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I am late in joining the Internet revolution, having now reached the age of 76. My interest in Astrology and allied subjects goes back to the mid 60's, but my interest in music goes back to childhood. I started composing at the age of 17 and have been doing so ever since, but ever so intermittently, and for years on end composed absolutely nothing! (In fact my 'opus numbers' - so called - have not yet reached 20! However, as old age creeps on I feel it my duty to use whatever talent the muse has endowed me, and clearly have to make up for lost time. I suppose I could be characterised as a self taught maverick, both in music and astrology. I also take a keen interest in non-orthodox geology and archaeology, the origins of life on earth (the universe and everything . . .!).
But being serious for a short while, I believe my philosophy can be loosely described as fairly flexible ‘free-thinking’, but with a strong reserve of scepticism, correlating astrologically with my having Saturn rising in Capricorn. (Sun Gemini and Moon Scorpio complete the mix). I believe it is essential to keep an open mind but not so open as to let all the garbage in. I do not think for one moment, as some contemporary scientists would have us believe, that the latest state of the art 'reductionist' type knowledge has all the answers. Do not swallow all that stuff about there being a total theory of everything just round the corner. We should all be pushing boundaries!
I'm not overtly religious in the traditional sense, but believe in a higher, in fact possibly many 'higher' realities. I therefore find no contradiction in writing so called 'religious' music, as I feel that mankind is inherently a 'religious' animal, and whether you accept - lock stock and barrel - the whole gamut of Christian theology, or any other kind of theology, the musical setting of religious texts adds to them a dimension of meaning which possibly helps to illuminate the wonder of creation in a way which would not otherwise be possible. Poetry and art can do the same thing – they illuminate what Jung called the ‘numinous’.
Well, how's that for a start. The two photos show me as I was in 1983 when writing my mass, and the other one more than 8 years ago (will have to get that one updated) - getting greyer still! I have a son of 31 and a daughter of 22. I was overweight but managed to lose 4 stone in a year. However, I seem to be losing out on that one lately . . .!! I could not have written like this about myself 5 years ago. Amazing what the watershed of 70 can do. People can take me as they find me.
The state of the world in the 21st Century is far behind that which I had envisaged 20 or 30 years ago. In some ways it's worse - I would say a great deal worse in many matters! You can help a tiny bit by visiting the world wide web hunger site. Click here!
Over and out for now.