Frédéric Chopin Profile

Frédéric Chopin Profile

Sep 3, 2024 | David Jay Brown, Musicians/Composers, Profiles, Recents

Carolyn and I have appreciated the work of Polish composer and virtuoso pianist Frédéric Chopin, who is recognized worldwide as a leading musician of the Romantic era. He is most well-known for his extraordinary solo piano compositions and performances, with such influential works as the Nocturnes, Preludes, and Etudes, which have left an enduring legacy in classical music.

Frédéric François Chopin was born in 1810 in Żelazowa Wola, Poland, which is around 30 miles from Warsaw. His father had emigrated from France as a teenager, and he became a respected teacher, who worked as a tutor for the children of Polish nobility. Chopin’s mother was of Polish descent, came from a noble but impoverished family, and was known to have musical talents. Chopin had three sisters. He was very close with his family, and their support played an important role in his life and career.

The Chopin family moved to Warsaw six months after Frédéric’s birth. Since his mother was skilled in playing the piano, this likely influenced her son’s musical development. In 1816, when Chopin was six, he started receiving professional music tutoring, which continued for five years. It didn’t take long for people to recognize that Chopin was a child prodigy, and by the age of seven, he was already giving public performances.

In 1821, at the age of eleven, Chopin composed his first major work, the Polonaise in G Minor, demonstrating his early musical talent. During these formative years, Chopin studied at the Warsaw Conservatory. Although there was a lively musical life in Warsaw, Chopin felt the need for a wider musical experience, so his parents found the money to send him to Vienna, where he made his performance debut in 1829.

By the end of that year, Chopin had gained considerable acclaim, giving successful concerts in Vienna and Warsaw, which enhanced his reputation as a virtuoso pianist and composer. In 1830, he composed his Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, one of his early masterpieces, and this marked the beginning of Chopin’s rise to international prominence as a leading figure in Romantic music.

Romantic music is a stylistic movement in Western Classical music associated with the period of the 19th century commonly referred to as the “Romantic era.” Romantic composers sought to create music that was emotional, individualistic, and dramatic, reflecting broader trends within the movements of Romantic poetry, art, literature, and philosophy.

In 1831, Chopin left Poland, due to a war that broke out with Russia known as the November Uprising, and he settled in Paris, where he quickly became a sought-after performer and teacher among the Parisian elite. Here Chopin established himself as a prominent figure in the European music scene, although when he first arrived in Paris, he faced professional and financial difficulties.

After his Paris concert debut in 1832, he realized that his delicate touch at the keyboard did not appeal to everyone in larger concert venues. However, later that year, an introduction to the wealthy Rothschild banking family transformed his prospects. With his elegant manners, meticulous dress, and natural sensitivity, Chopin quickly became a favorite in the grand salons of Paris, both as a recitalist and as a teacher.

Although Chopin was a much-loved performer, he had a notorious aversion to public performances. Despite being a celebrated pianist, Chopin was known to be extremely nervous and uncomfortable playing in large concert halls. He preferred the intimacy of private salons, where he felt more at ease performing for smaller audiences. On one occasion, during a rare public concert in Paris, Chopin was so anxious that he placed a candle on the piano to create a more personal and comforting atmosphere. This candlelit setting not only helped him cope with his stage fright but also added a unique, enchanting ambiance to his performance, making it a memorable experience for those in attendance.

Chopin’s delicate and technically demanding compositions garnered widespread acclaim. During this period, Chopin also developed significant personal relationships, including a tumultuous but influential romance with French novelist Aurore Dudevant (better known as George Sand) that began in 1838. Despite his worsening health, which often interrupted his work, Chopin continued to compose prolifically, blending Polish folk elements with the romantic spirit of the era.

Between 1841 and 1849, Chopin experienced both prolific creative output and significant personal challenges. He continued to compose some of his most renowned works, including the Ballades, Polonaises, and the Barcarolle, solidifying his status as a master of Romantic piano music. His health, however, continued to deteriorate due to tuberculosis, which limited his public performances and teaching.

In 1847, Chopin’s turbulent relationship with George Sand ended, exacerbating his fragile emotional and physical state. Despite these hardships, Chopin’s compositions during this period reflected profound depth and innovation. He spent his final years battling tuberculosis and left this world when he was only 39 years old. He died in Paris in 1849, leaving behind a legacy that profoundly influenced the course of Western classical music.

Chopin’s legacy endures as one of the most influential and beloved composers in Western classical music, particularly renowned for his contributions to piano repertoire. His works, characterized by their lyrical beauty, technical complexity, and innovative use of harmony and form, have set a standard for pianistic excellence and expression. Chopin’s music blends elements of Polish folk traditions with the Romantic era’s emotive intensity, creating pieces that are both deeply personal and universally resonant. His compositions— such as the nocturnes, études, waltzes, and preludes— remain central to piano literature, inspiring generations of pianists and composers.

