Recent Autumn Memory

This summer has not been as warm as others have. Perhaps this is the reason why I have already, unconsciously, begun to think about autumn. Autumn, as a season, provides one with a dazzling and powerful colour palette to daub what would otherwise be dull surroundings. This happened a few years ago.

Recently whilst out jogging, I saw a leaf slowly falling down from a tree. As soon as it touched the floor, Bach’s ‘Keyboard Concerto №7 — Andante’ kicked off on my mp3 player. On the surface there was nothing strange in that scene. We’re in autumn with trees performing their annual strip-tease as usual, whenever I don’t cycle to work, I walk and I usually take my mp3 player with me. I’ve got a few pieces by Bach on it. But there was a different smell. a different feel in the air this time around. Then it hit me. That leaf, was not just a leaf, it was a page coming off my life’s calendar. It was nature’s way of telling me that I was (am) getting older. Maybe wiser, too? I don’t know, I hope so.

The second movement of Bach’s ‘Keyboard Concerto’ has an interesting story behind it. According to Wiki, the musician intended to compose a full harpsichord concerto but didn’t alter much the strings parts, resulting in the keyboard instrument being overwhelmed by the rest of the ensemble. You can almost hear the piano in the second movement (Andante) wanting to free itself from the cello, violin and viola’s claws, only for the latter three to trap it again.

In certain ways my life’s been like that, usually seeking to gain and preserve my…