Passacaglia. An Italian musical term originally derived from the Spanish pasar (to walk) and calle (street). It is a musical form that typically contains a melodic basso ostinato, a motif or phrase that is constantly repeated in the lower voice. The upper voices take this melody and vary it freely, though always aware of the harmonic anchor sustained in the bass.
Why is this, then, the title of this story? Certainly it centers on four members of a quartet and the perhaps unlikely intersections of their lives. Each of the characters is unique from one another, but maybe there is some unifying thread among them, some basic human theme that flows from all of them, and verily all of us.
Like the passacaglia, there must be some basic human aspect that functions like the basso ostinato in everyone. Each of our uniqueness is a variation upon that and overlaying on top of that. And so, life in a way is like a passacaglia. And so, this story is titled "Passacaglia." Enjoy.
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6 comments:
That's a killer name and explination.
Hi Benn! Thanks for the comment. :)
thought you might like this YouTube Symphony
Ok, not to rain on the parade but that has GOT to be from Italian. But otherwise cool :)
Hey Jackson. Yeah, it's Italian but it originally came from Spanish (at least that's what Wikipedia said). Maybe it was Spanish but then "borrowed" by the Italians?
So I just checked Wikipedia (as I know that's a reliable source, lol). It originated in Spain. The Spanish is "pasacalle" logically enough.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passacaglia
Edit: As Jackson pointed out, "Passacaglia" is an Italian term. The musical form originated from Spain.
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