Wednesday, August 17, 2022

One more post on Asterism

I praised Asterism in an earlier post, but I wanted to share a reaction video from someone who actually knows what they're talking about. I watched another video where he reacts to Asterism performing a Stevie Ray Vaughn song and it actually brought him to tears. Below is his reaction to their live performance of "Dawn" which I have in an earlier post. Lately, I've been listening to their studio version of this song, which is beyond amazing. I don't think I said enough about this song, so I'm going to say it now.

Regarding the band, I am in awe of how perfect everything they compose is. Their music often doesn't go in the direction I anticipate, but wherever they take it then seems like the only way for it to possibly have gone. It's like each song is conceived as a whole, not something that was built up step by step. There's a line in Amadeus when Salieri is praising Mozart's music that summarizes my impression of Asterism: "And music, finished as no music is ever finished. Displace one note and there would be diminishment. Displace one phrase and the structure would fall."

Regarding this particular song, the last three minutes, after the best bass solo in music history, evokes in me the celebration when God steps in and redeems all suffering, conquers all evil, and everything negative is turned into joy. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes; there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" (Rev. 21:4). I'm a music person, primarily classical, but I can't remember the last time a piece of music had this effect on me. 

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