Lubomyr Melnyk: Lush Minimalism at 19.5 Notes Per Second This Saturday

Lubomyr Melnyk, a pioneer of “continuous music,” will be dropping by Yue Fu this Saturday (Oct 18) to present his minimalist piano technique based on extremely rapid notes and martial arts-like discipline, resulting in a constantly evolving tapestry of sound. The Beijinger spoke to him about his influences, creative process, and how Chinese culture has affected his music.

What would you be if you weren’t a composer or pianist?
Oh dear, this is difficult. I assume you mean what I would like to be. Maybe impossible to answer, but in truth, I would like to be an angel. If God would give his blessing.

When did you start composing, and who were your early influences?
My first composing was when I was 6 years old, on our old piano. I remember that the piece was in A minor. My mother then said that I would need piano lessons, and everything went on from there.

How would you describe your typical process of creating a composition?
Usually, but not always, the music starts with a small musical phrase or event which I find beautiful and "solid." Then, it stays for days or weeks inside me and I play it every day, and every day it grows and becomes a new flower, or sometimes a forest.

When did you first start working with this continuous music technique? What led you in this direction?
It was back in the very early 1970's. I was starving in Paris and had nothing, no food, no money, nothing. A very kind woman took pity on me and let me live in the top floor servant's room. There she had a piano, and after the three hours of dance classes, which she had found for me, I could go into her empty apartment and play on it. The dance classes were with the great Etoile de Danse’s, Carolyn Carlsson, who was a modern dance phenomenon. Probably she, in her magnificent fourth dimension mastery of time and space and many things metaphysical, touched my soul and my body with her transcendent vision, and it took root inside me as Continuous Music. I remember the very first months that this music came into me, that my flesh and my body were slowly transformed, much like a Tai Chi master whose body is transformed into almost pure energy and light. At the higher levels of such disciplines as Martial Arts and Dance and Music, and Meditation, we all come into one very similar room, into one very similar light and space, where there is no time, no physical matter, only the pure wonder of Existence. It is a beautiful room.

When creating continuous music how much of it is improv?
That question needs a lot of interpretation, because creating this music may mean the act of composing a new piece. This is always improvisational just like Beethoven had to improvise his ideas for a symphony. But if you mean during a concert, then the answer is both no and yes. Within all Continuous Music pieces, there is an element of time and touch on the keys that is free and living, but there is also the given "road," and that is mainly fixed on the page. For example, my recent (2013) large work, Windmills (for two pianos), is quite fixed in all its structure and melodies and harmonic rivers, but the road there started with many different performances and trials, which finally became synthesized into the current fixed form. I have recordings from the first four times I did this piece, and they are quite different yet quite the same.

How do you believe continuous music ends?
In some way, no, never. I truly feel that every time I start a piece, it has already been going on for years before, without end. I am just picking an arbitrary time/spot to join in, and when I leave, it is with some sorrow, because the nature of this music is never to end.

Do you still collaborate with dancers? It would be nuts if you played with a Peking Opera troupe or a limber pack of Beijing aunties.
Well, I would like to, but for now, I have not collaborated for many years with any dance company or group. Still, I like your idea very much, to combine this music with a limber pack of Beijing aunties. It sounds to me like this would be a meaningful pleasure for us all.

Is there anything in your playing or compositions that you feel is informed by Chinese music or by themes that you consider eastern?
Actually, a lot! This music was born out of the East, even if the musical character of my tonal language is Western. The actual ability to play this music at all, because of its complexities and transcendental nature, are totally Eastern. I owe so much to China and Japan for their ancient knowledge, which is more and more important today, as the world becomes more and more synthetic and shallow. The Chinese creation (or discovery) of Tai Chi has been crucial in my development as pianist. Without Tai Chi, I would be unable to perform, or even imagine the things that I do on the piano. The most wonderful things for me are the respect and tradition of these ancient martial arts, because they contain the road to personal development, to the God-given abilities we all have, to become a true master of something. Every human being is born to be great. Every one of us has an amazing ability, that unfortunately, because of our needs to have a home and to eat, to "have a job," means that most of us, give up our greatness, to become workers. There are a few blessed and fortunate ones who can give up these things and devote their existence to perfection, who will have the time to perfect their personal greatness. I would be a fool to think that I am greater than my neighbor. We are all Great, and we are all emperors inside.

I’ve read that you prefer intimate spaces, opposed to large concert halls for performing continuous music. What would be your ideal venue or landmark to perform at in Beijing?
Yes, for sure|! My perfect space would be simple large room, with wooden floors and wooden walls and ceilings ... with windows where the eye can see the colours of light ... where each person could lie down on the floor and close their eyes and let their mind carry them WEIGHTLESS on the surface of this River Of Sound that I am playing for them ... the magic and mystery of Sound .,. pure and natural Sound ... it is wonderful to experience it ... just candle light if it is dark in the room ... or no light ... just sound ... because the purpose of my music is not to glorify me, but to glorify each person's existence.

Who, living or deceased would you most like to hang or collaborate with?
I was going to say, right off the bat, Beethoven! But really, I fear he would disdain me, since I am nothing compared to him. Maybe none of the famous composers would want me near them. I don’t know. In my heart and soul, I love them all. You must understand, that they are true geniuses, far beyond my level of musical powers. I have only my life and my heart which I play in this music. But really, even if Beethoven would hate me, I would still love to walk beside him and feel his existence pushing me. I chose him not only because he is so great, but because he was a true rebel! He opposed the state and was the only composer who dared to turn music upside down and say to the world "This is truly beautiful, listen! " and we listened to his work, and discovered something truly wonderful! He was, like me, hated by the music critics in his early years.

Check out Lubomyr Melnyk's continuous music at Yue Fu this Saturday (Oct 18).

More stories by this author here.

Email: danielkippwhittaker@thebeijinger.com

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