Broke my heart…

D Natural Minor.
Subtle use of suspensions.
So intense and beautiful -
The one and only Joe Hisaishi.

Whirlwind…

Just returned from a whirlwind trip to Singapore with Noel; we basically made the trip there to rush for the annual Singapore National Library book sale. It was MAD. Lots of people – we were camped outside the doors an hour and a half early and it paid off. Result: I returned with 16 kilos of books and the Ah Boy 18. Price for my 16 kilos: SGD$ 29. I know. Bloody steal!

Anyway. Have been watching quite a number of movies this week. I watched Bruno (because you know, it’s probably never coming to Malaysian cinema) and Up (very, very sweet) in Singapore, and Yasmin Ahmad’s Talentime. The latter is playing at TGV cinemas (Malaysia) for a limited period so I made a point to catch it.

Talentime is unlike Sepet and Gubra but it is a gem of a movie. It was entertaining, quite light (unlike Gubra), funny but still had that sentimentality that is Yasmin Ahmad. The end of movie was the saddest for me. Pete Teo’s I Go played and I couldn’t help but feel how much it echoed the emotions of Yasmin’s death.

So long, fare thee well
The dancer and the dancing days have taken leave and fell
So turn down this bed of stone
Quench me with the deadly nightshade from the rose that you belong

The long December rain is falling now
Running down on streets to nowhere
Music is my life you’re my sweetest nightingale
But I can’t hear it here no more
And I go
I go

Hush now, don’t shake or break
Words have fallen silent like soldiers to the grave
No matter what they do or say
Lay me on the sleepy meadow by the tracks upon your face
_____________

Sigh. Sometimes I wonder why I’m still so affected by a death that seemingly has nothing to do with me. Or should it?

Unexpected gift…

Image from Amazon

A pleasant, wonderful surprise from Sarah, our Aussie visitor who was with us last month for the Semah Angin.

We had an animated conversation about the music of In the Mood for Love during our field trip to Kelantan. It was a great discussion but I quickly forgot about it upon return to KL as I was too bogged down by the office move and various distractions.

Her gift today completely made my day.

Spent.

I am SO looking forward to Singapore because I know it is a chance to finally breathe.

Anyway, here’s an emo/pik chek song I got off Yasmin Ahmad’s website. It is sung by another of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s nephews, Rahet Fateh Ali Khan.

O Re Piya means O Beloved.

Feels like I’ve been walking barefoot on burning embers
Feels like I’ve been growing up among total strangers
O beloved, take me away to your destiny
This blind, narrow-minded world is my enemy

Pik chek at its best. I love it.

Sigh.