"More than a name on the list of Great XX Century Composers (international),
- Jorge Peixinho played a pivotal role in contemporary Portugal.".
Today is a special day indeed.
It is Martin Luther King Day, and this precise day our beloved Jorge Peixinho would have turned 75.. (a dear friend and teacher, to many of us, to many more one who enriched the nation's history in many ways as well as the history of the world's Contemporary Music.. I can still remember vividly how Stockhausen and others were attached to his genius, and not only in friendship)
..not to mention his over so many years bringing forth to the world's attention the likes of Emmanuel Nunes, Clotilde Rosa, Constança Capdeville , and many, many others.
A generous spirit whilst dealing with colleagues, students and the public in general, he always had as a driving force in his nature, beyond his well recognized brilliance as a composer, and pianist, wherever he went being cherished and held as a valueable member of the contemporary music scene throughout the world, a will to divulge, pursue and make known the most significant and current musical trends in musical creativity by his peers outside the country in his homeland,
while simultaneously doing the opposite and taking his peers plus their music with him abroad (he travelled the globe extensively before and after the Portuguese revolution of the seventies, even during the cold war within both sides of the iron curtain, as well as other continents)
What I've mentioned plus his past standing up for what he personally believed in along with values in the realm of social activism , his never having given into being a "yes man" so as to be favoured by regimes prior or after April, 1974 made his endeavours and life's work all the more monumental.
Though never incarcerated per se this was nevertheless at times done at great personal cost as is known.
As early as 1974, at the age of 34 he was elected to the illustrious Executive Committee for the "International Society for Contemporary Music" (ISCM), a Society that had been founded in 1922 that includes more than 60 organisations in over 50 countries (on every continent).
"Genius" was (and is) the word that would always immediately come to mind or be spoken when referring to the man. All that knew him personally, whether through work, study or otherwise know this very well. Even if his incredible gifts and stature would be sidetracked due to informal contact and familiarity, there was no way to take such a thing for granted.
The nature of the extraordinary gifts that were revealed in the "child prodigy" remained with him throughout his lifetime as well as his uncanny musical capacity and advancement (both as a composer and musician).
He revolutionized (shocking many) society in his own homeland, in the early 60s (1961-64), by presenting work by John Cage, for example, and continued throughout his life to bring the
"avant-guard" to the nation and share the nation's "avant-guard" with the world.
With the aid of his regular collaborators and friends in 1970 he founded a unique group, one of the leading ensembles for the interpretation of contemporary music (still thankfully in existence today) - G M C L
Not just Luigi Nono, Pierre Boulez, Joly Braga Santos, David Tudor, Karlheinz Stockhausen and the other above mentioned composers (to mention some) loved and admired him, all who had the good fortune to have him in their lives felt the same.
Many other prized composers (nationally & internationally) other than those mentioned already, many more were close and/or emerged from his classes (Isabel Soveral, Eurico Carrapatoso and Carlos Azevedo to mention just a few more.
I am aware that I must be forgetting to mention other valuable composers (from Portugal and abroad) that at the moment due to the late hour I am regretfully omitting. It is obviously not on purpose and I beg your indulgence. As a matter of fact I would be quite pleased if anyone should wish to add .
It may at times not seem so, but his having gone (at the age of 55) was a hard blow
(not only to friends and students, but much more)
He had a very big heart,
(figuratively and literally speaking)..
...
........... miss him,
miss him
(we all do).
Tomorrow, for whomsoever can and wishes to go to either of the two events, or other related events throughout the year - please look up the following link (announced on fb) - any further announcements that come to my knowledge in other sites of tomorrows celebrations, or the others that shall occur during 2015 I shall endeavour to add bellow in the comments to this post.
Tomorrow's events - LINK
In my case, since there is new legislation beginning to be enforced this week, concerning the date of our vehicles only, and despite like many, having a car that is checked at least once every year for fuel emissions and standard mechanical safety certification (obligatory every year), being well under the maximum permitted (I have an automobile that is Japanese and indeed it shouldn't be hard to know why they are known for their concern on the subject, and for such a long time), I have a car prior to the stipulated date.
Even though it pollutes less than other vehicles that frequently are newer, and much less than most of the public transportation (busses) in the city that I've had to and will always apparently have to endure when they pass or are in front of me, and even in spite of implementing said new ruling when public transportation is extremely deficient, (there were far more busses, trams, trains and streetcars in the 80s for instance, and they began their shifts in and out, as well as throughout, of the city much earlier - 5am and ending much later - 3am, on a daily basis) and have been progressively cut back for quite sometime now (with no change in policies to be seen in the near or far off future), the way things stand I can not attend.
He was a dear friend, teacher and in many aspects a mentor as well.
As many of my own colleagues and friends can recall, he used to always take the "president's" seat at my birthdays, he was seen on his, I went to concerts with him, or of his (as many had, thankfully), and it saddens me profoundly to be thus kept from going.
I'm deeply hurt that the city where I was born, where like others I had the chance to study under his care and enjoy his company has now shut me off, made my physical attendance impossible, not only due to the deficient public transportation and outrageous price it would cost to go by taxi (coming in from well outside the capital), but because personal circumstances have made it impossible to transport myself unless it be by my own means (having to go elsewhere the same day among other things).
Unfortunately I will be needing and able to place a "handicapped" sticker due to the physical condition of a member in my immediate family, and upon attaining said permit apparently be able to use my car in the city. The physical rehabilitation of that person is still in progress. I may perhaps (though unlikely) not need it which obviously would be a good thing.
I will not bore you with more details. Tomorrow is a day for happiness and not tears.
Tomorrow my soul will travel to (be in) the commemorations that celebrate his wonderful life.
Thank you very much for reading this blog.
Have a very, very nice day.
Take care.
Já estou um pouco desmotivada para me "auto-traduzir" no entanto, creio que quem conheça a nossa língua, ao ver o nome, entenderá quando digo que ele não necessita apresentações.
Amanhã celebra-se o nosso grande (grande não, enorme) Jorge Peixinho..
Também irão decorrer mais eventos ao longo do ano. Faria 75 anos hoje este nosso genial tesouro da música nacional.
Ligação dos eventos de amanhã
Quaisquer futuros eventos com isto relacionados, e que tiver conhecimento, anunciados neste ou noutros locais da internet, colocarei mais abaixo nos "comentários" a este artigo.
Beijinhos querido Jorge, muitos, onde quer que estejas, no teu coração.
Parece que foi ontem que te podíamos ver agarrar com aquele prazer que se vê nos miúdos traquinas ao fazer o que está interdito (que felizmente não fazias muito, se não ainda te teríamos perdido mais cedo, quiçá, ..esse mafarriquento coração de uma figa..), agarrar num charuto, soprá-lo para dentro de um balão de conhaque e saboriar, e com um gozo que só visto..
A todos uma boa noite.
Bem hajam.
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