Some of the quotes that Frédéric Chopin is known for include:

Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have overcome all difficulties. It is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.

Bach is an astronomer, discovering the most marvelous stars. Beethoven challenges the universe. I only try to express the soul and the heart of man.

Put all your soul into it, play the way you feel.

Regardless of my transient joys, I am never free of a feeling of melancholy which somehow forms the base of my heart.

Time is the best of critics, and patience the best of teachers.

Even in winter it shall be green in my heart.

There are times when I feel more inspired, filled with a strong power that forces me to listen to my inner voice.

I tell my piano the things I used to tell you.

As long as I have health and strength, I will gladly work all my days.

by David Jay Brown

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Albert Einstein Profile

Albert Einstein Profile

Aug 27, 2024 | David Jay Brown, Profiles, Recents, Scientists

Carolyn and I have appreciated the work of theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, one of the most influential scientists in human history. He is best known for developing the theory of relativity and won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. His mass-energy equivalence formula E=mc² is considered the most famous scientific equation in the world, and he was a dedicated champion for peace.

Albert Einstein was born in 1879 in Ulm, in the Kingdom of Württemberg in the German Empire. His parents were secular Ashkenazi Jews. Einstein‘s father was a salesman and engineer, who ran a business that manufactured electrical equipment. His mother was a well-educated woman who played a significant role in her son’s early education, particularly in music. She was a talented pianist, and her influence is thought to have contributed to Einstein’s lifelong love of music.

Shortly after Einstein’s birth, his family moved to Munich, where his father and uncle co-founded an electrical engineering company. During his early years, Einstein’s parents noticed his slow development, particularly his delayed speech, which caused them some concern. Despite this, he exhibited a strong curiosity and interest in the world around him, often spending long periods pondering simple objects. The family environment was intellectually stimulating, with his mother nurturing his interest in music, particularly the violin, and his father exposing him to scientific ideas.

In 1884, at the age of five, Einstein had a pivotal experience with a compass, which deepened his fascination with invisible forces and sparked his lifelong interest in understanding the mysteries of the natural world. In 1885, at the age of six, he began taking violin lessons, and he became a passionate violinist who played the instrument throughout most of his life.

In 1888, Einstein started attending the Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich, where he was an excellent student, although his personality often clashed with the rigid, rote-learning educational system. Einstein’s independent spirit and curiosity often put him at odds with the school’s strict approach, but he found solace in self-study, particularly in mathematics, which he pursued with great enthusiasm. In 1891, at the age of 12, Einstein began teaching himself advanced mathematics, including calculus, which fueled his fascination with physics.

During this period, his family’s business began to struggle, leading to financial difficulties. In 1894, when Einstein was 15, his family moved to Italy for better business opportunities, but he stayed behind to finish school. However, unhappy with the schooling system, Einstein eventually left the Luitpold Gymnasium and joined his family in Italy.

That same year Einstein applied to the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich. Although he initially failed the entrance exam in 1895, he was accepted after completing additional schooling in Aarau, Switzerland. In 1896, Einstein renounced his German citizenship to avoid military service and became stateless. He then enrolled at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic, where he studied under renowned physicists and developed his foundational ideas in theoretical physics. By 1901, Einstein graduated with a teaching diploma, became a Swiss citizen, and he published his first scientific paper.

In 1902, Einstein began working at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern, a job that provided him with financial stability and ample time to pursue his scientific interests. In 1905, Einstein published four groundbreaking papers that fundamentally changed the understanding of physics. These papers introduced the theory of special relativity, the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, and the equivalence of mass and energy (E=mc²), establishing him as a leading physicist.

Einstein’s theory of special relativity states that the laws of physics are the same for all observers, regardless of their constant speed, and that the speed of light is constant in a vacuum. This understanding leads to unusual phenomena like time dilation and length contraction when objects move close to the speed of light.

In 1909, Einstein left the patent office to accept a full-time academic position at the University of Zurich, marking the beginning of his academic career. In 1912, Einstein moved to Prague to take up a professorship and then returned to Zurich, where he continued to develop his theories, including the early stages of his work on general relativity.

In 1913, Einstein accepted a position at the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin, where he also became the director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics. During World War I, despite the turbulent times, Einstein continued his work on the theory of general relativity, which he completed in 1915.

General relativity expanded his concept of special relativity by describing gravity not as a force, but as a curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy. Massive objects cause spacetime to curve, and this curvature affects the motion of objects and the flow of time. This theory revolutionized the understanding of gravity and was experimentally confirmed in 1919 during a solar eclipse, which brought Einstein global fame.

