to a growing list of potential names that were submitted weekly to the boys at rehearsals. An awful lot of names were suggested during that period, but « polygraph » was the first to which nobody voiced any objection, so we gratefully jumped on it, and the rest is history...</p><p>The introductory movement of the suite is entitled « Exposition » and aims to evoke a heated yet still somewhat civilized exchange, not reaching the point where the relationship degrades to lower and better left undescribed levels of disrespect.</p><p>The Discipline-era King Crimson influence is undeniable here, and to my ear the second variation sounds like something from Steve Reich’s « Drumming. »</p><p>The lyrics to this first part are now, if not complete, at least pretty much done, as I have a feeling that I will revisit and tweak some of them before they are granted the seal of definitiveness. <br /> <br /> <em>One says dark<br /> One says light<br /> Who's telling lies ?<br /> Who's feeding the fight ?<br /> Truth is on their side<br /> Or so they proclaim<br /> Both have their pride<br /> And when they collide<br /> It's no more a game<br /> <br /> One says black<br /> One says white<br /> Their exchanges<br /> Are far from forthright<br /> Trying to corner<br /> And manipulate<br /> Shame dishonor<br /> Demean the other<br /> Or they will checkmate<br /> <br /> One says day<br /> One says night<br /> Hurtful replies<br /> Are no oversight<br /> Clever and nasty<br /> Words don't betray spite<br /> Yet they carry<br /> All their enmity<br /> Both can feel the bite<br /></em></p></div>Confrontation (Polygraph part 2 - revisited)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/confrontation-polygraph-part-2-revisited2012-07-24T17:01:28.000Z2012-07-24T17:01:28.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/444px-confrontation.jpg?w=444" alt="" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cordalth/475986312/">Confrontation</a> » by cordalth)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" id="audioplayer" height="24" width="290"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>« Polygraph » is intended as a portrait of human relationships turning to the sour, hinting at the necessity of constant kindness and genuineness. The suite lasts about ten minutes and is composed of the following four sections : « Exposition, » « Confrontation, » « Deliberation, » and « Vindication. »<br /></p><p>While the introductory movement describes a heated yet still somewhat civilized exchange, the second chapter, « Confrontation, » aims to depict the often difficult yet cathartic experience of having to stand one's ground and defend one's views when criticism or outright attack threatens one's balance and inner peace.<br /></p><p>The section was originally conceived as an instrumental wherein a dialogue between guitar and saxophone represents the conversation as it devolves into somewhat of a shouting match. Eventually though, I experimented with replacing the already written notes with words, more as a literary exercise than in an attempt to convert the piece into a sung duet. The undertaking proved harder than I had expected, but in hindsight that's what made it even more worthwhile. The lyrics are presented below, and assuming the HTML is preserved as posted, the replies of the guitar should appear in black on the right side, while those of the saxophone should be seen in white on the left side.<br /> <br /></p><div style="padding:16px;background-color:#aaaaaa;margin-left:64px;margin-right:64px;" align="left"><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Listen<br /> People<br />I am here to tell you<br /><br />In this<br />Matter<br />I know better than you<br /><br />I have<br />Learned about it<br />It cannot be otherwise<br /><br />And all<br />Who disagree<br />Can only be telling lies</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Please do<br /> Listen<br />I have this to tell you<br /><br />In this<br />Matter<br />Don't let no one fool you<br /><br />Practice<br />Self-reliance<br />Better to trust your own eyes<br /><br />Don't let<br />Anybody<br />Try and tell you otherwise</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>People<br /> Confide in me<br />It is the truth I've read it</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>It does<br /> Not have to be<br />We can transcend this limit</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>No way<br /> No one<br />escapes the consequence</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Careful<br /> There are<br />Flaws in your inference</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Untrue !<br /> Be wary folks !<br />Do not hear this influence !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>And what<br /> About this quote<br />See I have the reference</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Merely<br /> Baseless belief !<br />Nothing but pseudoscience !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>See this<br /> Experiment<br />More positive evidence</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>I will<br /> Not accept this<br />You're banned from the conference !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Unfair !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Get out !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>I'm not done !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Go away !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>That's mean !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Who cares !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Let me in !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Out you stay !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Listen</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Shut up !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>I won't !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>That's enough !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Don't boss me !