David Salminen

How does one return to oneself, one’s sense & feeling of oneself, during the course of a busy day? I have been experimenting with “music mantras” for quite some time now. Instead of worrying about how to stop a tune that keeps running thru my head (which seems to be a common complaint in these times) I have experimented with intentionally placing a tune into my “mind” first thing in the morning, and allowing it to come up as it will during the day. I’ll run with it for awhile, and then just carry on with my business, whatever that may be. Two of the most effective tunes I’ve used for this are Finnish folk songs I memorized as a child during my early piano lessons. Someday I will have to record my piano versions of these two contrasting Finnish folk tunes, “I love you from the heart” and “I am a singing boy” – they are just marvelous. Another melody – actually a complicated melding of two contrasting themes – that arises often in my consciousness lately, as for instance right when I’m waking up in the morning, is the famous “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” by J.S. Bach. I don’t know why I love these particular tunes so much – but obviously such choices are very personal or idiosyncratic. Here is a recording of the Bach-Busoni version of my beloved “Wachet auf” – by the wise and subtle pianist of a previous generation…  Solomon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnGbzrH5NWs