The 1920s saw Einstein become a prominent public figure, traveling extensively and promoting his scientific ideas. In 1921, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect, which was crucial in the development of quantum theory. Throughout this period, Einstein also engaged in various humanitarian and political causes, advocating for peace and Zionism. During the end of this decade, Einstein focused on unifying the fundamental forces of physics, although he grew increasingly skeptical of the emerging field of quantum mechanics. In the early 1930s, as the political situation in Germany deteriorated with the rise of the Nazi regime, he decided to leave Germany.

In 1933, when Einstein was fleeing Germany to the United States, he stopped in England, where he stayed with the famous author H.G. Wells. During this visit, Einstein met Charlie Chaplin at the premiere of the film City Lights. Chaplin reportedly said, “They cheer me because they all understand me, and they cheer you because no one understands you,” to which Einstein smiled in agreement.

That same year Einstein settled in the United States, accepting a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he would remain for the rest of his life. During this time, Einstein became an outspoken advocate against fascism and war, supporting efforts to help Jewish refugees. He also played a role in alerting President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the potential of nuclear weapons, contributing to the initiation of the Manhattan Project, although he was a lifelong pacifist.

In 1940, Einstein became an American citizen, fully committed to both his scientific pursuits and his advocacy for global peace and human rights. After the war, Einstein became a vocal advocate for nuclear disarmament, warning about the dangers of atomic weapons and promoting peaceful uses of atomic energy. He was an outspoken supporter of civil rights and was affiliated with various humanitarian causes. Einstein became a symbol of intellectual freedom and moral integrity, and in 1952 he rejected an offer to become the president of Israel, choosing instead to focus on science and advocacy.

Einstein’s views on spirituality were complex and nuanced. He did not believe in a personal God or traditional religious doctrines, but he often spoke of a “cosmic religion” or “cosmic sense” that reflected a deep reverence for the order and mystery of the universe. He saw spirituality in the awe and wonder inspired by nature and the intricate laws governing the cosmos, famously saying, “God does not play dice with the universe.” Einstein’s spirituality was rooted in his belief in a rational, comprehensible universe, which he felt revealed a higher order or intelligence, though not one tied to human-like deities or religious dogma.

Despite declining health in his final years, Einstein remained active in his research and public life. He also continued to work on his Unified Field Theory, although it remained incomplete at the time of his death. Einstein died in 1955 at the age of 76, leaving behind a legacy that profoundly shaped both the scientific world and broader society.

Einstein’s theories revolutionized our understanding of space and time, and he was a passionate advocate for peace, civil rights, and humanitarian causes, using his fame to influence global affairs. His contributions continue to shape modern physics, and his image remains synonymous with creativity, curiosity, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Some of the quotes that Albert Einstein is known for include:

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.

If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.

The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science.

If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.

by David Jay Brown

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Jane Goodall Profile

Jane Goodall Profile

Jul 22, 2024 | David Jay Brown, Profiles, Recents, Scientists

Carolyn and I have appreciated the work of British primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall, who studied the social interactions of chimpanzees in the wild for over sixty years and is considered the world’s foremost expert. She has also been an important voice for wildlife conservation and animal welfare issues.

Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall was born in London, England in 1934. Her father was a successful racing car driver and a businessman in the automobile industry. Her mother was a novelist. As a child, Goodall’s father gave her a stuffed toy chimpanzee named Jubilee as an alternative to a teddy bear, and Goodall has said that her fondness for the special toy sparked her early love of animals. To this day, Jubilee sits on Goodall’s dresser in her home.

Goodall attended Uplands School, a private school located in the coastal town of Poole, Dorset on the south coast of England, Goodall did not pursue higher education immediately after school; instead, she worked as a secretary and saved money for a trip to Africa. In 1957, Goodall visited the farm of a friend in the Kenya highlands of East Africa. This visit brought her into contact with the renowned anthropologist and paleontologist Louis Leakey. Impressed by Goodall’s passion for animals and her keen observational skills, Leakey hired her as his secretary and soon after, recognized her potential to contribute to primate research.

In 1960, Leakey sent Goodall to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania to study wild chimpanzees, marking the beginning of her groundbreaking research. Despite having no formal training in higher education at the time, Goodall’s intuitive and patient approach led to remarkable discoveries about chimpanzee behavior, tool use, and social structures, which revolutionized our understanding of the primates and their close relation to humans. She found that “it isn’t only human beings who have personality, who are capable of rational thought and emotions like joy and sorrow.”

In the early 1960s, while Goodall was still new to studying chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park, she faced a significant challenge: the chimpanzees were very wary of her presence and they would flee whenever she approached. To overcome this, Jane adopted a unique and patient strategy. She would sit quietly in the same spot every day, making sure not to intrude or disrupt the chimpanzees’ activities. Her perseverance paid off when a young chimpanzee that she named “David Greybeard” became the first to approach her.