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Stop !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Stop me !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Silence !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>No way !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>I warn you !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Oh no you don't !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>You're wrong</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Says who ?</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>I do</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Small wonder</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>You're claim is false !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>It's true !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Nonsense !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Here's proof</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>You're lying !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Good luck with that !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Leave now !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Make me !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>Obey !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>First hear me !</em></p><p style="text-align:right;background-color:#dddddd;padding:4px;color:#000000;"><em>No I will not !</em></p><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#aaaaaa;color:#FFFFFF;font-weight:bold;"><em>Then I will stay<br /> Give me my say<br />These are no lies<br />Apologize !</em></p><p></p></div></div>Sooner Or Later (revisited - with poetry)https://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/profiles/blogs/sooner-or-later-revisited-with-poetry2012-07-08T03:28:57.000Z2012-07-08T03:28:57.000ZChristopher Stewarthttps://www.ashtarcommandcrew.net/members/ChristopherStewart<div><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://poligraf.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/poligrafmultiacnylon320.jpg" alt="poligrafmultiacnylon320.jpg" /><br /> <span style="font-size:x-small;">(« <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/poligraf/533813459/in/set-724774/" target="_blank">Multiac Nylon</a> » by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/poligraf/" target="_blank">poligraf</a>)</span><br /></p><div align="center"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" id="audioplayer" height="24" width="290"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never" ></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="internal" ></param><param name="movie" value="http://kiwi6.com/swf/player.swf" ></param><param name="wmode" value="opaque" ></param></object></div><br /><p>« Sooner Or Later » does not comes from Poligraf's catalogue as such. Rather, it is a piece for solo guitar that I intend to publish on an album of about ten acoustic compositions, all featuring the classical guitar, either playing solo or accompanied by other acoustic instruments.<br /></p><p>The original title of this piece was « Maybe Later, » but I never liked it that much because of the element of doubt and uncertainty that it conveys, which doesn't fit the music. I reworked some parts while getting ready to record the present demo, and along with the changes came the new and more appropriate title.<br /></p><p>While the first half of the piece starts in a reflective mood that leads into a peaceful passage, the second half remains upbeat and playful until the tongue-in-cheeky coda.<br /></p><p>Here's the poetry that I composed for this instrumental :<br /></p><p><em>say do you remember<br /> when you renounced your throne<br />time had come to gather<br />the fruits that you had sown<br /><br />couldn't stand no longer<br />circumstances outgrown<br />nor could future further<br />unconsciously postpone<br /><br />true love is forever<br />and you had always known<br />that sooner or later<br />that road would be your own<br /><br />setting out to conquer<br />noble the enterprise<br />chariot of fire<br />you hero on the rise<br /><br />driven by the hunger<br />and the smile in those eyes<br />sometimes lows would deter<br />but you thrived on the highs<br /><br />tipped off by the spider<br />rewarded by the flies<br />shooting star of ardour<br />serendipitous skies<br /><br />angelic caretaker<br />inspired you to surmise<br />that sooner or later<br />you would obtain the prize<br /><br />once blindfolded juggler<br />one hand behind your back<br />willing to consider<br />one more torch in the stack<br /><br />consummate plate spinner<br />you always had the knack<br />to wow the onlooker<br />while avoiding the wrack<br /><br />but that challenge greater<br />had you taken aback<br />fearful of disaster<br />prone to panic attack<br /><br />tyro wire walker<br />trembling above the pack<br />left with daily wonder<br />why life cut you no slack<br /><br />would it have been clearer<br />written in white on black<br />that sooner or later<br />your step would miss the track<br /><br />witnessing in horror<br />your creation finespun<br />destroyed in a quarter<br />the dream had come undone<br /><br />down under the weather<br />by your guilt overrun<br />dark clouds of dishonour<br />were obscuring the sun<br /><br />but life wasn't over<br />though the event did stun<br />and still your endeavour<br />could be a fruitful one<br /><br />had you known your labour<br />was meant for the long run<br />much sooner than later<br />your quest would have begun<br /><br />as hope touched your shoulder<br />you lifted up your chin<br />finding back your valour<br />you recovered your grin<br /><br />and against your fervour<br />you knew walls would give in<br />and sooner or later<br />that you couldn't but win<br /><br />looking back together<br />and enjoying the view<br />pray this question answer<br />tell me you always knew<br /><br />was it any wonder<br />that it had to be you<br />that sooner or later<br />you would be set free too</em></p></div>