20,000 Leagues Under The Piano

“At that moment I heard the vague chords of the organ, a sad harmony under an indefinable melody, veritable wails of a soul that wished to break all terrestrial ties. I listened with all my senses, hardly breathing, plunged, like Captain Nemo, in one of those musical ecstasies which took him beyond the limits of this world.”

– Jules Verne, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Doesn’t that sound like a great starting point for a piano piece?

I have always loved reading children’s novels — I was an utter bookworm when I was young — and I recently discovered this fantastic book, 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. It’s chock full of all kinds of books, from picture books to novels thought-provoking for adults as well as kids. I’m embarking on a project to try to read everything on the list. Last week I read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; this week, Huck Finn. I think this will be a good way to mine the rich veins of musical and sonic memory.