David’s acceptance of Goodall paved the way for other chimpanzees to become more comfortable around her. This breakthrough was not only a pivotal moment in her research but also led to the groundbreaking discovery of tool use among chimpanzees, fundamentally changing our understanding of primate behavior and bridging the gap between humans and animals in the scientific community. David’s trust in Goodall marked the beginning of her long and fruitful relationship with the chimpanzees of Gombe, and it remains a testament to the power of patience and respect in scientific observation.

In 1962, Goodall began her higher education at the University of Cambridge, where she enrolled in a Ph.D. program despite not having an undergraduate degree, which was a rare exception. In 1965, Goodall obtained her Ph.D. in Ethology from Darwin College, Cambridge. Her thesis was titled Behavior of the Free-Ranging Chimpanzee, based on her pioneering field research in Gombe.

Goodall was able to correct quite a few misunderstandings that people had about chimpanzees. For example, she discovered that they are omnivorous, and not vegetarian as was previously thought. Goodall learned that they are capable of making and using tools, and have a set of previously unrecognized complex and highly developed social behaviors. She summarized her findings in several books and articles about various aspects of her work.

Goodall is the author 36 books. In 1971, she published her book In the Shadow of Man, which is her initial account of her life among the wild chimpanzees of Gombe, and in 1986, she summarized her years of observation in The Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior. Some of her other varied books include A Prayer for World Peace and Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey. She also wrote a cookbook, Eat Meatless, and a children’s book, Pangolina.

Goodall’s work and life have been deeply intertwined with spirituality, although she does not adhere to a specific organized religion. Goodall’s spirituality is rooted in a profound sense of connection to nature and all living beings, which she often describes in her writings and speeches. Her spiritual perspective is reflected in her reverence for the natural world and her commitment to conservation and animal welfare. Goodall often speaks about the sense of awe and wonder she feels in the presence of nature, and how this has guided her work with chimpanzees and her broader environmental advocacy. Her spirituality also informs her belief in the power of hope and the potential for positive change through human action.

In 1975, while Goodall was studying the wild chimps in Gombe, along with several of her research students and assistants, a harrowing incident occurred when several of them were kidnapped by armed rebels in Tanzania. The rebels, from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire), crossed into Tanzania and took the students hostage. The incident was a significant and frightening disruption to Goodall’s research. The students were held captive for several hours, but fortunately, they were released unharmed after negotiations. This event underscored the challenges and dangers faced by researchers working in remote and politically unstable regions. Despite this traumatic experience, Goodall continued her work at Gombe, demonstrating her resilience and dedication to her research and conservation efforts.

In 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute was founded, which is dedicated to wildlife research, conservation, and education. Its primary focus is on the protection of chimpanzees and their habitats, promoting sustainable livelihoods for local communities, and fostering environmental stewardship through programs that engage young people worldwide in conservation efforts. The institute also works on issues such as reforestation, climate change, and advocacy for animal welfare and biodiversity.

In 1991, Goodall started her Roots & Shoots program. This is a global youth-led community action program that encourages young people to make a positive impact in their communities through projects that promote conservation, animal welfare, and social justice. The program empowers participants to identify and address local issues, fostering leadership skills and environmental stewardship. Through various initiatives, Roots & Shoots “aims to inspire and support the next generation of compassionate leaders committed to creating a better world for people, animals, and the environment.” The program has had an incredible impact and has grown exponentially since its inception, engaging millions of young people in over 100 countries in community-based conservation projects.

Goodall has continued to make significant contributions to primatology, conservation, and environmental advocacy. In 1993, she founded the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Center in the Republic of Congo, providing a sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees and raising awareness about the threats they face. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Goodall expanded her efforts globally through the Jane Goodall Institute, promoting sustainable development and conservation initiatives in Africa and elsewhere.

Goodall has lectured widely about environmental and conservation issues and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. In 1995, she won the Kyoto Prize, and in 2002 she became a United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 2003, Goodall was honored as the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 2021, she also was awarded the Templeton Prize, and in 2022 she won the Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication. In 2006, the Open University of Tanzania awarded her an honorary Doctor of Science degree, and in 2017, a documentary about Goodall’s life and work titled Jane was released by National Geographic.

Goodall has been a tireless advocate for animal welfare and environmental protection, delivering lectures worldwide and meeting with global leaders to discuss these critical issues. Goodall’s unwavering dedication has inspired a global movement towards a more sustainable and compassionate world. I met Jane in 1993 at the opening celebration for the Biosphere 2 project in Arizona, which was the largest closed ecological system ever created. She was extremely kind and gracious as we spoke, and I could sense why animals feel so comfortable and trusting around her beautiful presence.

Some of the quotes that Jane Goodall is known for include:

What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. The greatest danger to our future is apathy. You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you.

We have the choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place– or not to bother.

You cannot share your life with a dog, as I had done in Bournemouth, or a cat, and not know perfectly well that animals have personalities and minds and feelings.

From my perspective, I absolutely believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I have derived strength in moments of sadness or fear. That’s what I believe, and it was very, very strong in the forest.

