belle and i are up in san luis obispo at a little music festival. im here to see/hear two pieces of music; stravinsky's rite of spring and messiaen's quartet for the end of time. heard 'the rite' on saturday night. it is still just one of the most exciting pieces of music ever written. first performed in 1913, as in 1913, and still full of all the best elements of music. it is dark, surprising, challenging and exotic. it pulses throughout with the promise of violent energy and intermittently erupts with complex stabs of giant chords and creative orchestration. it is, to me, perfect music. just fucking great to witness.

tonights piece is the "quartet for the end of time". a piece first written and performed in a nazi stalag during world war 2. for anyone interested, the fascinating story is covered far better here by alex ross of the new yorker magazine. its being performed in a church tonight. im stoked.