Today I am presenting a recording I produced of a piece called The Swan. I learned this piece many years ago and in reflection, I thought of the analogy my teacher used to help me learn it. On the surface is the swan (the cello), graceful and smooth. Beneath it, unseen, are its feet (the piano), furiously flapping away. As the current changes and the fury of the feet rise and fall, the swan maintains its composure. This piece holds special meaning to me, as my teacher lost her struggle with cancer several years ago. In playing this, I reflect on the struggle of every cancer patient as they maintain their identities and lives despite the fury of activity and emotion below the surface, often unseen, remaining graceful like the swan. I dedicate this to my late teacher, Grazyna.
Thanks so much,
Adam Caulfield