If we do not do something to help these creatures, we make a mockery of the whole concept of justice.

Only if we understand, will we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help shall all be saved.

Here we are, the most clever species ever to have lived. So how is it that we can destroy the only planet we have?

Giving people hope is my mission in life.

by David Jay Brown

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Roy Orbison Profile

Roy Orbison Profile

Jul 8, 2024 | David Jay Brown, Musicians/Composers, Profiles, Recents

Carolyn and I have appreciated the work of singer, songwriter, and guitarist Roy Orbison, best known for his distinctive, operatic voice and emotionally evocative ballads, which include such hit songs as Oh, Pretty Woman and Blue Bayou. Orbison received many honors for his exceptional work, including multiple Grammy Awards, and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Roy Kelton Orbison was born in 1936 in Vernon, Texas. He was the second of three sons. Orbison’s father was an oil-field driller and auto mechanic, who also worked in defense building B-24 Liberator bombers during WWII. His mother enjoyed painting and writing poetry. As a child, Orbison had eyesight problems and he started wearing thick glasses at four years old.

In 1942, on Orbison’s sixth birthday, his parents gave him a guitar, and his father and older brother taught him how to play it. Orbison’s father showed him the chords to “You Are My Sunshine,” and he learned these first songs by the time he was seven. Within a year, music became the focus of Orbison’s life, and he won a local talent show when he was eight years old. At the age of 9, Orbison won a contest on radio station KVWC, which further led to his own radio show where he sang every week.

Around this time, Orbison’s family moved to Fort Worth, Texas. Orbison said that a formative experience in his childhood was the regular singing sessions that he attended at the nearby military base in Fort Worth where, as a young boy, Orbison would perform for the soldiers stationed there. These soldiers, who were intensely emotional because they were about to be sent to the front lines of World War II, were deeply moved by Orbison’s music. This experience profoundly influenced Orbison’s understanding of the emotional power of music and shaped his future songwriting and performing style.

As a youth Orbison’s primary musical influence came from listening to country and western swing music. In 1949, when Orbison was thirteen years old, he began singing in a rockabilly band called The Wink Westerners. Rockabilly is an early style of rock and roll music, that blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blues.

In 1954, after graduating from high school, Orbison enrolled at North Texas State College in Denton. Orbison planned to study geology there to secure work in the oil fields if his music didn’t pay well enough. However, Orbison became bored with the coursework during his first year and preferred to play music with his fellow students, so he dropped out of college to pursue a music career.

Around this time, Orbison began performing at a local radio show called The Louisiana Hayride, which served as a platform for many aspiring musicians. It was here that Orbison met singer Johnny Cash, as they were both performing on the show. Cash liked Orbison’s music, and he arranged for a meeting between Orbison and Sun Records label founder Sam Phillips.

In 1956, Orbison signed a recording contract with Sun Records, after impressing Phillips with his songwriting talent and unique voice. This was a pivotal moment in Orbison’s life, as it was where he met and began working with other legendary figures in rock music, like Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley. This experience not only exposed Orbison to the burgeoning rockabilly scene but also helped him refine his unique style, ultimately leading to his breakthrough hits and lasting influence on the music industry.

In 1960, Orbison moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue his music career more intensely and to be closer to the heart of the country’s music industry. In 1962, Orbison first met Bob Dylan and they formed a lifelong bond. Orbison switched his recording contract to Monument Records, and between 1960 and 1966, twenty-two of Orbison’s single songs reached the Billboard Top 40. Orbison wrote or co-wrote almost all of his own top 10 hits, including Only the Lonely (Know the Way I Feel), Crying, and Running Scared. These songs were primarily about themes of love, heartache, and longing, characterized by his powerful, emotive vocals and dramatic, orchestral arrangements.

For a song to reach the Billboard Top 40 means that it has achieved significant popularity and sales, ranking within the top 40 positions on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. This chart is a widely recognized industry standard for measuring the success of singles in the United States, based on factors such as radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. Reaching the Top 40 is a notable accomplishment, indicating that the song is among the most popular and frequently played tracks in the country at that time.

At the height of his success, Orbison faced several personal tragedies that profoundly affected his life and career. In 1966, Orbison’s wife died in a motorcycle accident, and in 1968, a house fire claimed the lives of his two eldest sons. After these losses, Orbison experienced a quieter period in his career, although he continued touring and recording.

Despite these hardships, Orbison maintained a loyal fanbase and collaborated with various artists. He also made several television appearances and released albums that kept his distinctive voice and style in the public eye. Despite these devastating losses, Orbison persevered in his career, channeling his grief into his music and ultimately achieving a remarkable comeback years later.

