The music of harmony

Some time ago we displayed sheets on our balcony with the words “We will do it” (and when Remo can't do it, all that remains is to call Romulus too…). Now, however, we could almost expose the phrase "We almost made it", perhaps for a hair. But in spite of everything, another year has passed and we are still here, I cheerfully on these pages and you (perhaps) reading (but do you read?), So it's still fine.

I specify (for the different Piedmontese) that tavanare means cheerfully discussing a specific topic, ruminating on it with freedom, irony and lightness, possibly with hilarity and wit (of wine) of a person apparently in a very light state of intoxication, one who has drank half a glass of Barbera too much. On the other hand, our wise Latin ancestors argued that In vino veritas, therefore, one may run into the danger of saying intelligent things (but if that is not the case). Our life has changed and is still changing, and our mission now is to find the rhythm so as not to be left behind. How to say ... It is urgent to stay at the Pass, because losing the Pass is a serious problem. Our life is often a matter of rhythm, much more than we imagine, and by rhythm I mean the order of motion, the motion of our heart, our breath, the rhythm of our gait, the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness, day and night, and then the rhythm marked by all our recurring, infinite and urgent work, extra-work and family commitments, real, presumed or imaginary. Going to the Pass is an urgent, essential issue. It doesn't matter if you have almost made it, you just have to do it. What a tragic prospect ... Anxiety has already risen ... In music the rhythm can be slowed down, sometimes dilated to our liking, and perhaps even in life there is a margin of maneuver within which we can intervene, to avoid making the Pass longer than the leg, and this is a reassuring prospect.

But to stay in musical arguments, I have the feeling that our time and (in it) our life lack harmony rather than rhythm. Harmony is the study of the concatenations of chords, that "knowing" that forms the sense of taste, that "feeling" that after a given chord makes us find another "beautiful". This is what we really lack: harmony, understood as the pleasure of being together, of being there in peace, in respect, in the joy of living. When a family lives in difficult times, it is saved only if it stays together, if it seeks unity, balance (or harmony) among its members. The same does a herd, a tribe, the same should do a people, a state, a world. In dark times we must focus on unity and the beautiful things that unite us. I have often seen people argue and even fight each other talking about football, politics, ethics and religion, money, Covid ...
But I've never seen anyone argue about music.
Harmony seems to be his (almost exclusive) prerogative, and he always disposes to dialogue, never to hatred. Note that my reasoning does not have the pretensions of an Aristotelian syllogism (I am always tavanando, I remind you ...), however this story of harmony sounds to me (it should be said) rather convincing. See for yourself ... I wish you a new year filled with so much beautiful music, melody, harmony and rhythm!
And always make sure you don't lose your Pass!


Mauro Tabasso
NP December 2021