One Seeker's Journey: Focus and Synergy    
 Focus and Synergy4 comments
14 Sep 2003 @ 14:20, by Craig Lang

Some interesting insights occurred to me last night as I enjoyed one of the more amazing classical concerts I have ever seen. It was the Minnesota Orchestra's season opener, and they were at their classical best - playing Rachmananoff's Piano Concerto #3, and Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.

These amazing works of creativity from earlier times brought out very different but very complimentary qualities. One was that of the individual prodigy. The "Rach 3" may well be the most difficult piano music known to western civilization - yet the concerto soloist made it look easy. The hypnotist within me marveled at the focused expression on the soloist's face as he seemed to become the music, itself. Although supported by one of the world's best orchestras, this was his moment - a star - a prodigy performer.

The other work was Beethoven's fifth. And here the orchestra itself, together, was the star. Not one person, but all - a synergy of the best and the brightest, combining to produce a work far greater than the sum of its parts. While the Rach-3 was the result of beauty focused primarily on the work of one person, the "B-5" was the result of many egalitarian parts, combined into one magnificent whole.

As the insight popped into my mind, I quickly jotted some notes on the side of my program, and returned my focus to the stage. And then, all too quickly the concert was over. As I was leaving, I wondered - how is this a metaphor for much of what we do each day?

Some of our efforts are individual, and some of our work is collective. While I will never come close to approaching the prodigy levels that I saw on stage (actually, I have no musical talent whatsoever) I still wondered about the many areas of life which can benefit from both individual mastery and collective cooperation. Wouldn't it be nice to feel synergy at the level we heard tonight? And how can we bring our own analog of such mastery - our own gifts - to where they are most needed?

I smiled and folded up the program page with my scrawled. Stuffing it into my shirt pocket we headed home after a lovely evening...

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4 comments

14 Sep 2003 @ 16:44 by martha : music
Sounds like a wonderful, thought provoking yet restful evening for you and Gwen. The synergy of the whole is wonderful when tuned properly and it is up to each of us to tune ourselves so we may find and share our gifts.
Thanks for sharing craig.

martha@hummmmmtothemusic.com

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hummmmmtothemusic.com is a neat URL. I think I bought something at their site a short time ago... :-)

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"I think I bought"- the mind is the first to go! LOL

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Yes - the mind is the first to go - initially the memory goes, then - er - I forget what next... :-)  

15 Sep 2003 @ 12:55 by repsyche : individual and team work
how about team sports for the perfect environment to witness these two possibilities for human endeavour?
the comparison can be made quite closely with your musical example - rigorous training, team players and stars (even the language is the same)except that two orchestras don't usually compete in the same stadium!  

16 Sep 2003 @ 16:20 by craiglang : Thanks Repsyche
That's another fascinating viewpoint. I love the synergy of this e-place...
Thanx for the note.  

16 Sep 2003 @ 23:22 by spiritseek : Is it necessary to receive feedback...
to enhance ones abilities? I believe it helps, but does it change the result the person intended in the first place? Does it matter which occurs? Both are exceptable in any case, unless its for business and selling on the market by which the consumer decides what is exceptable. Do we give in and give them what they want or do we standfast to our talent and produce what we like? If everyone did what they wanted and how they wanted it done what would this world be like? Amazing I think. No one can ever know what the artist was feeling or experienced to create his masterpiece at that given moment in time but the artist himself and even he might have trouble describing it. Being unique is our greatest gift but to be united in sharing these gifts is true love.  

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