In 1987, Orbison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In 1988, Orbison co-founded The Traveling Wilburys, a band with George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Jeff Lynne. Often referred to as a “supergroup,” due to its mega-star members, The Traveling Wilburys achieved significant commercial success and critical acclaim with their blend of rock and folk music, which was characterized by its collaborative spirit and hit songs like Handle with Care and End of the Line. Their debut album in 1988 placed Orbison in the Billboard Top Ten for the first time since 1964.

Orbison also recorded a new solo album, “Mystery Girl,” around this time, which is often considered to be his finest work in decades. Tragically, Orbison died of a heart attack that year in Hendersonville, Tennessee, at the age of 52. This was just a few weeks after the release of The Traveling Wilburys debut album. Mystery Girl was released posthumously in 1989, and it featured the hit single You Got It, which remained in the Billboard Top Ten for 18 weeks.

Orbison is remembered for his distinctive style, incredible vocal range, and carefully crafted ballads of loneliness, heartache, romantic yearning, and despair.

In 1989, Orbison was inducted into The National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2014. He received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and five other Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone magazine placed Orbison at number 37 on its list of the Greatest Artists of All Time, and number 13 on its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. In 2002, Billboard magazine listed him at number 74 on its list of the Top 600 Recording Artists.

Some of the quotes that Roy Orbison is known for include:

I close my eyes, then I drift away, into the magic night I softly say. A silent prayer, like dreamers do, then I fall asleep to dream my dreams of you.”

If you have faith, then your whole life is put in a new perspective. You get to work but enjoy the work at the same time. If you grow spiritually, you do what’s in front of you and let the results speak for themselves.

To be a songwriter-singer means the songs come from deep within, and you treat them as an artist, with that much respect. I couldn’t hardly cheat myself.

You wiggle to the left, you wiggle to the right, you do the Ooby Dooby with all your might.

My voice is a gift. My talent is a gift. The life process is a gift. The opportunity for the journey is a gift.

You set out to whip the world, and then when you get beat up a little bit… You turn your will over to God.

I’ve really learned a lot, really learned a lot, love is like a stove, burns you when it’s hot.

I may be a living legend, but that sure don’t help when I’ve got to change a flat tire.

by David Jay Brown

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George Harrison Profile

George Harrison Profile

Jun 24, 2024 | David Jay Brown, Musicians/Composers, Profiles, Recents

Carolyn and I have appreciated the work of British musician George Harrison, who achieved international fame as a singer, songwriter, and lead guitarist for the Beatles. Harrison helped to widen the scope of popular music by embracing Indian culture and incorporating their instrumentation and spirituality.

George Harrison was born in Liverpool, England in 1943. He was the youngest of four children (and years later, he was the youngest of the four Beatles). His father was a bus conductor and a steward in the merchant navy. Harrison’s mother was a grocery shop assistant, and an enthusiastic music fan, who was known among her friends for her loud singing voice.

While Harrison was still in his mother’s womb, his mom used to listen to Indian music. Harrison’s biographer Joshua Greene wrote, “Every Sunday she tuned in to mystical sounds evoked by sitars and tablas, hoping that the exotic music would bring peace and calm to the baby in the womb.” This seemed to have a profound effect, as Harrison sought to incorporate this type of music into his own years later.

In 1948, at age five, Harrison attended primary school in Liverpool, and from 1954 to 1959 he attended high school there. Harrison began playing the guitar in high school, where he first met Paul McCartney, they became good friends because of their shared interest in music. Harrison extremely disliked his experience in school and dropped out at the age of 16.

Around this time, Paul McCartney invited Harrison to join his rock band the Quarrymen, which he had recently formed with his friend John Lennon. The group underwent several name and member changes before becoming The Beatles and settling on Harrison as the lead guitarist, Lennon as vocalist and rhythm guitarist, McCartney as vocalist and bass guitarist, and Ringo Star as the drummer.

The Beatles, of course, became one of the most influential and successful bands in popular music, achieving countless accolades, including 20 number-one singles, 19 number-one albums, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They revolutionized music with innovative sound, lyrics, and cultural impact, leaving a legacy that inspires generations of music lovers. Some popular songs that Harrison contributed as one of the Beatles include While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Here Comes the Sun, and Something.

In 1965, Harrison studied the sitar, a stringed instrument from India, with musician Ravi Shankar, and he incorporated this new skill into his music with the song Norwegian Wood. Harrison’s interest in Indian culture grew, and in 1968, he and the other Beatles traveled to India to study transcendental meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Although this trip to India influenced dozens of subsequent Beatles songs, Harrison was the only member of the group to adopt these spiritual practices as a part of his life.

Harrison deeply explored Hindu spirituality, particularly Krishna Consciousness, which significantly influenced his life and music. Krishna Consciousness, also known as Bhakti Yoga, is a spiritual movement and philosophy that emphasizes devotion, love, and service to Krishna, the Supreme Being, as a path to achieve spiritual growth, self-realization, and union with the divine. Harrison incorporated Eastern philosophical themes and spiritual sentiments into his songs, such as “My Sweet Lord” and “The Inner Light,” reflecting his quest for spiritual growth and self-realization.

