What is music? It is poetry set to music and all of us owe a large debt of gratitude to those who create it and perform it. Many of our fondest memories are anchored in music—first kiss, winning a championship, a perfect summer’s day at the beach, singing a new baby to sleep, her first concert, a hymn in Church at a baptism or wedding. Passages, achievements, action, adventure, love, birth and life are all remembered, experienced and mediated through music.
Music played a large role in the writing of the first novel, We Are All ONE in the Quantum Entity trilogy. Tunes Prof Bruce refers to and his characters experience which are performed at Artifex (http://www.exploriem.org/events/artifex/) include:
We are All One (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSZdWAcGndg)
Original Lyrics by Chris Brydges with assistance from Bruce Firestone
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen (k d lang, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-bj4TccyKk)
Amazing Grace by John Newton (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z5N1UDhx4o)
Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash performed with Willie Nelson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99CT3wQmiFU)
People Get Ready by Curtis Mayfield—a beautiful protest song and part of Book 2, Chapter 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervf7hIxZ3Y)
Talk of Hands (Book 2), Original Music by Carl Bray
Nell’s Folly—The Successors, Original Lyrics and Music by Chris Brydges
There are many other pieces that appear in the story as these amazing characters go through transitions of their own. What they are you will have to read the books (visit www.brucemfirestone.com to get a copy of Book 1) to find out.
Music brings people together, unites us with our world and its animal kingdom and ties us to the universe—as William Congreve in The Mourning Bride said in 1697, “Music hath powers to soothe the savage breast.”
It enriches our lives and I am profoundly grateful to my friends Andre Del Castillo, Chris Brydges and Carl Bray and many others for coming to Artifex to perform some of the music of Quantum Entity and to make this all possible.
Let me end with the last few words of a new song which we called We Are All ONE. This song asks that we each of us give our brothers and sisters a chance—to belong, to get along, to help and respect each other whether we are humans of different creeds or artificial creatures called Quantum Entities come to join humanity on its road to a destiny whatever that may be.
Rap:
In the Ivory Tower you forget that the people are the power, people in your Sights
“We are the People” means all of us; Quantum and Human Rights
Don’t fuss, get on the bus or rust, then march and bike and Sing
And strike and strike the Bell, and ring out freedom for all; remember to hear that we Say
When we say, we said that we say, “Take me back, take me back to the Day”
Chorus
All we are asking is give us a chance
All we are asking is give us a chance
All we are asking is give us a chance
Prof Bruce, Ottawa, Canada
June 2012
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