Later in 1968, Harrison released his first solo work with the soundtrack to the British experimental film Wonderwall. Then he released several best-selling singles and albums as a solo performer. In 1970, the Beatles broke up, and Harrison released his highly successful album All Things Must Pass. In 1971, Harrison staged two concerts with Ravi Shankar at Madison Square Garden in New York City to raise money to help fight starvation in Bangladesh. The music from these two concerts was released on a triple album set that year called The Concert for Bangladesh, which was certified gold in 1972 with over five million copies sold.

In 1973, Harrison released his album Living in the Material World, which included his popular song Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth). In 1979, Harrison entered the world of film production as a founder of Handmade Films. The British production company created several notable films, such as Monty Python’s Life of Brian in 1979, The Long Good Friday in 1980, Time Bandits in 1981, and Mona Lisa in 1986.

In 1987, Harrison released his album Cloud Nine, which included his hit song Got My Mind Set on You. In the late 1980s, Harrison was a frequent collaborator, and he often appeared on the albums of other musicians and former bandmates. He recorded and performed with Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty, and others as part of the Traveling Wilburys, a platinum-selling band that he co-founded in 1988. Harrison was also featured as a guest guitarist on songs by Badfinger, Ronnie Wood, and Billy Preston, and he collaborated on songs and music with Eric Clapton.

Harrison was also an avid gardener and landscape designer. He created the beautiful gardens at his estate, Friar Park, which included a large lake, waterfalls, and a variety of plants and trees. Friar Park is a Victorian neo-Gothic mansion in Henley-on-Thames, England, that was built in 1895. The site covers about 30 acres and features caves, grottoes, underground passages, a multitude of garden gnomes, and an Alpine rock garden with a scale model of the Matterhorn, a majestic mountain in the Alps. In 1981, Harrison released a book called Friar Park: A Personal Tour showcasing his gardens and sharing his passion for gardening.

Harrison was known for his quiet and peaceful nature. Speaking about himself, he said, “I’m really quite simple. I don’t want to be in the business full-time, because I’m a gardener. I plant flowers and watch them grow. I don’t go out to clubs. I don’t party. I stay at home and watch the river flow.”

Then, in 1999, Harrison was attacked by an armed schizophrenic intruder in his home at 3:30 in the morning, who was breaking windows and screaming. “I wrestled hand to hand with the face of evil for fifteen minutes,” said Harrison. During the attack, Harrison began loudly chanting, “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna…” and he survived with over 40 stab wounds. Harrison’s statement following the attack was, “He wasn’t a burglar, and he certainly wasn’t auditioning for the Traveling Wilburys.”

Harrison died of cancer in 2001 in Los Angeles at the age of 58. In 2023, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Harrison number 31 in their list of greatest guitarists of all time. He is a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee— as a member of The Beatles in 1988, and posthumously for his solo career in 2004.

Some of the quotes that George Harrison is known for include:

I fell in love, not with anything or anybody in particular but with everything.

The only thing we really have to work at in this life is how to manifest love.

Heaven and hell is right now, right at this moment. You make it heaven or you make it hell by your actions.

Silence often says much more than trying to say what’s been said before.

If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.

Death is just where your suit falls off and now you’re in your other suit. You can’t see it on this level, but it’s all right. Don’t worry.

When you’ve seen beyond yourself, then you may find, peace of mind is waiting there.

Life flows on within you and without you.

by David Jay Brown

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Fritjof Capra Profile

Fritjof Capra Profile

Jun 10, 2024 | David Jay Brown, Profiles, Recents, Scientists

Carolyn and I have appreciated the work of physicist, activist, and ecologist Fritjof Capra, who is the founding director of the Center for Ecoliteracy, and author of several bestselling books, including The Tao of Physics, which explores the relationship between Eastern philosophy and modern physics.

Fritjof Capra was born in Vienna, Austria in 1939. His father was an attorney and his mother was a poet. Capra attended the University of Vienna and earned his Ph.D. in theoretical physics in 1966. Capra also studied numerous languages and is fluent in German, English, Italian, and French.

Capra conducted physics research at several prestigious institutions. Between 1966 and 1968, he was a researcher at the University of Paris. Between 1968 and 1970, he conducted research at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 1970, he was a researcher at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center in Palo Alto, California, and then at Imperial College in London between 1971 and 1974. Between 1975 and 1988, Capra worked at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in Northern California.

Capra was involved in theoretical high-energy physics research, focusing on quantum field theory and particle physics. He worked on topics related to the physics of subatomic particles, exploring the fundamental forces and interactions that govern their behavior. Capra’s work included studying the properties and interactions of elementary particles, contributing to the understanding of quantum mechanics, and developing theoretical frameworks that describe particle interactions.

In 1975, while Capra was a researcher in Northern California, he joined the Fundamental Fysiks Group, which met weekly to discuss philosophy and quantum physics. Our friend Nick Herbert, who I wrote a profile about a while back, was also a member of this legendary group that revolutionized physics. David Kaiser’s book How the Hippies Saved Physics, chronicles how this group of unconventional physicists in the 1970s, blended psychedelic and counterculture influences with scientific inquiry, to help revive interest in the foundations of quantum mechanics and contribute to the development of quantum information science.

That same year Capra published his groundbreaking book The Tao of Physics, which became a bestseller and was translated into twenty-three languages. The book explores the parallels between modern physics and Eastern mysticism, suggesting that both realms offer complementary perspectives on the nature of reality. Capra argues that quantum mechanics and relativity discoveries reflect the holistic and interconnected worldview found in ancient spiritual traditions such as Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.

In 1982, Capra published his book The Turning Point, which examines the failures of modern society’s mechanistic worldview and advocates for a paradigm shift towards a more holistic, ecological approach to science, economics, and society. In 1988, Capra published Uncommon Wisdom: Conversations with Remarkable People, a series of dialogues that he had with several brilliant thinkers, such as Alan Watts, Gregory Bateson, Krishnamurti, and R.D. Laing about the interconnectedness of life and the universe.

In 1990, the movie Mindwalk — starring Liv Ullmann, Sam Waterston, and John Heard— was released, and Capra co-wrote the screenplay. The film — which is about three people who engage in a deep philosophical discussion on a variety of topics, including science, politics, and the interconnectedness of life, while walking around the island of Mont Saint-Michel in France — is loosely based on his book, The Turning Point.

In 1991 Capra co-authored Belonging to the Universe: Explorations on the Frontiers of Science and Spirituality with a Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast. The book explores parallels between new paradigm thinking in science and religion, and it won the American Book Award in 1992.

In 1995, Capra co-founded the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California. The organization is dedicated to promoting ecological education in schools and integrates ecological principles into the curriculum to foster environmental awareness and sustainability among students. It has supported projects in habitat restoration, school gardens, and cooking classes, partnerships between farms and schools, school food transformation, and curricular innovation.

In 1996, Capra published his book The Web of Life, which presents a new scientific understanding of living systems, emphasizing the interconnectedness and interdependence of all life forms through the principles of complexity, networks, and ecology. In 1998, Capra received the New Dimensions Broadcaster Award, in 1999 he received the Bioneers Award, and in 2007 he was inducted into the Leonardo da Vinci Society for the Study of Thinking.

In 2002, Capra published The Hidden Connections, and he co-authored The Systems View of Life in 2014. Both books emphasize the interconnectedness and complexity of living systems, integrating perspectives from biology, ecology, and social sciences to understand the holistic nature of life. Capra has also taught physics classes at the University of California Santa Cruz, University of California, Berkeley, and San Francisco State University over the years.

In 2018, at an event hosted by our friend Ralph Abraham, I met Fritjof Capra. I told him how much I had enjoyed his book The Tao of Physics, and asked him about his inspiration for writing it. Fritjof then described to me how he was sitting on a beach in Santa Cruz when he experienced the revelations that led to his integration of physics with Taoism, and how mystical experiences that he had with “power plants” had played a role in his insight.

Some of the quotes that Fritjof Capra is known for include:

The mystic and the physicist arrive at the same conclusion; one starting from the inner realm, the other from the outer world. The harmony between their views confirms the ancient Indian wisdom that Brahman, the ultimate reality without, is identical to Atman, the reality within.

Mystics understand the roots of the Tao but not its branches; scientists understand its branches but not its roots. Science does not need mysticism and mysticism does not need science; but man needs both.

Quantum theory thus reveals a basic oneness of the universe. It shows that we cannot decompose the world into independently existing smallest units. As we penetrate into matter, nature does not show us any isolated “building blocks,” but rather appears as a complicated web of relations between the various parts of the whole. These relations always include the observer in an essential way. The human observer constitute the final link in the chain of observational processes, and the properties of any atomic object can be understood only in terms of the object’s interaction with the observer.

The more we study the major problems of our time, the more we come to realize that they cannot be understood in isolation. They are systemic problems, which means that they are interconnected and interdependent.

At the deepest level of ecological awareness you are talking about spiritual awareness. Spiritual awareness is an understanding of being imbedded in a larger whole, a cosmic whole, of belonging to the universe.

In ordinary life, we are not aware of the unity of all things, but divide the world into separate objects and events. This division is useful and necessary to cope with our everyday environment, but it is not a fundamental feature of reality. It is an abstraction devised by our discriminating and categorizing intellect. To believe that our abstract concepts of separate ‘things’ and ‘events’ are realities of nature is an illusion.

by David Jay Brown

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